Sr. Manager, Brand (Communications)

How You’ll Contribute

The Communications division leads the development and execution of integrated communications and marketing strategies to further the mission of the National Geographic Society (the Society) and advance its position as one of the world's most trusted non-profit organizations and global brands. Driven by the Society's vision to be more globally known for its impactful Explorer-led mission programs, the Division's creative and strategic minds develop strategic communications, marketing campaigns, creative, content, and media to promote the Society's strategic plan and key priorities. The Division comprises five departments: Engagement and Marketing, Brand and Creative, Strategic Communications, Executive Communications and Content and Editorial.
The Brand and Creative team at the Society is seeking a Senior Manager, Brand to manage and advise on brand-related activities in support of work executed by the Campus & Experiences division. This role will serve as the primary point of contact for brand activations for the National Geographic Museum of Exploration (MoE), ensuring cohesive brand representation and strong collaborative workflows between business teams and the Communications Division. Reporting to the Vice President, Brand and Creative the Senior Manager, Brand will play a pivotal role in ensuring activations are aligned with National Geographic brand standards, managing brand-related assets and implementations, and collaborating between Communications, Advancement and other divisions.This role will help evaluate key external relationships to ensure alignment with the Society’s strategic priorities and core values on behalf of MoE and other Base Camp operations teams. The role will work in tandem with the Vice President, Brand and Creative to provide strategic guidance to peers and leadership, ensuring brand consistency across all related projects.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include

Brand Strategy & Project Management (50%)

• Working with Communications Division leadership, the MoE marketing team, and others to develop, execute and monitor brand strategies across Base Camp and MoE work streams and major moments to ensure alignment with National Geographic’s overall brand objectives.
• Oversee brand-related assets across Base Camp and MoE, ensuring consistency in messaging, design and execution across touch points.
• Collaborate closely with Base Camp Operations and Experiences teams and external agencies to integrate brand elements across audience touch points. 
• Act as primary liaison between Base Camp stakeholders, attending collaboration meetings, streamlining creative workflows to ensure seamless collaboration as well as creating readouts for leadership and the Communications division. 
• Write creative briefs for relevant brand activities and projects. Manage, prioritize and coordinate project intake, timelines, budgets and stakeholder engagements for all brand-related initiatives, ensuring timely and effective execution and integrating all plans and scheduling.
   

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Integration (30%)

• Proactively partner with marketing, advancement, communications, legal and others to manage the integration of brand strategy into all brand-related Base Camp and MoE work streams. 
• Coordinate across stakeholders and along other partnership workstreams, including legal and advancement, to help support post-deal brand integrations involving signage, creative assets, experiences and more.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive and central repository of information on all Base Camp and MoE brand projects, ensuring stakeholders have access to up-to-date project information and assets. 

Reporting & Process Improvement (20%)

• Track and report on brand activities across Base Camp, providing insights, recommendations, brand style guides and more. Identify, communicate and implement process improvements to enhance brand collaboration and execution across the Society.
• Provide strategic guidance to leadership, including CCMBO and VP, Brand and Creative on brand-related opportunities and risks, ensuring alignment with National Geographic’s core values and long-term objectives. 

What You’ll Bring

Educational Background
Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, marketing, or related fields.

Minimum Years and Types of Experience

7+ years of brand or marketing partnership experience within a complex organization, ideally with experience managing cross-functional projects and teams.

Necessary Knowledge and Skills

• Proven experience in developing and executing brand strategies that engage diverse audiences across multiple platforms and experiences. 
• Strong understanding of brand strategy, with a proven track record of managing large-scale projects and cross-functional collaborations. 
• Highly organized with exceptional project management skills and the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams and departments.
• Creative thinker with a strong attention to detail, capable of managing brand-related assets and ensuring consistency across diverse touchpoints. Strong data-driven mindset, with the ability to track, report and improve brand-related activities. 
• Ability to handle sensitive information confidentially and exercise good professional judgment.
• Flexibility to travel up to 30% to attend events and project meetings.

Supervision

No direct reports

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 $96,900 - $102,000.

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

Hybrid - At the Society, we believe in the advantages of coming together to build community, mentor and learn from colleagues, and connect more deeply with our mission. As a result, the majority of our staff are Hybrid. Our Hybrid category requires that staff work at Base Camp two days each week: every Tuesday and Wednesday. Hybrid staff are also always welcome to come in additional days each week if preferred.

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.