Senior Director of Marketing & Communications

Job Category: Community Relations & Development Salary: $165,000 - $175,000 per year Territorial Headquarters: Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, USA Travel Required: Yes Job Details

Title:

Senior Director of Marketing & Communications Department:

Community Relations and Development Status:

Full-Time, Exempt The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Position Summary: The Senior Director of Marketing and Communications will oversee a team of subject matter experts responsible for external communications and brand management, and direct response fundraising including digital and direct mail which comprise a significant portion of the organization's annual funding. This position will provide strategic support to nine divisional/regional offices across the Western US and will manage the Territory's relationship with The Salvation Army's national advertising agency to ensure alignment and efficiency in all marketing and communications strategies. Education and Work Experience: Bachelor's degree

in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field (Master's preferred) 10+ years of experience

in marketing and communications, with a deep understanding of digital and direct mail fundraising At least 5 years of recent leadership experience

in setting marketing and communications strategy and overseeing staff Proven experience

in public relations, crisis communications, branding, and social media strategy Experience managing vendor and agency relationships , ensuring optimal performance and return on investment Experience driving donor or customer centered

marketing and communications strategies Nonprofit or faith-based organization experience

preferred but not required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required: Strong background in integrated communications and marketing Ability to lead and mentor high-performing teams, fostering collaboration and leveraging subject matter expertise Proven ability to develop and execute internal and external communications strategies aligned with organizational goals Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft donor-centric, compelling messaging Demonstrated experience in digital and direct mail fundraising, including campaign strategy, content development, and performance tracking Deep understanding of advertising, media campaigns, and vendor management to ensure successful fundraising initiatives Strong data-driven decision-making skills to track marketing performance and refine strategies for optimal ROI Ability to navigate complex organizations, balancing strategic vision with operational execution Proficient in leading cross-functional initiatives with teams from diverse disciplines to achieve shared goals Project management skills to oversee multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment Familiarity with digital marketing tools and platforms for web strategy, social media, email campaigns, and paid media Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Marketing, Communications & Brand Strategy: Develop and implement a territory-wide marketing, communications, and brand strategy, ensuring consistency across direct mail, digital fundraising, advertising, public relations, and corporate partnerships. Serve as the primary brand steward, maintaining brand integrity and ensuring alignment across national, territorial, and divisional offices. Communicate and implement national branding campaigns across all territorial, divisional, local, ARC, and Kroc Center offices. Keep up with and train teams on best practices in brand management, marketing trends, and integrated communications strategies. Collaborate with Marketing and Communications Directors to ensure all fundraising communications are donor-centric, leveraging clear, compelling, and well-crafted messaging to maximize engagement. Create and refine communication pathways to ensure seamless collaboration between teams, reducing redundancy and improving efficiency in messaging. Collaboration & Storytelling Integration: Work closely with content teams, including fundraising, storytelling, and digital content teams, to align messaging and maximize the impact of The Salvation Army's storytelling resources. Develop a cohesive approach to donor communications, ensuring messaging is consistent, engaging, and emotionally compelling across all touchpoints. Identify and integrate compelling stories into marketing materials, ensuring storytelling is leveraged effectively in donor outreach efforts. Build strong relationships with divisional marketing and content teams, streamlining efforts and ensuring alignment between national and local storytelling initiatives. Leadership & Team Oversight: Lead and mentor a high-performing team, including: Strategic Communications Director (public relations, media relations, crisis communications). Director of Marketing (direct mail strategy, caging company oversight, direct mail vendor management). Director of Digital Strategy (digital fundraising, social media, email campaigns, paid media, and website strategy). Foster a collaborative team culture, empowering staff to leverage their expertise while working toward shared goals. Demonstrate leadership, with extensive knowledge of and experience in public relations, marketing, social media, branding, crisis communications, and digital and direct mail fundraising. Establish a regular cadence of meetings with the fundraising team to ensure seamless communication and coordination. Brand & Vendor Oversight: Oversee The Salvation Army's brand presence across all paid, owned, and earned media channels. Maintain brand guidelines and ensure compliance across national, territorial, and divisional marketing efforts. Provide oversight of vendor relationships at Territorial Headquarters, ensuring direct mail and digital revenue vendors meet performance goals and optimize fundraising outcomes. Ensure vendors provide detailed reporting on a regular basis, tracking performance and impact. Serve as the primary liaison with The Salvation Army's national advertising agency, ensuring effective campaign execution and alignment with brand objectives. Internal & Field Communications: Develop and implement internal communication strategies to streamline messaging across territorial, divisional, ARC, and Kroc teams. Ensure key messages, updates, and initiatives from The Salvation Army National Headquarters and the Territorial Chief's Office are disseminated effectively and in a timely manner. Serve as the primary liaison to divisional marketing and communications leaders, offering strategic guidance and resources. Assist in planning, coordinating, and promoting internal conferences and training events. Develop training tools such as orientation materials, and instructional collateral for use in the field. Advertising & Media Campaigns: Coordinate territory-wide advertising campaigns and manage divisional and market-level media buys (broadcast, not digital). Align marketing efforts with strategic objectives, ensuring all messaging supports fundraising and brand awareness. Reporting & Performance Analysis: Develop and deliver regular reports on marketing, communications, and brand performance, evaluating effectiveness across direct mail, digital fundraising, PR, advertising, and internal communications. Provide monthly reports to the Territorial Executive Director of Development on all efforts, tracking key performance metrics. Use data-driven insights to refine strategies, optimize marketing investments, and ensure measurable ROI. Ensure marketing performance aligns with The Salvation Army's fundraising objectives and donor engagement goals. Team Engagement & Collaboration: Participate in bi-monthly Community Relations and Development (CRD) Director meetings, all-team CRD meetings, and other committees/task forces as assigned. Foster a collaborative environment for the Marketing and Communications team through regular online and offline communication methods. Work Environment & Travel: This position is based at The Salvation Army USA Western Territory Headquarters. After