Director of Marketing & Communications

Director of Marketing & Communications

Full Time

About the Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula a neighborhood school to a community partner a research team to a network of citizen scientists or one staff member to another the Adlers focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.

Today the museum typically hosts more than half a million visitors annually and reaches millions more through youth STEAM programs neighborhood skywatching events online citizen science and other outreach efforts. With Adlers support people of all ages backgrounds and abilities gain the confidence to explore their universe together and return to their communities ready to think critically and creatively about any challenge that comes their way.

The Position

Adler Planetarium is seeking a visionary and hands-on Director of Marketing & Communications to lead our institutional brand into the future. If you are a strategic thinker who is equally comfortable developing high-level plans as you are executing creative work we want to hear from you.

In this role you will report directly to the VP of Institutional Advancement (VPIA) and oversee all marketing communications and brand initiatives to increase attendance grow revenue and position the Adler as the premier expert in space science. This position manages a team and provides mentorship across the organization.

What Youll Do

You will wear many hats managing a diverse portfolio that includes:

• Strategy & Leadership: Partner with the VPIA to drive brand and organizational strategy while fostering growth within your team.

• Marketing & Communications: Oversee Public Relations Social Media Digital Marketing Media Content Strategy Digital Engagement Strategy and Audience Insights.

• Creative Direction and Production: Direct others and occasionally write edit and design collateral web content and advertising.

• Strategic Partnerships: Develop brand partnerships and oversee media opportunities like location filming and press junkets.

• Digital Optimization: Act as the primary owner of the website optimizing user experience and conversion.

• Digital Content Strategy: Lead the development of Adlers digital content strategy (video blogs website among others) to increase audiences and drive earned and contributed revenue; collaborate with teams across Adler to develop and implement this strategy.

• Audience Insights:Build and drive Adlers audience insights program in collaboration with external parties and internal stakeholders and lead the incorporation of those insights into content and visitor experience decisions.

• Partnerclosely with Development Guest Experience and other teams to support data-informed strategies.

• People Management:Recruit mentor and develop a high-performing marketing and communications team; set clear goals foster collaboration and support professional growth.

The Work Schedule

The typical work schedule for this position is 35 hours per week with eligibility for flextime and telecommuting arrangements. Given the responsibilities inherent to the role which involve external representation of Adlers experience with entities such as Choose Chicago Museums in the Park and during media and press events a requirement for onsite attendance averages 3 days per week with occasional evening programs.

The Compensation & Benefits (Full-Time)

Base Pay Range: $105000 - $130000/yr

Work-Life Balance

• 35-hour workweek

• Eligible to accrue up to22vacation days per year to start

• 3 sick days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year)

• 7 Adler paid holidays

• 4Personal Holidays (Prorated for new hires starting after January 1st)

• Flexible Work Arrangements

• Paid Family Bereavement Leave & Jury Duty

• Paid Parental Leave

Competitive Health Coverage

• Medical Dental & Vision insurance

• Healthcare Dependent Care & Commuter flexible spending accounts

• Adler Paid Short-Term Disability insurance

Retirement Savings Plan

• 403B plan with Adler match

• Adlers match is 100% vested immediately

• Eligible to enroll as of the date of hire

Network of Support through our EAP programs

• Resources to help address emotional legal and financial issues

• Face-to-face telephonic and web-based services

• Free subscription to the Calm Premium app

Employee Loan Program

Discounted Onsite Parking Program

Free Entrance to Chicago area museums and cultural institutions

Who You Are

• Experienced Leader: You have at least 10 years of experience in an advertising or digital marketing agency (account management role) with a portfolio of prominent consumer brands.

• Proven Manager: You have 5 years of experience managing staff and the ability to build trust in a high-functioning team.

• Strategic Thinker: You use data to make informed decisions and can adapt strategies to changing conditions.

• Technical Savant: You are proficient in Adobe Creative Suite WordPress and Google Suite.

• Mission-Driven: You are passionate about space science and maintaining brand integrity across all platforms.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelors Degree required (Specialization in Marketing Business or Communications preferred).

• Experience: 10 years of professional experience. 5 years of experience managing one or more positions.

• Systems Knowledge: Experience with Google Ads/Analytics CRM tools project management systems and analytics platforms preferred.

The Adler Planetarium is dedicated to complying with its Equal Opportunity Employer obligations. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by federal state or local law.

If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process please email the Human Resources Department atand provide the nature of your request and your contact information. Accommodation requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.