Director of Communications and Marketing

The Opportunity/Position Concept

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art seeks a creative and innovative Director of Communications and Marketing who will further the Museum’s mission and vision through the creation and implementation of institution-wide marketing, communications, and audience engagement strategies. A unique institution, The Carle is a multifaceted museum which celebrates book art as an art form, highlighting the work of its co-founder Eric Carle and hundreds of other influential picture book artists from the nineteenth century to the present. Picture book art is for everyone.

The Carle has a new Executive Director who will partner with the Board to shape and shepherd The Carle in its next phase of development, with a focus on expanding its national and international profile, deepening scholarship of the art form, and ensuring fiscal sustainability via earned and contributed income. A strategic planning process will begin in 2024 with the planning and implementation of a new capital/endowment campaign following soon after.

About the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Founded in 2002 by Eric and Barbara Carle, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, and the staff, volunteers, and supporters who serve its mission, are international champions for picture book art. With an annual operating budget of $4.5 million and a dedicated team of 44 staff members, The Carle welcomes 50,000 visitors a year who view exhibitions and participate in reading and art programs. The Carle’s three galleries each rotate exhibitions twice a year: the West Gallery with the work of Eric Carle, the Central Gallery with focused solo artist exhibitions, and the East Gallery with featured artists or large themed exhibitions. Every year as many as six art exhibitions from The Carle travel the world where they are seen by more than 500,000 museumgoers. Two exhibitions, in partnership with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, tour the U.S., China, and Taiwan.

Through the care and development of its art collection and libraries, The Carle’s team helps to preserve the history of illustrated children’s literature and to encourage the study of its artistic, educational, social, and cultural significance. The Carle’s collection includes more than 9,000 works of art, representing over 300 artists and spanning more than 100 years. Additionally, The Carle stewards the Eric and Barbara Carle Collection as a long-term loan, preserving and widely sharing his work.

Educational programs for all ages help expand and deepen visitors' appreciation for picture books, encouraging them to read and look carefully and to connect to their own important stories. The Reading Library, which offers more than 4,000 picture books for browsing, presents three book exhibitions a year. A drop-in Art Studio offers opportunities for visitors to make art and experiment with materials. The Carle has a 15-year partnership with The Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons University and offers four graduate degree programs, fostering the next generation of children's book advocates and scholars. 

The Carle's 44,000-square-foot building in Amherst, MA, is situated on the site of an old orchard which neighbors the Hampshire College campus and the Yiddish Book Center. The building includes gallery spaces with rotating exhibitions, a natural-light-filled studio space for art making, reading and research libraries, an auditorium which features lectures, movies, performances, and seminars, and The Carle Bookshop. The Museum's 7.5-acre grounds include Bobbie's Meadow, a 100-year-old apple orchard which is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible and surrounded by native New England wildflowers and grasses. Walls offer outdoor seating for reading, drawing, picnicking, or just relaxing.

Position Main Responsibilities

Public Relations: Developing a public relations strategy to raise The Carle’s national and international profile. Building and maintaining positive relationships with media outlets. Crafting press releases and coordinating media coverage for exhibitions and events. Responding to media inquiries and managing crisis communications when necessary. Creating promotional materials to attract audiences.

Digital Marketing: Developing and implementing digital marketing campaigns across various platforms. Managing the Museum's website and social media accounts to enhance online visibility and engagement. 

Developing Marketing Strategies: Creating comprehensive marketing plans to promote the Museum's exhibitions, events, and programs. Identifying target audiences and tailoring marketing strategies to reach them effectively. Collaborating with other departments to align marketing efforts with Museum's mission. 

Brand Management: Ensuring a consistent and strong brand image for the Museum. Overseeing the development of promotional materials, ensuring they adhere to the brand guidelines. 

Advertising: Planning and executing advertising campaigns through various channels, such as print, online, and outdoor media. Monitoring the effectiveness of advertising efforts and adjusting strategies as needed. 

Community Engagement: Collaborating with community organizations to enhance the Museum's presence in the local community. Organizing outreach programs and events to connect with diverse audiences. 

Event Promotion: Working closely with the development, education, and exhibitions teams to promote special events, exhibition openings, and educational programs. Developing strategies to maximize attendance and participation in Museum events.

Market Research: Conducting market research to understand audience preferences, trends, and competitors. Using data and analytics to measure the success of marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions. 

Collaboration with Education and Outreach: Working closely with the education department to promote educational programs and initiatives. Collaborating on initiatives to engage schools and educators in the community. 

Budget Management: Developing and managing the marketing budget, ensuring cost-effectiveness and efficient allocation of resources.

Staff Management: Leading and managing a team of marketing and communication professionals. Providing guidance, feedback, and support to ensure the team's success.

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no one candidate will bring every desired skill, characteristic, and experience, the following offers a reflection of the ideal candidate profile for the Director of Communications and Marketing of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art:

A minimum of five years of marketing, communications, and/or public relations management experience, with a grounding in both traditional marketing and social media/digital strategies. 

Bachelor’s degree from a four-year accredited university or college in Marketing, Communications, or Public Relations preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and related experience may be considered as well. 

In addition, the ideal candidate will have the following personal attributes and professional competencies:

Passion for the Mission

• Deep personal interest in art and museums and/or picture book art.
• A high level of energy and enthusiasm for picture book art and visual literacy.
• Interest in supporting and collaborating with contemporary book artists, highlighting their work to a broad audience.
• Genuine belief in advancing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in a systematic way as a leader; a demonstrated commitment to anti-oppression.

Strategic Marketing and Communications Leadership

• Strategic media and communications mindset with demonstrated skills in developing comprehensive marketing plans that align with organizational strategies and objectives, leveraging new and innovative communication approaches to build excitement and engage broader and more diverse audiences while enhancing The Eric Carle Museum’s brand nationally.
• Able to build a culture of trust, collaboration, transparency, and accountability; works well in a team environment and with a wide range of staff, vendors, consultants, and other partners and constituents.

Excellent Communication and Relationship Building

• Ready to serve as an effective spokesperson for The Eric Carle Museum to small and large audiences, with excellent communication skills and good judgment.
• Adept at identifying and building relationships with peer organizations that will further the organization’s mission.
• Internally, effective at synthesizing diverse viewpoints, building relationships across departments to identify key priorities, and translating those into effective messaging strategies to further fundraising, membership, and programmatic goals.
• Possesses outstanding written skills, including experience writing advertisements, direct mail copies, articles, letters, speeches, and expertise in proofreading.

Excellent Project Management and Organizational Skills

• Skilled at managing a wide range of projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, changing environment, with the ability to meet deadlines and ensure accuracy in the work product.
• Must bring excellent organizational skills and detail orientation.

Data Orientation and Technology Savvy

• Bring experience and facility with data analytics for marketing strategy development and execution, testing messaging and leveraging data to identify new and diverse audiences for the museum.
• Has a track record of increasing the use of social media platforms to increase visibility and membership, attract support, and promote attendance.

Compensation and Benefits

The target starting salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000. The organization offers a generous benefits package.Note that the final salary will reflect internal equity and the selected candidate’s individual experiences and qualifications.

Contact

Naree W. S. Viner and Tenley Bank of Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, have been exclusively retained for this search. To express interest in this role please fill out our Talent Profile via the button above. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential. 

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.