Director of Marketing and Communications

Position Overview
Under the supervision of the Advancement Officer, the Director of Marketing and Communications leads the strategic development and execution of all marketing, branding, public relations, digital communication and community engagement initiatives for Cleveland Sight Center. This role is responsible for increasing awareness of the organization's mission, programs, services, fundraising initiatives, and community impact while strengthening relationships with clients, partners, media, and the public.


The Director serves as a key member of the leadership team, working across departments to ensure consistent messaging, brand integrity, and effective communication. This role leads the development and execution of the marketing strategy, including campaign and event planning, collaborating on the marketing budget, and analysis of market trends and competitors. The Director also oversees day-to-day marketing activities and team performance, while supporting engagement with key diverse audiences, including staff, clients, media, the Board of Trustees, and volunteers, in alignment with the Cleveland Sight Center's mission.


Positions Supervised

• Content Marketing Specialist
• Media Specialist

Essential Functions:

Strategic Marketing & Brand Management

• Work with CSC leadership to prioritize marketing and development needs in conjunction with overall agency strategic plan and goals
• Develop and implement comprehensive marketing and communications strategies aligned with organizational goals, actively collaborate and partner with CSC departments to understand their goals and marketing needs
• Manage and strengthen the Cleveland Sight Center brand across all platforms and materials.
• Oversee market positioning, audience engagement, and public awareness campaigns.
• Monitor marketing trends and identify opportunities to enhance visibility and community engagement.

Communications & Public Relations

• Lead all internal and external communications
• Serve as primary media relations contact and manage press outreach, any interviews, and/or
• public statements.
• Write and oversee production of press releases, annual reports, newsletters, speeches, and organizational messaging.
• Ensure consistent messaging and voice across digital, print, and multimedia channels.
• Understand how to prioritize breaking news or other urgent announcements.
• Create and pitch stories.
• In collaboration with CEO and key leadership, create, lead and execute crisis communications policies as needed.
• In collaboration with the Advancement Officer, build a strategy to measure and communicate KPIs in conjunction with departmental and agency-wide marketing plans.
• Support CEO in creating content plan for staff and manager meetings.
• Collaborate with Board of Trustees Manager and Advancement Officer to provide content to Board of Trustees.
• Support CEO, and other key leadership with internal communications as needed.
• Position marketing department as a resource for staff by building trust, collaboration and expectations.

Digital Marketing & Content Strategy

• Serve as project manager with new website and manage maintenance of agency website
• Direct website content strategy, social media presence, email marketing, and digital advertising initiatives.
• Analyze campaign performance metrics and adjust strategies to improve engagement and ROI.
• Oversee content creation including photography, video, storytelling, and accessibility compliance.

Development & Event Support

• Partner with Advancement staff to support fundraising campaigns, donor communications, sponsorship initiatives, newsletters and special events.
• Create compelling marketing materials for donor cultivation and community outreach.
• Support promotion and branding for organizational events and community programs.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Supervise marketing and communications staff, consultants, and vendors as assigned.
• Collaborate with program leaders to develop outreach strategies for services and initiatives.
• Manage departmental budget and marketing resources effectively.
• Represent Cleveland Sight Center at community and professional events.

Build and Manage Paid Advertising Opportunities

• Develop annual media plan that supports CSC marketing strategy.
• Manage the day-to-day paid search campaigns and data across various platforms.

Management of Print Projects and Agency Collateral

• Manage requests for all print materials (invitations, flyers, brochures, business cards, etc.)
• Manage and foster relationships with third party marketing vendors to support and execute various projects
• Oversee Annual Report Process with Content Marketing Specialist as project manager

Other duties as assigned

General Supervision Duties

• Work cooperatively with Human Resources or the Executive Team to report complaints or violations and actively participate in workplace investigations when necessary.
• Responsible for interviewing candidates and conferring with HR regularly.
• Responsible for departmental onboarding of new hires.
• Immediately report any claims or statements by your staff, or any other source of harassment, discrimination, fraud, waste or abuse to your supervisor and Human Resources.
• Defer to HR when staff member asks about FMLA, Accommodations, etc.
• Meet regularly with staff to provide coaching, mentoring, relationship building, goal setting and tracking purposes. Assist with training needs and resources etc. These meetings should align with the ratings given and goal review during the annual evaluation.
• Complete the 90-day evaluation prior to 90 days, following CSC's process and deadlines. Involve HR if the employee is having difficulties or not meeting expectations.
• Complete a formal Annual Evaluation for each assigned staff that follows CSC's process and deadlines.
• During new hire departmental onboarding and annually thereafter, review job description with assigned staff to make sure they understand the duties, and so they can participate in any updates that are made.
• As necessary, write the first draft of any Corrective Action, reviewing with and getting approval from manager and HR before presenting to employee.
• Involve HR with any promotions, transfers, corrective actions, terminations, pay changes etc. prior to discussing with employee.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with minimal supervision.
• Experience with printing processes, media buys/production.
• Experience building and executing strategic marketing plans.
• Experience working with senior staff to support them in reaching their departmental and/or strategic planning goals.
• Experience managing a team to execute marketing strategy, overseeing the performance of the team and associated projects.
• Advanced knowledge in social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube).
• Advanced knowledge in digital marketing and email systems.
• Advanced knowledge in database/CRM management.
• Advanced knowledge in written communications and design for print, digital, social media.
• Proficient in design programs such as Adobe, InDesign, Canva, etc.
• Comfortable and confident speaking in public, making presentations, on-air or on-video as necessary.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook).
• Knowledge of Branding, media relations, crisis communication, internal communications

Qualifications

• 10+ years professional marketing/advertising/publication/special events (or similar) experience with increasing responsibility, ideally working in the nonprofit field.
• Reliable transportation and ability to flex schedule a must.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, or a related field.