The Managing Director, Marketing & Communications leads CFP Board's enterprise marketing and communications strategy, including brand, advertising, public awareness, digital marketing, media and public relations, and internal and external communications. As a senior organizational leader, the Managing Director partners across the organization strengthening CFP Board's reputation, increasing awareness and engagement among key audiences, and ensuring marketing and communications strategies advance organizational priorities and deliver measurable results.
Essential Functions: Brand Strategy
- Ensures the development and implementation of a research driven, evidence-based brand strategy that supports and leverages core operations
- Leads the development and collaboration of brand promises/positioning and hierarchy of strategic messaging to support brand strategy and brand story
- Identifies, directs, and manages marketing, advertising and communications strategy aligned with CFP Board and CFP® certification brand
- Manages, refines, and cultivates CFP Board brand through continuous monitoring and research related to stakeholder perceptions, trends, and advances in financial services
- Ensures all messages emanating from CFP Board are accurate, consistent, and present a coherent image of the organization
- Regularly monitors business and competitive landscape to strengthen brand position within and beyond the profession of financial advice and financial planning
Marketing & Digital Experience
- Ensures consistent and metric driven delivery of tactical marketing plans to achieve organizational goals.
- Leads development of all creative and content, in partnership with in-house staff and multiple partners
- Leads ongoing evaluation and reporting of the efficacy of marketing campaigns and the performance of staff and external business partners
- Provides ongoing guidance and direction for CRM strategies including segmentation, competitive analysis/market intelligence, prospecting, lead generation, retention
- Leads and manages use of data collection, tracking, reporting and analysis to measure and report marketing results
- Provides strategic leadership for CFP Board's primary digital experiences, including cfp.net and LetsMakeAPlan.org, ensuring content, functionality and user experience support stakeholder needs and organizational objectives
Advertising (Public Awareness Campaign)
- Leads the strategy and execution of CFP Board's public awareness campaign, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and organizational priorities.
- Oversees creative strategy, media investment and consumer communications across channels.
- Establishes performance measures and uses research, analytics and campaign results to continuously improve effectiveness and return on investment.
Communications
- Leads CFP Board's external and internal communications strategy, including media relations, public relations, stakeholder communications, and social media.
- Identifies potential crisis communications situations, creates potential responses, and maintains a strong crisis communications protocol and capability
- Oversees public relations strategy that gains positive exposure for the organization, and its programs and initiatives
- Provides strategic consulting to executive leadership on communications messaging and industry reputation management
- Identifies opportunities to strengthen CFP Board's visibility, reputation and thought leadership within the financial planning profession and among key external audiences.
- Ensures organizational communications are accurate, consistent, timely and aligned with CFP Board's strategic priorities and brand.
Leadership and Management- Leads, develops and holds accountable a high-performing Marketing & Communications team, establishing clear priorities, roles, performance expectations and opportunities for professional growth.
- Builds a collaborative, results-oriented culture that encourages innovation, accountability and strong cross-functional partnership.
- Develops and manages the department's budget and resources, ensuring investments align with organizational priorities and deliver appropriate value, including managing external agencies and vendor budgets
- Oversees relationships and negotiations with agencies, consultants and other external partners and holds partners accountable for performance and results.
- Partners with leaders across CFP Board to develop integrated strategies and ensure Marketing & Communications effectively supports organizational priorities.
Background/Skills/Abilities/ Preferred- Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications or related disciplines; advanced degree preferred, background in financial services desired.
- Minimum 15 years' progressive experience in marketing, public relations and /or communications, including significant leadership experience
- Demonstrated experience and leadership in developing and implementing comprehensive brand strategy for communications, media relations, marketing, and websites
- Proven ability to manage, inspire and grow diverse teams while fostering a collaborative culture
- Deep skills in marketing campaign development, execution and leveraging data and analytics to improve results and increase ROI
- Successful track record in developing and implementing an effective communications strategy, including media relations, crisis communications, social media, and digital strategy
- Exemplary verbal, presentation, and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate with precision and effectiveness across all levels and functions
- Excellent implementation skills including the ability to set and achieve goals, prioritize, and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
- Relationship builder with the flexibility and finesse to 'manage by influence'
- Self-starter, able to work independently and entrepreneurially; enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives
- Robust analytical skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making
- Experience managing significant budgets, agencies and external partners.
- Strong self-awareness and high emtional intelligence
This position is based in the Washington D.C. office and works a hybrid schedule which could be changed at any time.
CFP Board believes that diversity of experience and perspective are strengths and seeks to continue to grow a highly committed, skilled, and collaborative staff.
The salary range for this position is from $225,000.00 to $245,000.00, which reflects the organization's good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual pay will depend on several factors such as the candidate's experience and qualifications. In addition to base salary, total compensation includes incentive compensation for which employees are eligible based on completion of individual goals.
