Marketing Specialist

Portland Japanese Garden – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Portland, Oregon – is hiring for a full-time Marketing Specialist. The Marketing Specialist plays a key role in engaging audiences and inspiring visits to Portland Japanese Garden. This role supports the planning and execution of marketing campaigns that promote the Garden and its programs, events, and initiatives – ensuring alignment and stewardship of the organization’s mission. Responsibilities include management of email marketing, social media strategy and community management, coordinating special fundraising appeals and membership drives, and ensuring consistency in voice and tone across all external communications.

The Marketing Specialist is a member of the Marketing and Communications Department, collaborating closely with the Membership and Development Departments, as well as in support of all other departments of Portland Japanese Garden. A rough division of responsibilities can be described as 40% promotion of visitor experience, 30% support in membership and donor communication, and 30% support of other organizational programming. This role must understand the larger digital footprint for Portland Japanese Garden in order to help guide an omnichannel marketing strategy. This position reports to the Senior Director of Brand & Innovation.

Primary Duties

Digital Strategy

• Work with the Senior Director of Brand & Innovation to develop Portland Japanese Garden digital marketing plan, campaigns, positioning, and strategy
• Analyze research, data, and trends to develop semi-annual reporting to help inform decisions, assess performance, and strategy

Email Marketing

• Act as point-person for all interdepartmental email marketing needs
• Oversee data and list health of all Garden contacts and audience extractions
• Establish audience segmentation and distribution for email/SMS programs
• Management of department-specific automations and email marketing campaigns (e.g. membership acquisition, development’s birthday campaign and annual fund campaigns)
• Manage the events communications workback to ensure thoughtful cadence of messages and avoid overlap/overly transactional communications

Website SEO, SEM

• Collaborate with web developer to track and optimize on user journey and experience
• Oversee SEM campaign strategy and develop ads to drive website traffic
• Manage Google Ad Grants (Google Ads program for nonprofits) account

Social Media Strategy

• Manage content calendar, steward implementation across platforms, oversee consistent brand voice, and monitor high-level trends to ensure we follow best practices.
• Plan and develop social media advertising strategies (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube), including targeting parameters, budget management, copywriting and creative asset management, and reporting.
• Keep fingers on the pulse of the latest trends, best practices, new options for advertising, and general learnings on social media.

Annual Media Planning (Advertising)

• Develop annual advertising plan for the Garden based on existing audience segmentation info and overarching annual brand and marketing plan
• Correspondence with vendors and partners from start to finish, including planning, negotiating, booking placements, collecting specs, and delivering completed materials
• Analyze and report to the team on campaign performance

Project Management

• Manage marketing campaigns and campaign elements with marketing department members

Third-Party Apps and Websites

• Manage and promote content on apps such as Bloomberg Connects and Google Arts and Culture

Other Duties

• Garden tours for press or influencers
• Administrative tasks to support the department

Other Responsibilities

• Familiarize oneself with the organization and the Employee Handbook
• Get to know fellow staff members, developing trust, establishing credibility, encouraging teamwork, and creating an atmosphere of open, honest, two-way communication
• Maintain a high level of professionalism in manner and appearance
• Adhere to business casual dress code

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, Communications or Marketing-related degree preferred
• 3-4 years of experience in advertising or marketing-related roles (agency experience is a plus)
• Experience with email marketing platforms (we use Prospect2 integrated with tessitura)
• Demonstrated proficiency in social media, and general online savviness
• A proven track record of working well with others, adapting to others’ work styles, and professional interactions with co-workers and/or vendors
• Strong listening skills, giving full attention to what other people are saying or asking, taking time to understand the points being made, and asking questions when appropriate
• Strong project management skills, having the ability to oversee and execute on a variety of workstreams
• Experience managing a direct report or specialty position/vendor (e.g. designer, webmaster, etc.)
• Service orientation, actively looking for ways to help others
• Excellent communication skills

Special Requirements

• A positive and outgoing attitude
• Comfortable working in an open-office environment
• Experience with SEO and/or Google Adwords.
• Familiarity with a CRM database (e.g., Tessitura) and/or Point of Sale system
• Personal passion for mission-driven non-profit work, Japanese culture and history, art and design, travel, and/or landscape design and horticulture are a plus
• Being bilingual in any language is a plus; in Japanese, it’s an A+

Compensation & Schedule

• Wage: $50,000 - $55,000/year
• This is a full-time, salaried position with 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with occasional evenings and weekends worked (with prior notice)
• Benefits:
  • health, dental, and vision insurance (premium 100% covered for employees), with partial deductible reimbursement
  • 401k plan (after 6 months, with 4% employer match after 1 year)
  • flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses
  • paid time off:
    • vacation: 2 weeks per calendar year to start, with regular increases
    • wellness: 10 days per calendar year
    • holidays: 10 holidays per year
  • free access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Transportation

The Garden is located at 611 SW Kingston Avenue, in Washington Park. Below are the transportation options for staff commuting to the Garden:

• Parking: Staff may park in the numbered spaces throughout Washington Park, which require payment. The cost is $8/day, or staff may request parking permits from Washington Park. The Garden subsidizes a portion of the cost for parking permits; the cost for staff is $75 during the high season (March – September) and $50 during the low season (October – February).
• Bus Passes: For staff who take public transit as their primary means of commuting to the Garden, we provide paid bus passes. Full-time staff receive a monthly TriMet pass, and part-time staff receive daily passes, based on their work schedule.
• Transportation Stipend: Staff who take any form of alternative transit to get to work qualify for a $5 daily stipend. This includes taking public transit, walking, biking, carpooling, or getting dropped off. The only staff who do not qualify for the stipend are those who are receiving a bus pass through the Garden.

Applications

To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and three work-related references through our online Career Center. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please no phone calls or hand delivered applications. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

All submitted applications will be held in confidence.