Director of Marketing

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Rock Hall Culture Statement

At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we are dedicated to making a difference. We are an inclusive and welcoming museum that encourages creativity, embraces innovation, and creates a culture of belonging.

We recognize that exceptional candidates may not meet every listed qualification. If this role aligns with your experience and passions, we highly encourage you to apply.

SUMMARY

About the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Born from the collision of rhythm & blues, country, and gospel, rock & roll is a spirit that is inclusive and ever-changing. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates the sound of youth culture and honors the artists whose music connects us all. We share stories of the people, events, and songs that shape our world through digital content, innovative exhibits, live music, engaging programs, and our annual Induction Ceremony. We intentionally foster an inclusive and welcoming non-profit Museum that encourages and embraces creativity and innovation. As a community leader, we value, empower, and respect all people. We're looking for a marketing leader who can help us grow all of it.

The Opportunity

The Director of Marketing joins a high performing team to lead on-brand, performance-driven marketing execution - serving as the connective tissue between brand direction and measurable results. This is a high-impact role with broad scope across campaign activation, digital marketing, paid media, and partnership support, with direct accountability for driving revenue across Museum visitation, ecommerce, membership, and events. The right candidate is a collaborative leader, creative thinker, and a hands-on marketer who can elevate a talented team while keeping a clear eye on what drives results.

What You'll Own

Brand & Campaign Activation

• Partner with the Director of Brand & Content Strategy to translate brand direction and creative assets into integrated marketing campaigns across paid, owned, and earned media
• Serve as the marketing team's primary connection to content production, ensuring campaign timelines, channel needs, and audience targeting inform content development
• Maintain a major moments calendar in concert with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation content and marketing team, ensuring the Museum and Foundation teams are fully mobilized to amplify the Rock Hall's national spotlight around Induction, artist visits and collaborations, exhibit openings, expansion milestones, In Memoriam tributes, and artist and music milestones
• Drive owned campaign execution that highlights the Rock Hall across its full range of identities - admired music brand, world class attraction, specialty music lifestyle retailer, nonprofit, and community leader - across all key revenue lines
• Lay the groundwork for a national brand awareness and affinity campaign planned for 2028, timed to the grand opening of the transformed Main Exhibit Hall - including audience research, agency evaluation, messaging development, and campaign architecture - in close collaboration with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum's VP of Marketing & Sales and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation's Head of Marketing

Digital Marketing

• Develop and champion the digital marketing plan across SEO/AEO/GEO/SEM, email, website optimization, and CRM-driven lifecycle marketing
• Support the Rock Hall's visitation marketing strategy across four audience segments - national, regional, local, and visitors already in Cleveland - deploying the right media mix for each and how each audience decides to visit
• Work with a marketing contractor to maximize paid admission revenue by marketing to current music fans, lookalike audiences, and new target segments, and by partnering with internal stakeholders to ensure ticket pricing at all levels - including experiences and upsells - remains competitive and conversion-optimized
• Develop and execute owned media strategies that extend the reach of Inductee and artist-driven stories, connecting fans around the world to the music, impact, and influence at the heart of the Rock Hall's mission in partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
• Partner with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation's Director of Platform Creative & Growth to ensure paid amplification complements organic content and social strategy, and with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum's Director of Brand & Content Strategy to ensure channel execution aligns with brand direction and effectively leverages content assets
• Lead the marketing strategy and execution to grow the Rock Hall's EDU Online audience nationally and globally, partnering with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation's Head of Marketing where appropriate to reach educators and administrators through targeted campaigns; partner with internal teams to support ongoing improvements to site experience and educational content

Paid Media & Performance Marketing

• Develop and manage the marketing budget in partnership with the VP of Marketing & Sales
• Own paid media strategy across proven channels - search, display, social, email, SMS, SEO, and OOH - with a focus on reaching current fans and lookalike audiences to drive revenue for the Museum across all lines of business
• Lead a disciplined test-and-learn approach to emerging channels - including CTV, programmatic partners, and travel/tourism platforms - to reach new audience segments and expand the Museum's marketing footprint
• Evolve KPIs, reporting frameworks, and budget allocation that connect marketing activity to earned revenue goals
• Work with marketing contractor on conversion rate optimization (CRO) across all digital purchase paths, keeping the team and agency partners aligned on testing priorities and performance benchmarks

Partnerships & Sponsorships

• Work with the Director of Strategic Partnerships to drive partner acquisition and activation by developing co-marketing campaigns and materials that demonstrate sponsor value while authentically extending and supporting the brand
• Plan and implement marketing campaigns to support private event sales, driving qualified leads in support of Sales team revenue targets
• Partner with the Development team to create and implement effective Member and Donor acquisition and retention campaigns

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Directly manage two marketing team members - one senior-level manager and one junior-level manager - providing clear direction, ongoing coaching, and meaningful professional development
• Collaborate closely with peers within the Marketing, Sales, and Communications division
• Build productive working relationships with Curatorial, Education & Programming, Digital Technology, Development, Strategy, and Finance to ensure marketing strategies and plans are well-informed and well-coordinated
• Partner with the Rock Hall's marketing contractor on shared revenue goals, ensuring paid media, ecommerce, and partner marketing efforts are integrated and non-duplicative
• Collaborate with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation team, including the Director of Platform Creative & Growth, on brand storytelling, audience development, and campaign amplification

Why This Role

• Lead marketing for one of the most recognizable and beloved cultural brands in the world
• Broad scope across campaign activation, digital, paid media, and partnerships - with real influence over execution and outcomes
• Step into an established team that's ready to be elevated
• Play a key role in building toward a landmark 2028 national campaign tied to a major institutional expansion
• Be part of an institution at an exciting moment of audience growth and cultural relevance
• Work in Cleveland - an authentic city with a vibrant, growing creative economy and collaborative community

Duties include but may not be limited to the above.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Genuine passion for rock & roll music; experience in music, entertainment, hospitality, tourism, media, cultural institutions, or live events strongly preferred
• 8-10 years of consumer marketing experience; bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or related field preferred; MBA or advanced degree a plus
• Proven track record helping an organization make data-driven marketing decisions and building and executing integrated marketing strategies across owned, paid, and earned media that drive measurable revenue results
• Fluency in marketing analytics, customer insights, and the ability to synthesize cross-channel performance into clear narratives that explain what's working, what isn't, and where to invest
• Excitement about all things digital, including emerging technology like AI and new platforms for reaching, engaging, and converting audiences
• Working knowledge of CRM platforms (Salesforce preferred) and the ability to partner with internal stakeholders to leverage customer data for journey mapping, smart segmentation, personalization, and campaign optimization
• Familiarity with social media, email, and website audience data as tools for identifying lookalike audiences and expanding reach among those most likely to convert
• A strong desire to facilitate not only revenue growth but also professional growth and development of our teams with helpful direction, meaningful work, and effective feedback
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, lead, develop, and inspire a team, exceptional communicator across internal and external audiences; a team player who works well with others and enjoys partnering across teams to create exciting experiences for fans
• High energy and passion for the Museum's mission
• Commitment to follow through and meet deadlines and commitments
• Ability to successfully pass a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum reference check, background investigation, and drug screening

Emotional Intelligence

• Engage positively, professionally, and productively with others at all levels of seniority inside and outside of the organization; build solid long-term relationships with key stakeholders
• Understand how to work with different people and working styles across the organization
• Set a strong example for others by working consistently in a collegial, respectful, and collaborative manner
• Encourage and recognize effective teamwork; anticipate and remove obstacles to teamwork; resolve conflicts as they arise
• Work independently; seek direction and feedback as needed
• Take initiative and be resourceful, eager to learn and grow
• Think of the big picture and consider the impact of decisions across the organization

Working Conditions

• Environmental Parameters: Ability to work in confined areas. Ability to work indoors and outdoors, in all types of weather conditions. Ability to work in crowds of people. Ability to work with loud house music.

• Physical Demands:
  • Strength: Ability to lift/move items weighing up to 20 lbs. (approximately)
  • Type: Express or exchange ideas by means of spoken word and to perceive nature of sounds. Ability to hear accurately to interact with the public and co-workers. Demonstrate clarity of vision; judge distance and space relationships; identify and distinguish colors, numbers, and figures. Ability to perform tasks concurrently. Work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for periods of time.

Aptitude Requirements

• Cognitive:
  • Analytical: Ability to apply principles of logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
  • Communication: Ability to be conversant in Rock Hall rules and procedures. Ability to understand and carry out written or verbal instructions. Ability to answer inquiries from visitors, employees, clients, donors, and agents.
  • Administrative: Ability to complete forms. Ability to pay attention to detail and accurately distinguish data. Ability to organize and prioritize various schedules, data, and documents.
• Manual:
  • Motor Coordination: Ability to make necessary movements in selecting, picking, and depositing items.
  • Finger Dexterity: Ability to pick, pinch or otherwise work with fingers to operate above equipment. Ability to pick up a variety of items and place them on shelves; to move knobs, buttons, or switches.
  • Manual Dexterity: Ability to seize, hold, grasp, turn or otherwise work with hands. Ability to shake, sort, fold, or stack items; to place and retrieve items.

OTHER DETAILS

Safety Hazards

• Minimal hazards. General office working conditions.

Work Schedule

Ability to work up to 40 hours per week including, since it is rock & roll, some evenings and weekends. Ability to work additional hours as workload demands, balanced with additional time off. Hours are primarily 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Monday through Friday with the flexibility to work remotely up to two days per week pending varying on-site needs.


Employer's Rights

This job description does not list all the duties of the position. Supervisors or managers may ask you to perform other duties. You will be evaluated in part based upon your performance of the tasks listed in this job description. The employer has the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not a contract for employment, and either you or the employer may terminate employment at any time, for any reason.

Benefits and Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is $110,000 - $125,000, commensurate with experience. In addition, the Rock Hall has a yearly bonus program for which this position is eligible.


The Rock Hall offers an extensive perks and benefits package including:

• Health insurance (4 plans to choose from)
• Dental
• Vision
• Life insurance policies
• Long-term and short-term disability
• Employee assistance program
• 403b retirement plan
• Employer paid parking
• Generous yearly paid time off including: 14 paid holidays, 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3 personal days, and 32 hours of paid volunteer time