Director of Marketing & Communications

Title

Director of Marketing & Communications

Classification

Full Time / Exempt

Reports To

Chief Executive Officer

Department

Development

Location:

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06610

Position Summary

The Director of Marketing & Communications is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive marketing, communications, public relations, advertising, brand, and audience engagement strategy that advances the Zoo's mission, strengthens institutional visibility, supports attendance and membership goals, and enhances the Zoo's reputation across the region.

This position leads the Zoo's external communications, brand positioning, promotional campaigns, digital engagement, media relations, advertising strategy, public relations, and marketing initiatives for exhibits, events, education programs, conservation messaging, membership, community partnerships, and institutional priorities.

The Director of Marketing & Communications works closely with the Chief Executive Officer, senior leadership team, Development, Education, Animal Care, Guest Services, Events, Membership, and other internal stakeholders to ensure the Zoo's public-facing messaging is clear, compelling, mission-aligned, accurate, and brand-consistent.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and hands-on marketing and communications professional who can elevate the Zoo's visibility, strengthen audience engagement, drive attendance and participation, support revenue-generating initiatives, manage external communications with professionalism, and tell compelling stories that connect the community to the Zoo's mission and impact.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Marketing Strategy & Brand Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy that supports attendance, membership, fundraising, events, education programs, conservation messaging, community engagement, institutional visibility, and revenue growth.
• Lead brand positioning, promotional strategy, advertising, public relations, media relations, digital communications, and audience engagement initiatives.
• Ensure all marketing and communications efforts are aligned with the Zoo's mission, strategic priorities, brand identity, revenue goals, and public reputation.
• Develop marketing campaigns to promote exhibits, programs, events, conservation initiatives, membership, education programs, community partnerships, and donor opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to expand the Zoo's reach, visibility, reputation, donor base, attendance, membership, and community impact.
• Monitor marketing performance, campaign effectiveness, audience engagement, advertising spend, and return on investment.
• Evaluate market trends, audience behavior, community engagement opportunities, and competitive positioning to strengthen marketing strategy and outreach.

Communications, Public Relations & Media Relations

• Oversee external communications to ensure consistency, quality, professionalism, and alignment with the Zoo's brand and strategic priorities.
• Serve as a key liaison with external media, advertising partners, marketing consultants, designers, vendors, photographers, and other communications partners.
• Develop and oversee press releases, media statements, public announcements, talking points, newsletters, website content, social media content, event promotions, and other public-facing communications.
• Support the CEO and senior leadership with messaging, presentations, public statements, media preparation, and communications related to institutional priorities.
• Build and maintain relationships with media outlets, community partners, tourism organizations, civic organizations, and promotional partners.
• Identify proactive media opportunities that highlight the Zoo's mission, programs, animal care, conservation work, education initiatives, events, and community impact.
• Ensure communications are accurate, timely, professional, and appropriate for the audience and platform.

Digital Marketing, Social Media & Audience Engagement

• Oversee the Zoo's digital marketing strategy, including website content, email marketing, social media, digital advertising, online promotions, and audience engagement.
• Support and guide social media strategy to ensure messaging is professional, engaging, mission-aligned, and brand-consistent.
• Develop content calendars and campaign timelines that align with events, programs, seasonal priorities, fundraising campaigns, membership goals, conservation messaging, and institutional initiatives.
• Use data and analytics to evaluate digital engagement, campaign performance, audience growth, website traffic, email engagement, and social media effectiveness.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve online visibility, audience engagement, storytelling, and conversion to attendance, membership, event participation, and support.
• Ensure digital communications reflect the Zoo's voice, values, professionalism, and brand standards.

Cross-Functional Marketing Support

• Partner with internal departments to identify stories, programs, initiatives, and mission moments that can be leveraged for marketing, public relations, donor engagement, and community visibility.
• Work closely with the Development team to ensure fundraising campaigns, sponsorship materials, donor communications, and stewardship materials are brand-consistent and aligned with the Zoo's mission.
• Partner with Membership, Events, Education, Guest Services, Animal Care, Conservation, and other departments to promote programs, events, initiatives, and revenue-generating activities.
• Support marketing and communications needs for fundraising events, cultivation events, member events, public events, education programs, conservation initiatives, and community outreach.
• Ensure public-facing communications accurately reflect organizational priorities, programs, policies, guest experience information, and mission impact.
• Maintain strong internal communication practices to ensure departments are informed of marketing timelines, promotional plans, media opportunities, and communications priorities.

Creative Direction, Content & Quality Control

• Lead the development of written, digital, print, donor-facing, and public-facing materials.
• Ensure quality control of marketing collateral, advertisements, signage, email communications, web content, social media content, photography, videos, newsletters, brochures, event materials, and public-facing messaging.
• Manage brand standards and ensure visual and written consistency across platforms and materials.
• Oversee relationships with designers, printers, photographers, videographers, advertising partners, consultants, agencies, and other creative vendors.
• Develop compelling storytelling that highlights animal care, conservation, education, guest experience, community impact, donor support, and the Zoo's mission.
• Ensure all communications are professional, accurate, accessible, inclusive, and aligned with the Zoo's reputation and values.

Leadership, Management & Collaboration

• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategy, planning, problem-solving, revenue growth, audience engagement, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop marketing and communications staff, consultants, vendors, interns, volunteers, and external partners.
• Establish department priorities, workflows, timelines, systems, and reporting practices to ensure effective execution of marketing and communications initiatives.
• Manage departmental budgets, monitor expenses, evaluate return on investment, and align resources with strategic priorities.
• Represent the Zoo externally with media, civic leaders, community organizations, corporate partners, tourism organizations, promotional partners, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain the highest level of professionalism, discretion, confidentiality, and integrity in all communications, staff, Board, donor, media, and community interactions.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position may supervise external partners supporting marketing, advertising, media relations, public relations, digital communications, social media, design, photography, video, events, and brand initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Certifications and/or Licenses

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, business, nonprofit management, or a related field required; equivalent combination of education and significant relevant experience may be considered.
• Advanced degree or professional certification in marketing, communications, public relations, digital marketing, or related field preferred.
• Valid driver's license required.

Experience, Knowledge and Skills

• Minimum of 7 to 10 years of progressively responsible marketing, communications, public relations, advertising, brand management, or audience engagement experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing marketing and communications strategies that increase visibility, engagement, attendance, participation, membership, or revenue.
• Strong understanding of brand strategy, media relations, public relations, digital marketing, advertising, social media, email marketing, content development, and audience engagement.
• Experience developing integrated campaigns across print, digital, social media, email, advertising, media, website, and public relations channels.
• Experience managing external vendors, consultants, designers, agencies, photographers, videographers, media partners, and advertising partners.
• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, presentation, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to develop clear, compelling, mission-aligned messaging for a wide range of audiences and platforms.
• Experience supporting executive communications, public statements, media preparation, and organizational messaging preferred.
• Experience in a zoo, aquarium, museum, cultural institution, conservation organization, education-focused nonprofit, tourism destination, attraction, or comparable mission-driven organization preferred.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to confidently represent the organization externally.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, coordinate cross-functional input, and execute in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong business judgment, budget management skills, analytical ability, and results orientation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, social media platforms, website content management systems, email marketing platforms, CRM systems, analytics tools, and related technology.
• High level of discretion and professionalism in handling confidential donor, financial, employee, media, and organizational information.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this role, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, use hands to handle or operate objects and tools, and reach with hands and arms. The employee may occasionally stoop, kneel, crouch, lift, or move items weighing up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Working Conditions and Environment

The work environment includes both a standard office setting and an outdoor zoo environment. The position requires professional presence, the ability to share workspace, and appropriate attire for office, public-facing, media, donor, and outdoor settings.

Because the Zoo operates year-round, including weekends, evenings, holidays, and special events, this position requires flexibility and availability outside of regular business hours to support marketing initiatives, media needs, public events, fundraising events, community events, Board activities, and other mission-critical activities.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Zoo is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.