Director of Marketing and Communications

We’re seeking a strategic, creative, and hands-on leader to elevate our marketing and communications efforts. This role bridges strategy and execution—ideal for a senior-level professional who enjoys both crafting vision and rolling up their sleeves within a collaborative team.

Ghost Ranch, in the high desert of Northern New Mexico, is a place of wide-open skies, stunning clouds, and fierce natural beauty. Artists, adventurers, and seekers of all sorts find what they are looking for here: opportunities to learn, experiences that nourish and challenge, and connections that transform. Our guests come from near and far to take part in classes, workshops, and retreats; to camp, hike, and star gaze; and to reunite with family and friends.

The Marketing Director invites the world into the Ghost Ranch experience. This role shapes how our workshops, lodging, tours, museums and café offerings are seen, felt, and discovered.

The Director works closely with the Marketing Coordinator and partners with the directors of programs, development, and hospitality to create stories, strategies, and systems that deepen engagement, grow revenue, and reflect the spirit of this remarkable place.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Shape and carry forward a cohesive marketing strategy that reflects Ghost Ranch’s mission, annual goals, and audiences, guided by our newly developed brand messaging.
• Steward Ghost Ranch’s brand and story, helping position it as an iconic destination for learning, connection, and discovery.
• Review market trends, guest feedback, and performance data to inform decisions and thoughtfully adapt messaging.

Campaigns & Creative Direction:

• Identify the most strategic publications for print and other campaigns.
• Guide marketing campaigns from first idea to final delivery, including seasonal promotions, event launches, fundraising efforts, and institutional storytelling.
• Work side by side with internal teams and trusted external partners—designers, photographers, web developers, and PR firms—to create compelling, on-brand content.
• Ensure a consistent voice, look, and feel across all platforms, including print, email, website, and digital channels.

Team Supervision & Collaboration:

• Supervise and mentor the Marketing Coordinator, providing clear direction and overseeing day-to-day content creation and social media efforts.
• Oversee and coordinate the work of external service providers.
• Partner collaboratively with colleagues across programs, development, and hospitality operations to integrate and leverage marketing and communications efforts.
• Lead periodic planning and brainstorming sessions that invite ideas and alignment toward strategic goals.

Communications & Public Relations:

• Write, edit, or guide key communications, including donor newsletters, press releases, partner collaborations, program launches, and institutional updates.

Budgeting & Analytics:

• Manage the marketing budget with thoughtful transparency, tracking return on investment for key initiatives.
• Use tools such as Google Analytics, email engagement data, and booking trends to refine strategy and improve effectiveness.
• Prepare clear reports for leadership and the board that communicate progress, insights, and impact.

Qualifications

• A minimum of five years of professional marketing experience, with progressively increasing responsibility.
• Demonstrated strengths in writing, editing, and verbal communication, with the ability to communicate clearly and thoughtfully across audiences.
• Proven experience managing projects, stewarding a brand, and executing multi-channel marketing campaigns.
• Proven success in supervising employees and freelance workers.
• Working knowledge of common marketing tools, including email platforms (Mailchimp or Constant Contact), design software (Canva or Adobe), website platforms (WordPress or Squarespace), and social media scheduling tools.
• A degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field is preferred.

Ghost Ranch offers an excellent benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement savings, and student loan assistance. Benefits also include paid annual leave, sick leave, holidays, and community service. Lunch is provided daily in our Dining Hall and staff are encouraged to participate in one tuition-free Ghost Ranch workshop annually.

Spanish/English bilingual preferred, not required