Associate Director, Events & Experiences Marketing

Title: Associate Director, Events & Experiences Marketing

Schedule Format - Location: San Francisco, Hybrid

Pay Information: $103,349-$129,186 Annually

Position Summary

The Associate Director, Events & Experiences Marketing, leads strategy, planning, and execution for audience growth and marketing across KQED’s expanding portfolio of live event and experiential programming. A creative and data-driven strategist, the Associate Director is responsible for designing audience journeys, growing attendance and engagement, and positioning KQED as a leading civic convener and cultural anchor in the Bay Area.

Working closely with KQED’s Vice President of Events & Experiences and Executive Director of Audience & Brand, this role oversees marketing and audience strategy for multiple aspects of KQED’s events and experiences vertical. They will plan integrated campaigns for KQED Live—our flagship, editorially driven event series—as well as for new experiential programming initiatives, KQED’s venue rental business, and the launch and ongoing promotion of two new digital platforms: An online hub for regional events and things-to-do content and a curated e-commerce marketplace for Bay Area creators and vendors. 

The Associate Director will also grow and supervise a team of marketing and audience professionals, who implement campaigns and direct-to-audience communications, manage ticketing and front-of-house operations, as well as manage content and business development for new online hubs. They partner with colleagues across Content, Creative, Audience Development, Membership, Product, and Sponsorship to ensure a consistent, welcoming, and inclusive audience experience that reinforces KQED’s brand and mission across all touchpoints.

The ideal candidate combines expertise in events, field marketing, media strategy, and digital platform growth with a passion for rooting communities through meaningful shared experiences of the Bay Area.

 

KQED envisions a public media organization with a culture that centers on human dignity, equity, and belonging. This will enable us to better serve and reflect the Bay Area through diverse and inclusive storytelling. 

We value the contributions of marginalized people in society — including Black, Indigenous, and all people of color,  people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people — and we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, and we strongly encourage members of these communities to apply.

KQED Code of Ethics  https://www.kqed.org/about/code-ethics

The mission that drives us:

KQED provide citizens of Northern California with a community-supported alternative to commercial media.   We provide citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone and engage audiences to share their stories. We help students and teachers thrive in 21st-century classrooms, and take people of all ages on journeys of exploration- exposing them to new people, places and ideas.

This role will work hybrid between working in KQED's newly renovated headquarters and working remotely. 

Essential Functions

Marketing & Audience Strategy

• Lead and oversee execution of integrated marketing and audience strategies to grow attendance, engagement, and revenue across in-person events and event-related platforms and digital content.
• Plan and direct implementation of marketing campaigns for KQED Live and other experiential event programming, from seasonal messaging to individual event promotion.
• Define brand messaging and activation related to KQED’s events and experiences programs across platforms and ensure alignment with overall KQED brand identity.
• Define and target key segments, measure performance, and engage market research as needed to inform future strategy.
• Design and optimize audience journeys, ensuring alignment from first awareness through registration, attendance, follow-up engagement, and donor conversion.
• Work with event content producers to understand, translate, and amplify programming to target audience segments.  
• Strategize, create, and deploy social content and assets to promote individual events, seasons, and the overall Events & Experiences programming brand.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director of Audience & Brand on media planning and buying – or agency engagement, when appropriate – for events and experiences-related promotion.
• Supervise team members executing marketing and audience engagement communications, including email newsletters, e-blasts, broadcast and digital spots, organic and paid social media posts, calendar listings, and other collateral. 
• Manage promotional partner relationships, contracts, deliverables, and payments to advertising vendors, platforms, influencers, and community outreach partners as appropriate.
• Develop ticket scaling strategies, with optimized price schemes, loyalty incentives, and promotions to drive sales and return attendance.
• Manage, analyze, and report on event registrant data to inform audience growth, repeat engagement, and – in collaboration with fundraising teams – donor conversion strategies.
• Supervise team members managing day-to-day box office and front-of-house operations, as well as volunteers, for KQED events.
• Work with KQED Corporate Sponsorship staff to identify and execute opportunities for sponsor activation in KQED event marketing communications, digital event streaming, and on-site production.
• Direct marketing and positioning of KQED’s venue rental program to maximize visibility and earned revenue.
   

Digital Platforms Promotion 

• Oversee launch and direct growth marketing plans for two new digital hubs:
  • A Bay Area culture and events hub with community calendar, editorial content, and paid listings.
  • An e-commerce marketplace for local creators, supported by newsletters, social content, and other media vertical elements.
• Develop and execute media and audience targeting strategies that leverage demographic, behavioral, and psychographic insights to drive reach, engagement, and conversions.
• Lead digital and social media campaigns, partnerships, and brand positioning to build sustainable audiences for these platforms, in coordination with KQED’s Audience Development team.
• Craft and manage regionwide thematic “Experience the Bay” promotional campaigns involving local small businesses, nonprofit organizations, municipal agencies, and fundraising partners. 
• Establish systems for campaign measurement and reporting; analyze performance data to optimize creative, media mix, and targeting in real time, ensuring continuous improvement and audience growth.

Team Leadership 

• Build, supervise, coach, and support the Events & Experiences audience team, including up to four direct reports working on marketing implementation, audience experience management and communications, e-commerce promotion, and digital engagement. 
• Ensure seamless integration of marketing, ticketing, and front-of-house operations.
• Foster collaboration and accountability across departments, while building a culture of equity, accessibility, and inclusion.
   

Knowledge/Experience Required

• 6+ years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, audience engagement, and media strategy, with demonstrated success in driving growth for events and/or digital platforms.
• 3+ years of management experience leading teams, with proven ability to coach, motivate, and deliver results through others.
• Demonstrated expertise leading integrated multi-channel marketing campaigns (digital, social, email, broadcast, print), paid media planning, and audience segmentation.
• Experience managing agencies, in-house creative teams, and contractor relationships.
• Strong background in CRM systems, ticketing platforms, and digital analytics.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, especially persuasive and audience-focused copywriting.
• Strong strategic judgment, prioritization skills, and ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Deep appreciation for KQED’s public service mission and Bay Area cultural landscape.
   

Knowledge/Experience Desired

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field, especially for the live entertainment or nonprofit arts and culture sectors.
• Experience with Tixr or comparable event ticketing/CRM systems.
• Experience with email marketing tools and analytics.
• Experience with social media marketing tools and analytics. 
• Knowledge of venue marketing, rentals, and event promotion best practices.
• Familiarity with e-commerce platforms, online marketplaces, or digital content hubs.
• Experience collaborating with non-profit fundraising and sponsorship teams.
• Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog or other community language skills are a plus