Careers

Job Title: Marketing & Communications Director
Reports To: Executive Director
FLSA Classification: Exempt
EEO Code: Professional
Version Date: October 14, 2022

Job Summary

This individual will lead the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau’s efforts to increase consumer awareness, opinion, and consideration of the Petoskey Area as a year-round, overnight destination by developing and implementing its annual marketing and communications strategy. They will collaborate closely with the Executive Director to establish this strategy and provide leadership to the bureau staff and marketing partners on the execution of this plan.

Essential Functions

• Development of the Annual Marketing & Communications Plan which clearly outlines the key objectives, strategies, and tactics across all paid, earned, shared, and owned media channels. 
• Manage, track, and reconcile the Marketing & Communications Budget in collaboration with the Executive Director. This includes overseeing agency service agreements, paid media invoices, merchandising materials, and co-op budgets. 
• Function as the day-to-day contact with our marketing agency partner on the development of all creative assets, paid media plans, and campaign analytics. This also includes any projects associated with the development of the overall brand.
• Support the bureaus’ communication and public relations efforts, including the development of virtual press kits and occasionally hosting inbound journalists, FAM tours, and influencers. 
• Provide leadership and guidance to the Social Media & Content Manager regarding strategy development and overall integration of owned and shared media channels, including website, email, social, and content. 
• Partner with the Group Sales Director on the development of targeted marketing or communications campaigns and the creation/production of sales materials. 
• Refine the Bureau’s merchandising materials plan, which will include the creation, production, and distribution of materials (travel guides/activity brochures/maps). 
• Coordinate all bureau Marketing Committee meetings and provide regular campaign reporting to the Board of Directors at monthly/annual meetings. 
• Collaborate with all state/regional tourism organizations, including Michigan Economic Development Corporation (Pure Michigan), Michigan Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, Western Michigan Tourism Association, and regional CVBs.
• Work together with the Executive Director on the implication of various research projects and the analysis of guest data.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or the ability require. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Education

• Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, and/or Journalism

Work Experience 

• Required: 10+ Years of Related / Relevant Experience in Travel / Tourism 
• Preferred: Strong Interest in Outdoor Recreation (Biking / Hiking / Golf / Watersports / Skiing)

Skill Set

• Experience developing national/regional-integrated marketing plans across paid, earned, shared, and owned media platforms with a strong focus on digital media.
• Proficient in managing both digital and traditional marketing campaigns, including paid search, paid social, display, native, video, connected television, digital radio, print, and outdoor. 
• Background in travel and tourism marketing with a visitors’ bureau, destination marketing organization, resort, hotel, large attraction, or a marketing agency with a tourism-based client. 
• Ability to work with and manage a full-service advertising agency on the development implementation and measurement of marketing/promotional campaigns. 
• Prior experience working with earned media partners including national/regional travel media and local lifestyle/news outlets. 
• Direct experience developing and managing a multi-dimensional marketing budget in excess of $2 million. 
• Robust analytical skills and the ability to understand, interpret and act based on the website, social, paid media, and third-party data. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, plus experience copy editing marketing and communications materials. 
• Familiar with working with a non-profit membership-based organization governed by an Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and related sub-committees. 
• Able to work effectively in a multi-task environment and possess strong project management skills and prioritize workload and critical deadlines. 
• While not required, strong knowledge and background of the Petoskey Area (Petoskey / Harbor Springs / Alanson / Bay Harbor / Boyne City) is a plus.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions