Vice President, Communications and Marketing

Overview

The Land Trust Alliance is the voice of the land trust community. As the national leader in policy, standards and education, we work passionately to support land trusts across America so they can save more land and better serve their communities.

Our natural places and working lands are a lifeline to clean air, water, food and good health. These lands also bring us together, inspire us and provide opportunities to recreate and recharge. The land trust community is a crucial component in this equation. With important places under continual threat, land trusts need access to the best tools, information and policy advocates. Armed with a diverse network and valuable resources, the Alliance is the land trust community’s source for the knowledge and capabilities they need to reach their goals. From tax and funding policies on Capitol Hill to innovative ideas, partnerships and initiatives, we ensure our land trust members can always be heard and achieve more. 

The Alliance’s goal is to elevate land conservation as a priority nationwide. We envision a reenergized, more relevant conservation movement in which land trusts join with partners that have not traditionally identified as conservation organizations, including from the for-profit sector, around our shared interest in protecting special places.

Summary Description

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as an integral member of the executive management team, the Vice President (VP), Communications and Marketing will be responsible for the development of the Land Trust Alliance’s communication strategy and will contribute to the Alliance’s organizational strategic planning process. The VP, Communications and Marketing will develop a world-class communications and marketing plan, directly managing communications activities that promote, enhance, and protect the Alliance’s brand reputation. This person will lead a team responsible for the development, integration, and implementation of a broad range of strategies to expand the Alliance’s reach and engage new stakeholders, supporters and partners with the Alliance and its member land trusts. This individual will be an ambassador for the Alliance and will oversee relationships with the media.

The VP, Communications and Marketing will manage institutional brand identity across all communication and marketing channels to present the Land Trust Alliance as an innovative and effective leader in land conservation. This includes highlighting the role the Alliance and land conservation can and must play in addressing societal problems – including crises related to climate change, biodiversity loss and public health problems, and ensuring all people have access to the myriad benefits of well-managed natural and working lands.

The VP, Communications and Marketing will provide strategic leadership for Alliance communication with its core audiences, including the Alliance’s land trust members and their supporters, land conservation practitioners, policymakers, donors, media and other influential stakeholders. Under this person’s leadership, the communications team will work to advance the goals and priorities of Alliance programs and initiatives, including government relations, training and education, development, conservation defense and field services. This will include ensuring that communications and marketing strategies are coordinated across departments and that institutional print and digital communications remain up to date and reflective of best practices.

The VP, Communications and Marketing will have a demonstrated passion for the mission of the Land Trust Alliance and will be able to translate that commitment to furthering the Alliance’s goals with an eye on increased impact.

Duties and Responsibilities

Communications Strategy, Vision and Leadership

• Develop and implement an integrated strategic communications plan to advance the Alliance’s brand identity; broaden awareness of its programs and priorities; and increase the visibility of its programs, resources and services across key stakeholder audiences
• Create a national marketing/public relations strategy that will allow the Alliance leadership to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted, high-level external audiences, including the media, donors and key influencers
• Build upon a national marketing campaign. This includes:

• Conducting market research to identify target audiences, crafting and testing key messages
• Setting creative direction and campaign strategies
• Securing support from Alliance land trust members, working with development staff to create and implement funding strategies for the campaign
• Overseeing vendor relationships, tracking and measuring campaign progress and providing reports to the Alliance board, staff and members

• Identify challenges and emerging issues faced by the Alliance. Work with leadership team and staff to recognize internal and external communications opportunities and solutions, and define and execute appropriate strategies to support them
• Provide leadership and guidance to the CEO, Board, staff, land trust members and external partners on key Alliance messaging and communication priorities
• Assist the Alliance CEO in preparing speeches, presentations, talking points, testimony, etc. as necessary
• Embed the Alliance’s vision and organizational values into all aspects of brand communications and serve as an ambassador for inclusive practices across the organization

Communications and Marketing Operations

• Provide strategic leadership for all Alliance communications content, messaging and design. Oversee development of all Alliance print communications including the annual report, award-winning Saving Land quarterly magazine, marketing materials and electronic communications including the Alliance website and new media; manage relationships with associated vendors
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Communications department including budgeting/budget management, planning and staff development. Determine, track and adjust key performance indicators for department as necessary
• Build and lead a team of communications and marketing professionals to meet the strategic needs of the Alliance and the land trust community
• In the absence of the CEO, may serve as a spokesperson and lead point person on media interactions that help promote and/or impact the Alliance
• Help manage and support the Program Committee of the Alliance Board of Directors
• Contribute to the growth of the Alliance’s revenue and supporters
• Stay up to date with the latest technology and marketing and communications best practices, including attending marketing conferences and educational programs

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, marketing or related field required; an advanced degree is preferred
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in a senior management role leading communications and marketing teams. Experience in mission-driven organizations is highly preferred
• Extensive experience and demonstrated success with writing and editing (externally focused) with a variety of print and online communications media. This includes experience in planning, writing, editing, and production of newsletters, press releases, annual reports, marketing literature and other print publications and directories
• Experience in building, mentoring, and coaching a team of communications and marketing specialists
• Demonstrated experience and leadership in managing a comprehensive strategic communications, media relations and marketing program to advance an organization’s mission and goals
• Ability to make strategic decisions based on analysis, experience and judgment, which may have program-wide impact, and comfort balancing competing requests from all levels of the organization
• Ability to operate as an effective tactical as well as strategic thinker. Comfort with voicing opinions and ideas as part of a collaborative and integrated team
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management, board members and staff
• Exceptional skills in developing and managing relationships with external stakeholders and handling difficult situations. Demonstrated ability to leverage constructive relationships within an organization to assist in achieving fundraising goals
• Demonstrated experience in MS Office, Salesforce Marketing Cloud and related software applications strongly desired
• Internet savvy and familiarity with social media platforms
• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time on an annual basis
• Passion for saving land and conservation a must; knowledge of private land conservation techniques and/or land trusts desirable, but not required

Compensation

The nationwide salary range for this position is $190,000 – $200,000. Actual salary will be commensurate with the skills, years of experience, physical location and unique background and qualifications of the candidate.

The Land Trust Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, vision and other health coverage, life and disability insurance, paid time off including vacation, sick and multiple holidays and 403(b) retirement benefits.

The Land Trust Alliance’s mission is to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America.  The Land Trust Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status or veteran status.