MarketPro has partnered with a nonprofit organization that aims to record, preserve, and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs. Their mission is to help people believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all one story at a time.

How do they accomplish this? By sharing select stories with publicly through podcast, NPR broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms, and best-selling books. These powerful human stories reflect the vast range of American experiences, wisdom and values; engender empathy and connection; and remind us how much more we have in common than what divides us.

The Opportunity

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) will lead the marketing and branding strategy for the organization, its content, and its digital products. The position will oversee multiplatform branding and messaging across all its external communications; grow engagement and reach on social media; envision and broker high-visibility partnerships for our content, especially our animated shorts, and work with both the Development and Earned Income teams to reach donors/customer and grow revenue. Significant 2024 responsibility for the CMO will be leading marketing and communication for two powerful initiatives.

The CMO will help guide the brand toward its North Star, greatly expanding the audience and impact and helping to establish the organization as a sustaining national institution that touches the lives of every family across the United States.

Reporting directly to the CEO, and managing a department of eight, the CMO should have an entrepreneurial mindset and be willing to work in collaboration with others across the institution to develop audience growth/engagement strategies in a world of changing media habits, platforms, and emerging technologies.

The Requirements

A proven ability to drive revenue growth–both earned revenue and low-level contributed revenue
Experience designing and implementing national paid and public service campaigns
A proven track record of driving an inclusive process to refresh an organization’s brand
The ability to design and implement a new digital experience that evolves the brand to reflect the organization’s vision and meet the needs of the market.
Experience with a scaling effort on behalf of a non-profit organization is also a plus.

The Core Responsibilities

Amplify Brand’s Impact

Utilize earned, paid, donated and social media, as well as partnerships, existing and new distribution platforms and other tactics to significantly expand the visibility and impact beyond our current public radio audience.
The CMO will amplify brand voice in the market by identifying, developing, executing, and refining marketing strategies that ensure that our content, programs, and services are accessible to people of all backgrounds, languages, and abilities, and that content and programs are activated to achieve maximum audience and impact.

Refine overall branding and marketing in all external-facing materials

Advance the brand voice inside and outside the organization in alignment with the new North Star and oversee a refresh of the organization’s visual brand system.
The CMO will proactively plan for and respond to the evolving media market, societal and political landscape, and technological innovations while building overall branding and marketing materials that reflect and celebrate the diversity of participants, communities, and listeners.

Envision and broker high-quality partnerships

Grow audience by developing strategic partnerships, including with movie theaters, airlines, streaming services and major media outlets.
The CMO will align marketing initiatives with the overall organization’s strategic plan by supporting our current programs and identifying new opportunities to expand our reach.

Set marketing and branding strategy

Drive marketing strategy for digital products by working with key collaborators across the organization, the CMO will identify opportunities and solutions for improving overall user experience for mobile app, improve audience engagement, identify strategic social media partnerships (both organic and paid), and execute call-to-action strategies aligned with overall strategic plan.

Grow brands presence on social media with a focus on visual content

Build engagement with content and reach new, diverse audiences. The CMO will lead the team in growing the digital audience and users to expand into new markets and exceed current audience goals.

Establish and monitor measures of success

Lead with a strong data and analysis orientation to drive development decisions and achieve strategic objectives, positioning the brand for growth.
Determine and track KPIs for audience growth and use data to determine successes and provide strategic direction.

Contribute to the overall growth of the organization

In partnership with Executive Leadership and the Board of Directors, support overall business strategy for contributed and earned income and identify new business lines that can drive sources of revenue.
An ambassador for the organization, they develop dynamic, mutually beneficial partnerships based on understanding and respect for the needs and ideas of their teams, organizational partners, and the constellation of audience members and supporters.

Passion for the Mission and Impact

Deeply mission-driven, the next CMO possesses a strong belief that listening and storytelling builds our shared humanity, and breaks barriers, and that building authentic connections between everyday people with different life experiences and perspectives is the first step toward building a better future together.

The Key Qualifications

Minimum 10 years of experience as a senior leader in a marketing and branding role
A big-picture thinker, with experience consistently leveraging marketing analytics to evaluate, measure, monitor, and refine their marketing initiatives.
Proven ability to drive revenue growth, both earned and low-level contributed revenue
Experience designing and implementing national paid and public service campaigns
Proven experience driving an inclusive process to refresh an organization’s brand and to design and implement a new web experience that evolves the brand to reflect the organization’s vision and meet the needs of the market.
Ability to serve as a leader, team-builder, and people manager; able to serve as a mentor and role model of excellence for staff, and to ensure a culture of inclusion, innovation, collaboration, and accountability
Superior communication skills (written, verbal, and presentation); ability to communicate complex concepts to individuals throughout the organization
Strong analytical skills and technical acumen
Previously worked in an arts/culture/media/tech organization with an annual budget
Knowledge and experience scaling growth of national initiatives

MarketPro Inc. is the leading high-end marketing executive search firm delivering top-performing innovative marketers. As a team of former marketing professionals, we are uniquely qualified to separate A-players from everyone else. Celebrating our 26th year, we are a certified woman-owned business with headquarters in Atlanta and clients nationwide. Visit us on LinkedIn.