The McGaw YMCA is an open, charitable membership association. Founded in 1885, our mission is to promote growth in spirit, mind and body through programs and services that strengthen community for all people in Evanston. The McGaw YMCA areas of focus are youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
While McGaw has all of the features of traditional YMCAs (gym, exercise and aquatic facilities), it has a number of facilities that make it unique among its counterparts nationwide, including a men’s residence. McGaw is a respected provider of programs for all youth in the community offering: a NAEYC-accredited early childhood education center and Head Start provider, a residential camp in Michigan and MetaMedia, mentoring and maker spaces for middle school youth.
Under the direction of the Chief Development, Marketing & Communications Officer (CDMCO), the Senior Director of Marketing oversees the creation and implementation of all marketing strategies for the McGaw YMCA to drive membership and program revenue. The Senior Director of Marketing builds the community’s understanding of the McGaw YMCA’s cause and impact through development and implementation of effective marketing and communications strategies. This position provides key support and expertise to the Association.
This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit, charitable organization committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. This position requires an individual with a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion; access and equity.
This position will manage the marketing communications team and regularly interacts with program leaders and executive leadership across the association.
- Leading the creation, implementation, and management of a comprehensive development, marketing, and communication strategy to advance the association’s core business, contributed and earned revenue goals, while enhancing the YMCA’s brand and position within the marketplace.
- strategy and execution of digital and print advertising
- email marketing strategies for acquisition and upselling membership and programs
- grass-roots marketing
- managing social media channels and engagement
- website – content and engagement
- ongoing analysis of tactics and implementing course corrections
- bi-weekly stakeholder newsletter, social media, blog and website content
- Providing direction and support to assigned staff in the performance of their duties, establishing work priorities in achieving strategic and operating plan goals; prepares and manages associated budgets. Hire, train, evaluate and supervise assigned staff and volunteers. Providing training in marketing and communications. Educate, motivate and provide feedback to individuals related to best practices in marketing and communications.
- Making collaboration an organizational priority. Establishing a working knowledge of programs, services and community through building relationships with the staff teams.
Essential Functions
- Work with CDMCO on the strategy, creation, implementation, and management of a comprehensive development, marketing, and communication strategy to advance the association’s core business, contributed and earned revenue goals, while enhancing the YMCA’s brand and position within the marketplace.
- Demonstrate a commitment to equity, excellence and high expectations for all staff and volunteers by creating organizational policies and structures that remove barriers and foster inclusion for all.
- Provide direction and support to assigned staff in the performance of their duties, establishing work priorities in achieving strategic and operating plan goals; prepares and manages associated budgets. Current staff structure consists of 3 staff.
- Hire, train, evaluate and supervise assigned staff and volunteers. Provide training in marketing and communications. Educate, motivate and provide feedback to individuals related to best practices in marketing and communications.
- Make collaboration an organizational priority. Establish a working knowledge of programs, services and community through building relationships with the staff teams.
- Oversee the production of all print and electronic collateral. Will include writing and editing content, procuring stories, and proofing designs.
- Ensure all print and digital media follow the McGaw YMCA’s policies and the Y’s brand standards.
- Oversee the creation of a library of mission-driven stories, brand elements, photos, and videos to support the Development, Marketing & Communications Department in communicating its cause.
- Make data-driven decisions on marketing/communication/public relations efforts to achieve organizational goals defined by earned revenue, membership/program units, acquisition and recapture rates; ensure that evaluation systems are in place related to these goals and objectives and report progress.
- Conduct relevant market research; monitor trends in marketing, communication, and public relations.
- Plan, manage, and adhere to an annual budget.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the CDMCO and/or the President and CEO.
- In addition to weekday schedule, weekends, early mornings and evenings are required on occasion.
- Minimum of 5 to 8 years of experience working in marketing or communications demonstrated success, preferably in the nonprofit sector.
- Direct experience working with social media, traditional and digital advertising, email marketing, and website media; experience in event planning is a plus.
- Strong knowledge in the fields of marketing, communications, and public relations; experience in the nonprofit sector; skills in creating user-friendly, accessible, design and collateral.
- Commitment to equity and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and responsively with diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.
- Strong writing, editing, proofreading, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Advanced computer skills and Internet literacy required; Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), CRM and database systems, social media, and website management; Google Apps, GetResponse, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop.
- Experience with creating brand messaging, narrative writing, and storytelling, as well as writing annual reports or comparable marketing collateral.
- Must possess an analytical approach to be used in a wide range of responsibilities, from customer development, to service adoption, to sales processes.
- Demonstrated ability to successfully plan, organize, implement, document, monitor projects, meet deadlines, and respond to changing priorities and circumstances.
- Ability to work and communicate with a diverse array of leaders from across the association and facilitate the collaboration of varying skill sets.
- Experience developing and managing budgets, and hiring, training, developing, supervising, and appraising personnel.
- Self-motivated with a positive and professional approach to management.
Salary: $67,000.00 - $84,000.00