Sr. Director, Marketing Strategy

How You’ll Contribute

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. Components of the new guest experience will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. A fully sustainable, on-brand hotel may also be built and operated by a third party on the campus. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard.
The Senior Director, Marketing reports to the Vice President of Strategy and Revenue and will be responsible for developing and overseeing the overall marketing strategy for public experiences at Base Camp including developing annual marketing plans to successfully generate leads, increase market share and maximize revenue across all museum business lines including ticket sales, tour bookings, group sales, food & beverage, retail, event rentals and event programming.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include:

Strategy Development and Campaign Oversight (40%)

• Lead the implementation and launch of the overall marketing strategy for public experiences at Base Camp

• Position the museum as a must-see destination for tourists and locals in D.C. and attract and engage potential visitors.

• Work closely with key business leads and sales teams to develop go-to-market strategies that engage, grow, and retain our target audiences 

• Manage the development, review and dissemination of omnichannel marketing campaigns; collaborate with Communications division to ensure the museum marketing efforts align to the broader National Geographic marketing strategies and brand standards

Team Leadership and Agency Management (30%)

• Oversee and coordinate a blend of vendors, agencies and internal teams responsible for various paid and O&O channels, segments, and services including creative, content, web, advertising, email, social media, and programming to effectively implement the overall marketing strategies

• Direct management, training, and development of team members

• Recruit, develop and grow the museum marketing team of 3-5 people

Revenue Achievement and Budget Management (30%)

• Ensure budgeted revenues are met for museum entrance admission and add-on tickets

• Work collaboratively with business owners of retail, F&B, event programming, event sales, and group sales to ensure budgeted revenues are met for those categories

• Track key KPIs to ensure revenue maximization

• Create and maintain budget for marketing efforts for agency and media spends aligned to revenue targets and goals

Educational Background
Bachelor’s degree required; credentials in marketing, communications, or business a plus.

Minimum Years and Types of Experience

12+ years of experience in destination, museum, live entertainment and experiential marketing

5+ years of management experience

Knowledge and Skills

• Experience developing a multi-channel marketing strategy that drives paid ticketed gate attendance acquisition and growth

• Experience developing pricing strategies and packages for revenue-generating attractions

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Excellent presentation skills

• Strategic thinking and leadership to develop new ways to reach consumers and grow the business

• Knowledge about current trends in marketing, customer engagement and experience, and digital strategy

• Ability to leverage both traditional and digital marketing tactics promote products or services

• Ability to work collaboratively and with executive level stakeholders to translate business goals into marketing activities.

• Data-driven thinker with the ability to develop and utilize surveys, analytics, behavioral research and other tactics to gain deeper insights into audience preferences and motivations to optimize strategies.

• Strong project and budget management skills 

• Results-driven, leader and communicator, who can work well in a matrix environment.  

Supervision

3 - 5 direct reports (to be hired) plus oversight of several vendors, agencies and contractors.

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.

The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The salary range for this position is $156,750-$165,000

In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31; paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must be at Base Camp every day to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present onsite some of the time to meet looming deadlines or to get work done and may require a unique schedule. As such, this category has been revised to provide maximum flexibility depending on what’s required for each individual role. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.