Director, Strategic Marketing and Communications

Strategic Marketing And Communications LeaderAre you a strategic marketing and communications leader who excels at shaping brand impact, guiding high-performing teams, and driving results through creativity and data? The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) is seeking an innovative, people-focused leader to head our Strategic Marketing and Communications Department. This role influences how millions of people connect with Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and how our organization's story is told across Minnesota and beyond.In this position, you will set MAC's marketing and communications strategies, guide an integrated team of experts, and keep our brand voice consistent, compelling, and grounded in research. You will decide how work is prioritized, ensure creative stays strategically aligned, and steer the content and channel strategies that grow engagement, build the brand, and drive revenue. You will direct how MAC engages audiences and enhances public trust through media relations, crisis communications, and executive and internal communications. You will also champion data-informed decisions and advance customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities to deepen passenger and stakeholder connections.If leading an in-house team that operates like a marketing and communications agency, aligning cross-divisional work, and building campaigns that elevate brands and strengthen community impact appeal to you, this is your role. It offers the chance to shape MAC's next chapter and leave a meaningful mark on one of the nation's largest airport systems.Questions regarding this position can be directed to Nicole Kiefer at nicole.kiefer@mspmac.org or 612-726-8166. Applications will be accepted until 3:00 PM on Friday, September 11, 2026.The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) owns and operates one of the nation's largest airport systems, including Minneapolis-St Paul International (MSP) and six general aviation airports. The MAC's airports connect the region to the world and showcase Minnesota's extraordinary culture to millions of passengers from around the globe who arrive or depart through MAC airports each year.MAC complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If an accommodation is required for you to participate in the application process because of a disability, please contact Tekia Jefferson at 612-726-8196 or Tekia.Jefferson@mspmac.org. MAC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, age, nationality, or disability.Position DescriptionRelationshipsReporting Relationship – Reports to the Vice President, Strategy and Stakeholder EngagementSupervision – Management responsibility for Assistant Director of Strategic Communications; Assistant Director of Marketing; Assistant Director of Brand Creative; and Strategic Campaign ManagerOrganizational – Frequent contact and partnership with all MAC departments and divisions; occasional contact with MAC Board of CommissionersExternal Business – Frequent contact and partnership with airport tenants, vendors, consultants/contractors and agency partnersMarketing Communities – Maximizes connections in the field to collect and share best practicesJOB DUTIESStrategic MarketingLead the Strategic Marketing team to develop marketing strategies and campaigns that build the brand identities for the MAC and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), amplify impact for organizational activities and drive non-aeronautical revenueServe as a business partner to internal teams to develop annual marketing plansDemonstrate a strong understanding of how to translate business objectives into smart marketing strategyEnsure brand personas, market segmentation and consumer insights inform marketing strategiesStrategic CommunicationsManage the Strategic Communications team responsible for media relations, crisis communications, issues management, executive communications, internal communications and stakeholder communicationsEnsure Strategic Communications campaigns are strategically sound and integrated as appropriate with divisional campaignsSupport a cross-departmental process to share insight and content and identify the best channels for implementationProvide coaching to key stakeholders to ensure consistency in our best practicesEnsure social media and website content efforts support key division initiatives and organizational strategiesBrand CreativeLead the Brand Creative team to deliver strategically aligned creative solutions and ensure the team maintains strong creative direction and qualityEnsure creative for multi-channel strategic marketing and communications campaigns delivers on organizational prioritiesGuide the team to integrate marketing and communications objectives and keep messaging strategically consistent while tailored to each channelEvaluate content and content strategies for effectiveness and recommend changes as warrantedStrategic Campaign Management ProcessManage the strategic campaign manager and ensure this role is integrated into all relevant activities to produce more strategic and aligned outcomesOperate the department as an internal marketing and communications agency, steering demand management and client service approachPartner with the department's assistant directors and strategic campaign manager to prioritize client requests and navigate trade-offs, providing the deciding authority when it is needed. Engage directly with clients when needed to clarify strategic outcomes and work through issuesLead the continued build-out, refinement and maturing of the strategic campaign management processEducate the broader organization on the process and its valueMessaging and Channel StrategyPrioritize clear marketing and communication objectives and channel strategyWork across the division to ensure all initiatives are strategically groundedEnsure channel utilization and trends are analyzed to identify key channel insights and recommend the optimal macro marketing mixBuild Organizational Capacity Through Data-Driven StrategiesProduce strategic analysis around growth opportunities, marketing insights and core business metrics to drive efficiencies, decisions and resultsGuide department teams to develop and track ROI measurement, design and implement marketing testing and incorporate learning into future plansChampion integration of data and metrics to measure results and inform development of marketing, communication, creative and campaign strategiesLead the continued development of digital marketing capabilities including social, mobile, web, AI, advertising and searchDrive CRM strategy, steering the continued maturity, adoption and enterprise-wide scaling of CRMPartner with the CRM team to deepen customer and passenger engagement and deliver greater value through personalization and data-driven targetingCross-functional LeadershipChampion a strategic marketing and communications competency across MAC, helping the organization understand the strategic value of the discipline and how to apply it wellCollaborate closely across the organization to ensure strategic needs are reflected in what is delivered for department partnersStay connected to the broader marketing and communications field, tracking trends, best practices, and destination and economic research, and representing MAC externally as opportunities arisePartner with MAC senior leaders on key strategic projects and initiatives to achieve consensus, prioritize as needed and optimize executionPerform other job-related duties as assignedPeople LeadershipFoster a rewarding, productive work environment where people do their best workEncourage mentorship and development with meaningful assignments that provide room to growDevelop the department's leaders, building a strong leadership team and depth in key rolesChampion continuous improvement and new ideas, strengthening the department's processes, efficiency and prioritizationIntegrate MAC's purpose, values and focus areas into the department's work and prioritiesKeep the team aligned to organizational goals, sharing information and surfacing issues through regular communicationSet clear performance expectations and standards, review performance through regular discussion and give feedback throughout the yearExercise supervisory authority in accordance with MAC Human Resource Policy and the MAC Administration ManualHire, develop, recognize, transfer, discipline and discharge employeesBudget ManagementOwn the department budget and manage spend to plan, making allocation and trade-off decisions to stay within approved funding while delivering prioritiesWork with the Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement division leadership team on the annual budget processManage department accounts payable process and key vendor relationshipsTrack and forecast department spend throughout the year to catch issues earlyPosition Requirements