Director of Marketing

About The Kennedy Center

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” – President John F. Kennedy

The Kennedy Center is the nation’s cultural center and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Center presents performances across all genres, and is also home to artistic affiliates Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra. 

At the Kennedy Center, we strive to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are able to advance our mission because of our committed and passionate employees. We are fortunate to be able to leverage their diverse perspectives, life experiences and skills to inform how our workplace can be a safe, transparent, and replenishing community. The Kennedy Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other basis protected by law. 

Mission Statement: As America's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across the United States and around the world, connecting the greatest living artists with audiences of every stripe, no matter their background. We welcome all Americans and creators and visitors from across the globe to discover, experience, learn about, be inspired by, and engage with the arts.

Why Join Us

We offer a total rewards package to all full-time employees to include: 

• Staff offers for discount tickets
• Retirement plan with organization matching (after 1 year of employment)
• Qualifying employer for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Commuter programs including pre-tax options for discounted parking and SmartBenefits (WMATA)
• Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Personal Days available immediately upon hire
• 11 paid holidays per year 
• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits with FSA and HSA options, and paid FMLA

Pay Details

The Kennedy Center strives to design equitable compensation programs. The projected salary range for this position is $108,000 - $120,000, commensurate with experience, and includes a comprehensive benefits package. This is the targeted range of possible compensation for this role at the time of posting. This range may be modified in the future. Base pay within the range is ultimately determined by a candidate’s skills, expertise, and experience as it relates to the position qualifications and responsibilities.

Job Description 

The Director of Marketing is a senior-level position responsible for developing, executing, and overseeing integrated marketing strategies that drive revenue, engagement, and awareness for the Kennedy Center’s diverse programming. This role will be accountable for delivering revenue and ROI targets.   This role requires strong leadership, strategic vision, and data-driven decision-making to maximize revenue potential. The Director will manage a team dedicated to marketing efforts across a variety of genres (Comedy, Dance, Jazz, Hip Hop, KCTYA, Institutional Programming, and Theater) and ensure that all strategies are aligned with departmental and organizational goals. Additionally, the Director is responsible for leading the budget submission and in-season projection process for the Marketing Strategy team, ensuring financial accountability and strategic allocation of resources. The role is also tasked with building a revenue generation pipeline for advertising in KC internal channels.  The role requires frequent collaboration with the Senior Marketing Manager, CRM & Analytics, to align strategies with data insights and audience trends.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Implementation

• Develop and oversee comprehensive marketing strategies focused on maximizing ticket sales for Kennedy Center programming, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and audience development initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Artistic department to align marketing plans with programmatic goals
• Provide strategic guidance to team members on campaign development, ensuring brand consistency and message alignment.

Team Management & Supervision

• Manage and mentor a marketing team consisting of the Marketing Manager, Theater & KCTYA; Marketing Manager, Dance, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Contemporary Music; and Assistant Manager, Comedy & Institutional Programming.
• Oversee utilization of marketing briefs and standard operating procedures to ensure consistency, efficiency, and alignment with revenue goals and strategic priorities.
• Support professional development and foster a collaborative work environment.

Budget Management

• Lead the budget development and in-season projection process for the Marketing Strategy team, ensuring accurate financial planning and resource allocation.
• Monitor and manage the marketing budget throughout the fiscal year, making adjustments as necessary to optimize performance.
• Collaborate with the finance team to prepare regular budget reports and provide strategic recommendations for cost efficiencies to VP of Marketing.

Campaign Execution & Analysis

• Oversee the execution of marketing campaigns, including digital, print, broadcast, and out-of-home advertising.
• Collaborate with the Senior Marketing Manager, CRM & Analytics, to analyze campaign performance and adjust strategies based on data insights.
• Ensure campaigns are optimized for audience segmentation and engagement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the Senior Marketing Manager, CRM & Analytics, to align strategies with data-driven audience insights.
• Collaborate with artistic programming teams to ensure cohesive messaging for Kennedy Center events.
• Represent the Marketing department in institutional meetings, providing updates on strategic initiatives and campaign performance.

Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in communications, marketing or related field required. 10+ years of relevant experience may replace degree requirement.
• A minimum of 6+ years of leadership experience, preferably in the arts and entertainment industry.   
• Significant experience in the areas of Theater and Touring Broadway productions.
• Demonstrated experience in brand management
• Experience in developing marketing campaigns that generate revenue and meet ROI benchmarks
• A superior understanding of arts marketing practices, including but not limited to pricing, creative strategies, digital strategies, and the full marketing mix. 
• Highly organized, goal oriented self-starter. 
• Team player with strong ability to execute work in a highly goal and results oriented environment. 
• Proven record of creating, executing, managing, and reporting on integrated marketing campaigns. 
• Excellent budget management skills.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills (verbal and written) and ability to work at all levels, confident and articulate 
• Candidate must be local or willing to relocate to the DMV area. Relocation assistance is not provided. 
• Candidate must be willing to work onsite. 

Additional Information

• Travel up to 2% may be required.