Director of Marketing

The Director of Marketing plans, executes and evaluates marketing initiatives designed to support ticket sales and audience growth. This role is responsible for campaign development, creative promotional execution, budget planning and adherence, coordination with internal teams and management of external vendors across multiple channels. Working collaboratively across departments, the Director of Marketing advises on marketing strategy and ensures campaigns achieve organizational goals and audience development objectives.

The successful candidate will be a versatile marketing professional with strong digital fluency, sound budget management skills, and the ability to translate organizational objectives into effective, results-driven marketing efforts.

This is a full-time, exempt position that requires regular availability during evenings, weekends, and organizational changes.

Key Responsibilities

Marketing Plan & Revenue Alignment

• Develop and execute annual and per-concert marketing plans that support ticket revenue, subscription growth and audience diversification goals.

• Partner closely with the Director of Ticketing to align campaign timing, offers, audience segments and sales targets.

• Translate sales goals and capacity considerations into an actionable marketing approach without direct responsibility for ticket system configuration or pricing setup.

• Monitor campaign performance and adjust tactics in real time to support revenue objectives.

Audience Development & Campaign Management

• Own audience segmentation, targeting strategy and messaging frameworks across channels toward subscribers, groups, and single-ticket buyers.

• Develop and deploy creative content for print, digital, email, paid media and on-site promotional materials.

• Attend GRS performances and support audience development efforts.

• Collaborate with Senior Director of Community & Patron Engagement to ensure consistent brand voice, visual identity and messaging across all marketing and communication touchpoints.

Digital Marketing & Social Media

• Oversee all digital marketing efforts, including website content, email marketing, social media and digital advertising.

• Manage paid digital media (search, social, display) in partnership with internal resources or external agencies.

• Set social media approach and content priorities; ensure platforms support audience growth, engagement and ticket conversion.

• Use analytics to evaluate performance, optimize spending and improve customer journeys.

Budgeting & Vendor Management

• Coordinate with Director of Ticketing and Senior Director of Community & Patron Engagement to develop the annual marketing budget, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources and alignment with revenue goals.

• Oversee external agencies, designers, printers, media buyers and other marketing vendors; negotiate scopes and manage deliverables.

• Track marketing spends and ROI, providing clear reporting and recommendations to upline leadership.

Collaboration & Internal Alignment

• Serve as a key cross-functional partner to ticketing, community engagement, development, education and artistic operations teams.

• Collaborate on timing of marketing, communications and engagement initiatives to maximize ticket sales and attendance.

• Support fundraising and development initiatives through coordinated campaign support.

• Provide marketing insight and recommendations for programming, promotions and community engagement opportunities.

Reporting & Insights

• Establish and maintain marketing performance metrics across channels.

• Analyze campaign outcomes, audience trends and market conditions to inform future strategy.

• Present clear, actionable insights to leadership that connect marketing activity to revenue and attendance outcomes.

• Translate sales goals, capacity considerations and performance insights into effective marketing and demand-generation initiatives.

• Support strong communication and shared planning rhythms to ensure a seamless patron journey.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises the Marketing Specialist.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field preferred.
• At least 3-5 years of experience in a similar role; previous experience in nonprofits preferred.
• The ability to work cooperatively, constructively and with flexibility with people of various backgrounds, including all levels of Symphony staff, artists, musicians, crew, board, donors, vendors, and volunteers while maintaining tact, diplomacy and confidentiality is essential.
• Resourceful team player with problem solving ability and demonstrated written and verbal communication skills. Must have a great ability to multi-task, be a creative problem-solver, demonstrate a strong attention to detail and an ability to work through stress filled moments.
• Capacity to work effectively under pressure to support creation of the best product for the organization while meeting established deadlines.
• Eagerness to work within an organizational philosophy that stresses the importance of open communication, teamwork, confidentiality, and the desire to meet rising expectations.
• Working knowledge of an orchestra and a musical background is preferred.
• Creative and solution-oriented, with the ability to elevate co-workers to be more effective.
• Demonstrated experience executing integrated marketing campaigns across digital and traditional channels.
• Strong working knowledge of digital marketing, social media platforms, email marketing and paid advertising.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into action.
• Experience in marketing live events, performances or subscription-based products is preferred.
• Familiarity with CRM or ticketing-adjacent data (e.g., Ticketmaster, Tessitura, Salesforce, or similar), without expectation of system administration is preferred.
• Experience managing ad budgets, vendors and external partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe products; additional experience with SharePoint, Dropbox, Google Suites, and Word Press preferred.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required.
• Ability to lift 25lbs.

What We’re Offering

• Salary: Commensurate with Experience.
• Benefits include health, vision, and dental insurance, LTD and Life Insurance, generous paid time off and holiday schedule, subsidized downtown parking and 401k.
• Variety - every day is different, and creativity is encouraged!  

To apply for this position, please submit the following to GRS Human Resources via email at humanresources@grsymphony.org; Cover Letter and Resume. Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, August 18th. Advancing applicants will be contacted directly, no phone calls, please.

For complete information about the Grand Rapids Symphony, visit www.grsymphony.org.

We are an equal opportunity employer.