Vice President of Brand Marketing

Position Overview: The VP of Brand Marketing & Creative Content Contractor will play a pivotal role in serving as a team leader and contributor of the KCS, leading an innovative, collaborative and diverse team of digital marketing and content creators in support of elevating the portfolio of KCS brands, leading data-driven insights in audience research, designing and distributing creative branded content, elevating audience experiences across live, in person and digital platforms, and contribute to driving ticket sales and revenue. The person in this role will report to the Chief Marketing and Experience Officer to shape consumer-relevant, branded content across an integrated owned, earned, shared and paid marketing plan to drive visitation to KCS performances. The person in this role will embrace a destination marketing mindset, leaning into data-driven insights to shape marketing strategies, end-to-end marketing campaigns, creative content, digital media including our website, mobile app, email, social media and other paid media and designing and delivering best-in-class audience experiences physically and digitally for KCS. This leader will lead a content team and partner with external agencies and freelancers to design, develop, distribute and measure branded creative content across multiple marketing expressions throughout the year. They will collaborate closely with Vice President of Sales, PR and Communications and other internal and external stakeholders to drive visitation, foster community engagement, connect to our philanthropic goals and elevate the profile of KCS on a local, national and international scale.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Leader:

• Serve as a key and influential leadership team member of the Brand Marketing, Creative Content Sales & Communications team.
• Oversees & collaborates with brand marketing and creative content team, including Online Engagement Director, Video Production team and Graphic Designer in the development of branded content to be distributed strategically across marketing assets including digital Marketing (website, email, video, paid media, and social media marketing, print, experiential activations and other paid, owned, shared and earned media.
• Leads collaborative weekly Integrated Marketing, Content & Sales meetings in the planning of weekly and annual marketing plans.
• Evaluate opportunities to build capabilities for the team and resource internal and external resources.
• Build a winning team culture by leading, inspiring and developing a collaborative high-performing brand marketing, creative content, experiential and digital team.

Audience Research and Consumer Insights:

• Manages consumer research and data-driven analytics through technology, including ticketing system insights, mobile app audience segmentation and data, digital platform analytics and third-party data to profile KCS’s audience targets to develop a comprehensive Audience Research platform to understand audience needs, trends, behaviors and experience ratings; identifies opportunities for personalized, experience-driven branded content to drive consumer engagement, sales and KPI’s.
• Oversees reporting of audience insights internally and with agency partners.
• Leads custom research projects and surveys in support of consumer research goals.
• Continuously monitors and synthesizes consumer and industry trends that benefit KCS’s

strategies, priorities and business planning.

Brand Marketing and Creative Content:

• Demonstrates proven track record in developing, executing and measuring a

comprehensive brand strategy that aligns with KCS’s evolving portfolio brand strategy.

• Guided by our audience model, develops and executes brand marketing initiatives including visual brand identity, logo development, organizational oversight and implementation of brand VIS to ensure consistent and compelling messaging across all touchpoints to enhance brand recognition and loyalty.
• Leads a cross-functional team Integrated Marketing Calendar Plan meeting weekly to fuel annual and quarterly marketing and stakeholder initiatives.
• Guides the evolution, prioritization, and implementation of KCS’s new branding and visual identity system across KCS assets and marketing expressions. Oversees graphic designer in the application of the VIS across the season performance marketing campaign and owned, earned, shared and paid media expressions.
• Oversees and collaborates on the ideation, development and editing of brand story messaging and copy in support of content goals across multiple marketing channels.
• Lead the creative content team in producing visually compelling and emotionally resonant content across annual marketing campaigns, digital media, website, social media, email, mobile app, promotions, donor materials and other marketing expressions that lead to audience ticket sales conversion.
• Oversees distribution of branded content across an owned, earned, paid and shared media plan, including leading the media-buying process and performance management of overall media budget/spend.
• Collaborate with internal team members and external stakeholders, including agencies and freelancers, to conceptualize and implement engaging creative campaigns aligned to driving results.

Digital Marketing:

• Oversee Director of Online Engagement, Video Production Team and Graphic Designer comprising the Brand and Creative content team responsible for engaging audiences across owned digital media (website, mobile app, social media channels, email, SEO and emerging media), paid media (digital, OOH,TV, print, radio, alternative) and shared media (collaborative/community partners/donors.)
• Elevate community engagement across all social media channels through social media strategies including brand, evergreen and user-generated content in addition to monitoring, measurement, and reporting; partners on social media and communications strategies with Vice-President Sales, PR and Communications on aligned sales goals.
• Oversees personalized content development, audience management and measurement of the new KCS mobile app; partners with Vice-President Sales, PR and Communications on aligned sales and community goals.

Content Management:

• Oversees digital & content team in managing content across a new system, recommending tools to improve collaboration & productivity.
• Oversees process of training, coaching & internal approvals of branded creative content for internal teams including philanthropy, executive team, & partners.

Agency Management:

• Responsible for day-to-day executional ownership of agency management with Agency of Record, campaign development, budgeting briefs, contracts, relationship management, billing, and stewardship.
• Responsible for leading the development of a digital-first integrated marketing plan, including data to drive audience-level research decisions, mobile ticketing app, digital platforms, & digital experiences that enhance the guest experience & drive productivity through assessment, partnership selection, systems integration with KCS operations and budget management.

Performance Management: Drive delivery of KPI’s by mobilizing a high-performing, collaborative team to deliver results.

Innovation:

• Supports the CMEO in the ideation and design of innovative experience-driven strategies to position KCS & its brands for the future through technology, partnerships & initiatives requiring innovation models, agility & investment.

Budget Management:

• Develop & manage the brand marketing & content budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources to maximize impact.
• Oversees monthly billing with partners & budgeting requirements
• Provide regular financial reports & analysis to senior leadership.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or MBA in Marketing, Business, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Proven experience in marketing leadership roles, preferably within the arts and cultural sector, leading diverse teams.
• Strong understanding of symphonic music, live music & the performing arts landscape.
• Demonstrated success in developing teams in the design & delivery of innovative marketing strategies, branding, messaging, agency management, creative content, digital marketing, audience experience, experiential marketing, paid media, media buying, mobile marketing, research, reporting & communications.
• Previous experience in marketing destination brands or cultural attractions are preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in delivering business results & overseeing budgets
• Demonstrated capability & passion for leading & implementing digital transformation across applications.
• Insights & data-driven research experience
• Excellent communication, leadership, & collaboration skills.
• Passion for community impact & involvement within the KC Metro and its surrounding neighborhoods

To apply submit your resume, cover letter, & any insights showcasing relevant work to Executive Assistant AJ Harbison at ajharbison@kcsymphony.org, addressed to President & CEO Danny Beckley.