Job Description:

Chief Marketing, Communications and Digital Officer

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Position Summary

The Chief Marketing, Communications and Digital Officer (CMCDO) leads the marketing, public relations, content, creative and digital teams for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary, collectively welcoming nearly 2 million visitors annually, ranking in the top 15 most attended museums in the country.

This critical role is a key part of the museum’s Executive Council and reports to the Executive Director. The CMCDO is responsible for ongoing management of Crystal Bridges and the Momentary brands, creating strategies to increase awareness and positive brand recognition, drive attendance and ticket sales as well as support broad based revenue efforts. Strategic initiatives focused on reach, revenue and reputation are top priorities.

In 2025, the Crystal Bridges campus will begin to establish itself as a one-of-a-kind site for the integration of art and wellness, as two sister institutions to the museum (Heartland Whole Health Institute and Alice L. Walton School of Medicine) will open on the museum’s campus. These architecturally significant buildings will link to the museum through trails and shared amenities, creating a unique destination. With Crystal Bridges as the lead institution on the campus, the CMCDO will play an important role in developing the vision for the brand, building audiences and implementing strategies for an optimal guest experience, in collaboration with communications leadership across the campus.

In 2026, Crystal Bridges’ expansion (currently under construction) will open, doubling the museum’s size and adding gallery, education and programming spaces. The CMCDO will develop strategies to enhance reach, revenue and reputation with the museum’s expansion, and guide the communications team through the development and execution of communications plans to incorporate the expanded museum and campus into its efforts.

This role will manage a team of approximately 25 communications professionals, responsible for the strategy, planning, budgeting and implementation of overall communications, marketing and digital efforts. This role and the communications team work closely with all departments across Crystal Bridges and the Momentary to achieve vision, mission and goals. 

In addition, this position works closely with communication leaders of other entities on campus, including Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Heartland Whole Health Institute, Art Bridges Foundation and Art and Wellness Enterprises.   

Principal Responsibilities 

Leadership:

• Strategize, plan, and implement earned, owned, shared, and paid media, including annual plans covering public relations, marketing, content, creative and digital.
• Serve as a member of the Executive Council, the senior leadership group guiding both brands. 
• As a part of the Executive Council, play a leadership role in creating and maintaining an excellent visitor experience.
• Lead a Board-level Marketing Committee with representation from national corporate and non-profit leaders to gain perspective, define vision and build robust, comprehensive strategies.
• Provide effective leadership to the Brand Strategy and Communications team and a collaborative approach to working with each department across the two brands. Develop and maintain departmental budgets for all Marketing, Creative, Content, Public Relations, and Digital efforts for both brands.
• Develop and manage agency partnerships across Marketing, Creative, Content, Public Relations, and Digital efforts. Evaluate and report on the effectiveness and impact of initiatives and campaigns using industry-standard metrics. 
• Evaluate research findings on audience, engagement, attendance and more, and advise leadership/develop plans for alignment or course correction to meet strategic initiatives. 
• Maintain a Net Promoter Score of 90+ at Crystal Bridges and 65+ at the Momentary

Marketing

• Guide the development of marketing efforts to achieve significant attendance and revenue onsite and online.
  • Grow annual attendance from 1.9M to 2.4m by 2027
• Grow revenue generated by concert tickets, festivals, exhibitions, culinary, retail, special events, and program sales:
  • Drive large outdoor concert and festival ticket sales for 20 – 25 major events, attracting 200,000+ ticket buyers.
  • Drive indoor concert ticket sales for 25-35 concerts and programs attracting 10,000 – 15,000 ticket buyers.
  • Drive engagement and attendance for approximately 1,200 programs of various size across both locations.

Communications/Public Relations

• Craft and oversee consistent brand messaging that aligns with the company's vision, values, and market positioning to enhance public perception and brand equity.
• Establish and implement crisis communication strategies to effectively manage and mitigate potential negative impacts on the company's reputation.

Content and Creative

• Direct message platforms and communication channel strategies for external, executive, and internal audiences.
• Guide content and creative teams in creating synergistic campaigns based on brand strategies and messaging
• Develop and oversee communications strategies for reaching the diverse audiences that Crystal Bridges and the Momentary serve and seek to serve more fully. 
• Led teams that engage and interact with curators, and educators to create impactful and engaging exhibitions and installations.

Digital

• Lead planning and implementation of digital initiatives designed to reach the broadest audience, create dynamic impact, and position Crystal Bridges and the Momentary as a digital-first organization, embedding digital efforts as a critical part of our business strategy. 

• Establish a robust digital programming presence that reinvents and elevates key engagement:
  • Website Redesign
  • App Development
  • Digital Storytelling
  • Virtual School Tours
  • Wayfinding
• Increase digital reach by 10% annually for 2025 while maintaining 3-5% growth rate thereafter

Essential Qualifications

Education, Training, and Traits:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
• Specific work experience managing communications teams including marketing, public relations, creative, content, and digital media.
• Specific work experience with external, executive, and internal communications.
• Excellent leadership skills, connecting with vision/mission and guiding through caring, empathy, and collaboration to achieve strategic initiatives and goals.

• Superb writing and editing skills and a strong sense of marketing and promotional messaging.
• Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate in a clear and persuasive manner.
• An experienced communications professional with a good sense of judgment who has counseled senior executives and earned their trust. 

• Ability to understand and maintain the highest levels of confidentiality.
• Proven track record of commitment to inclusive practices and building cultures of belonging.
• A high level of professional integrity and ethics, and the ability to handle sensitive issues and situations with discretion. 
• Belief in arts experiences as a cause for social good and a positive, dynamic force for economic development.

Work Experience:

• Ten or more years’ experience in the overall brand strategy and communications field (public relations, marketing, digital) or related professions.
• Proven leadership success in the management and development of communications teams.

 Skills and Abilities:

• Exemplary written, verbal, and listening communication skills and a demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and professionally.
• Effective interpersonal skills as well as group interaction and leadership.
• Highly developed public speaking skills.
• Strong staff management and mentoring skills.
• Ability to inspire and creatively engage team members, colleagues, and senior leadership in achieving and supporting strategic communications plans.
• Collaborative and empathetic.
• Responsible and accountable.
• Ability to create and successfully manage an annual budget.
• Demonstrated organizational planning, problem-solving and collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated understanding and use of diplomacy.
• Ability to be effective in fast-paced working environments.
• Ability to interact respectfully, collegially, and professionally with all employees and volunteers at all levels of responsibility.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: In the work environments described below, position requires utilizing a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time, interpersonal and written conversation with others, transporting (up to 10 lbs.).

• Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment and in museum spaces. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Reasonable accommodations may be reviewed and evaluated in the case of exhibitions exceeding noise levels. Some overnight travel may be necessary. All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

Crystal Bridges is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

#LI-Onsite