Marketing and Communications Director
Estes Park, CO, US
$71k - $84k
About the job
POSITION SUMMARY:
This position supports the work of the YMCA of the Rockies, which operates two mission-driven family and group conference and retreat centers and a residential camp serving more than 225,000 guests annually. The Director of Marketing & Communications is a strategic, hands-on leader accountable for full-funnel growth—from awareness to loyalty—while protecting and elevating the brand. This role leads channel brand and communications, in-house PR, and issues/crisis response to drive occupancy, revenue, and community impact across all properties and programs. OUR MISSION AND CULTURE:
We firmly believe in our mission of putting Christian principles into practice through programs, staff, and facilities in an environment that builds a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. YMCA of the Rockies staff are key players in helping cultivate an environment of healthy living, youth development, and community impact on our breathtaking properties outside Rocky Mountain National Park. This is a place where nature inspires, and staff lead with heart. We are committed to being welcoming to all people and to making a difference in the lives of our members, guests, and staff. The work each staff member does matters. We count on our staff to provide extraordinary mission-based experiences for our guests and for each other.ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Develop and implement an integrated marketing and communications strategy that advances brand awareness, engagement, occupancy, and revenue across all properties and programs.
- Set quarterly objectives and KPIs (e.g., CAC, ROAS, conversion rate, LTV, share of voice, occupancy pace) and run a weekly operating cadence to inspect results and unblock execution.
- Define target segments, positioning, and key messages; ensure consistent delivery across all channels and touchpoints.
- Lead issues management and crisis communications as the in-house owner, partnering with the Sr. Director of Group Sales & Marketing and senior leadership; maintain a current crisis playbook and spokesperson protocols.
- Maintain brand integrity, accessibility, and mission alignment in all materials and platforms.
- Own strategy and outcomes across paid/owned/earned channels; manage the full funnel holistically to drive qualified demand and loyalty.
- Through the Performance Marketing Manager: Set strategy, budgets, and testing guardrails for SEO, SEM, paid social/display/video, and retargeting; approve media plans and experimentation roadmaps. Through the Marketing & Communications Manager and Social Media Specialist: Design lifecycle journeys (prospect booker* repeat/loyalty); direct email/SMS automation, content, social, onsite messaging, and editorial calendars tied to seasonal and segment needs.
- Web & CRO: Own site goals, user journeys, landing pages, and SEO/UX/content priorities; ensure accurate tracking (GTM, pixels, events) and continuous conversion optimization.
- Partnerships & Events: Prioritize co-marketing, community/influencer partnerships, and event activations with clear attribution plans and post-mortems.
- Oversee compelling, on-brand campaigns that reflect the YMCA mission and resonate with priority audiences.
- Direct creation of marketing assets across channels, including web content, social media, video/photo, press materials, event promotions, and printed pieces.
- Ensure all creative outputs meet quality, accessibility, and brand standards while supporting organizational goals.
- Serve as the in-house PR lead for media relations, narrative development, and spokesperson preparation.
- Monitor brand reputation and social sentiment; implement rapid-response protocols and conduct post-incident reviews to capture learnings.
- Maintain a strong understanding of services and facilities at both Centers and Camp Chief Ouray to accurately represent offerings.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 4–6 professionals (including the Performance Marketing Manager, Marketing & Communications Manager, and Social Media Lead), plus agency/contractor partners; foster a culture of creativity, accountability, and growth.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Group Sales, Operations, Programs, Camp/Center leadership, IT, Finance, and community partners to align efforts and maximize impact.
- Build and maintain KPI dashboards; monitor, analyze, and report channel and campaign performance; translate insights into clear actions and tests.
- Manage the marketing budget; forecast, pace, and optimize spend to objectives; enforce data hygiene, UTM standards, and vendor/agency SLAs.
- Partner with the Revenue Manager on pricing, packaging, promotions, and demand shaping; coordinate forecast inputs and rapid responses to pace gaps.
- Stay current on industry trends, martech, and best practices to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.
REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS:
- 5-7 years of previous and contemporary destination marketing experience preferred.
- 3-5 years of previous team leadership and management preferred.
- Proficiency in digital marketing tools and analytics.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience in crisis communication and media training.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate teams.
- Strong writing skills and/or published pieces.
- Support and model the Association service principles and service standards.
- Strong organizational skills to keep large amounts of information accurate, along with strong attention to detail.
- Strong analytical thinking skills.
- Possess and share innovative and creative thinking and ideas.
GENERAL YMCA OF THE ROCKIES REQUIREMENTS:
- Uphold and reflect the YMCA core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, and Faith in all functions
- Uphold the YMCA of the Rockies Mission, policies, and programs.
- Possess and demonstrate excellent customer service skills; for example, friendly, personable, helpful, patient, and professional.
- Support the YMCA of the Rockies' safety program. Promote safe work practices and a safe environment for guests, members, and staff.
- Promote a cooperative, positive, and flexible atmosphere while working with others in a diverse community.
- Attend required abuse risk management training and report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism is required.
- Must meet acceptable criminal background check standards.
- All other duties as assigned.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & 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.
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time while on the phone or working at a computer workstation.
- Ability to regularly travel overnight as required by the demands of the position.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and multiple priorities simultaneously.
Note: Employees are held accountable for all duties of this job. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job.COMPENSATION PACKAGE & EMPLOYEE PERKS:
- Health, dental, and life insurance
- Generous PTO/Vacation
- Participation in YMCA Retirement Fund (an additional 12% contribution by YMCA after 2 years of employment)
- Employer-owned rental housing may be available nearby - Contact Human Resources for more information.
- YMCA of the Rockies membership
- Discounted childcare, summer day camp, and summer overnight camp
- Discounted nights at YMCA of the Rockies lodges for friends & family
- Ski passes to nearby resorts
- Free or discounted gear rentals for outdoor adventures
- View all YMCA of the Rockies employee perks by visiting here