Director of Marketing in Chicago, Illinois at 16 On Center

About Us:

16 On Center Chicago owns and operates several live music venues, third-party production, restaurants, bars, and food halls across Chicago and New York. Join the team of one of the country's leading independent promoters.

Our most effective service to our community comes from a team with a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, and experiences. 16 On Center actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Position Summary

As the Director of Marketing at 16 On Center, you will lead marketing, creative, and digital strategy efforts across our portfolio of properties. This role oversees the teams and systems that support brand consistency, ticket sales, guest engagement, and effective execution across all properties. You will partner closely with senior leadership to align creative and digital initiatives with business goals, manage and develop high-performing teams, and ensure our brands continue to evolve while maintaining their individual identities. This position will also focus on the growth of 16 On Center as a public facing brand in and of itself.

Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Marketing and Digital Strategy

• Oversee marketing and design teams supporting venues, restaurants, and partnerships, providing direction, structure, and support.
• Guide digital marketing strategy across all platforms, including websites, Google Business profiles, social media, and reservation platforms such as OpenTable and Tock.
• Develop editorial marketing strategies and amplify the unique voices of the outlets.
• Ensure online content is accurate, current, and engaging for guests.
• Partner with leadership to align marketing and digital efforts with broader business goals, ticket sales, brand partnerships, reservations, and revenue.
• Use data and performance insights to inform strategy and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate with ticketing teams to maximize the potential of our inventory.
• Work with venue leads on guiding the merchandise program across all of 16 On Center.
• Oversee the centralized 16 On Center online merchandise store

Team Leadership and Operations

• Serve as a strong people manager who builds trust, develops talent, and creates clarity for teams.
• Improve cross-functional collaboration between creative, marketing, and digital teams.
• Establish processes and systems that allow teams to work efficiently without losing creativity.
• Support long-term planning and organizational growth as the company continues to scale.

About You:

• 10+ years of experience in marketing, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing teams and strategy
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong understanding of the Chicago, national, and international food and music landscape, with the ability to translate that into effective marketing strategies.
• Genuine interest in food, beverage, and live music.
• Experience leading marketing efforts tied to ticket sales, including campaign planning from initial on-sale through final push.
• Comfortable managing multiple stakeholders, including internal leadership, venue teams, and external partners such as artists and agents.
• Strong creative instincts with an eye for brand consistency and content that drives engagement.
• Proven ability to manage and optimize paid digital campaigns across platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok, with a focus on conversion and ROI.
• Data-driven mindset with the ability to track performance, interpret results, and adjust strategy accordingly.
• Experience working with CRM platforms and growing, segmenting, and activating email and SMS databases (e.g., Hive, Mailchimp, or similar).
• Ability to stay organized and solution-oriented in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Hospitality-minded approach, with a focus on creating thoughtful and engaging guest experiences.

Position Details

• Job Type: Full-time, Exempt
• Schedule: Hybrid schedule with regular in-office presence, aligned with team needs and priorities.
• Compensation: $125k – $135k, depending on experience.
• Benefits: Health insurance with employer contribution; voluntary dental, vision, short-term disability, accident, and hospital coverage; employer-paid life insurance; voluntary life insurance; 401(k) retirement plan (eligible to participate after 6 months of service, with company match after 1 year); paid parental leave after 1 year of service; transit and parking program available through pre-tax payroll deductions; unlimited PTO