Marketing Manager in Portland, Oregon at YMCA of Columbia Willamette

Position Summary

The YMCA of Columbia-Willamette is seeking two strategic, collaborative, and growth-oriented Marketing Managers to support key operational areas across the association.

The Marketing Manager serves as a strategic marketing partner responsible for developing and executing proactive marketing strategies aligned with organizational goals and operational priorities. This role leads campaign planning, audience engagement, storytelling, and communication alignment across assigned operational portfolios.

Within assigned operational portfolios, the Marketing Manager is expected to independently lead campaign planning, communication strategy, content development, project prioritization, and marketing execution. Broader organizational priorities and strategic direction are established collaboratively with executive and operational leadership.

The ideal candidate is organized, operationally disciplined, collaborative, and capable of managing multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment.

Operational Portfolio Alignment

Both positions share the same core responsibilities but are aligned to different operational portfolios within the association.

Position 1: Marketing Manager – Family Centers

This position will primarily support:

• Clark County Family YMCA
• Sherwood Regional Family YMCA
• Beaverton Family YMCA

This role partners closely with branch leadership to support membership growth, community engagement, program promotion, and operational goals.

Position 2: Marketing Manager – Programs & Strategic Initiatives

This position will primarily support:

• Camp Collins
• Childcare Center (SE)
• Strategic organizational initiatives
• Community impact campaigns
• Association storytelling efforts

This role will focus heavily on enrollment marketing, strategic communication initiatives, storytelling, philanthropy support, community visibility, and promotional strategies tied to organizational priorities.

This role partners closely with camp, childcare, philanthropy, and executive leadership to support enrollment growth, storytelling, strategic initiatives, and organizational visibility.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Campaign Planning

• Develop and execute proactive, calendar-driven marketing strategies aligned with operational goals and organizational priorities.
• Manage campaign calendars, enrollment strategies, promotional initiatives, and communication timelines that support participation, engagement, and organizational visibility.
• This role emphasizes proactive planning, coordination, and execution in support of organizational priorities.

Operational Partnership

• Serve as the primary marketing partner for assigned operational areas. This role is expected to provide leadership and recommendations within assigned portfolios while working collaboratively with operational leaders to align marketing efforts with broader organizational goals.
• Collaborate with leaders to identify growth opportunities, communication priorities, and campaign strategies while providing guidance on messaging, audience engagement, and communication planning.

Brand Stewardship & Storytelling

• Ensure marketing efforts consistently reflect the YMCA’s mission, values, and organizational voice.
• Develop compelling storytelling content that highlights organizational impact and supports strategic priorities.
• Support messaging development across digital, print, social media, website, and email platforms while maintaining consistency in branding, messaging standards, and visual identity.

Digital Marketing & Communication

• Support communication efforts across social media, website content, email marketing, digital campaigns, and community engagement channels.
• Collaborate on content calendars, communication schedules, campaign rollout plans, and engagement strategies.
• Monitor engagement metrics and utilize performance insights to improve campaign effectiveness and audience reach.

Project Management & Prioritization

• Manage multiple campaigns, timelines, and organizational priorities within a structured planning environment.
• Marketing Managers are expected to make day-to-day decisions regarding campaign execution, communication timelines, project sequencing, and workload prioritization within their assigned portfolios.
• Maintain campaign calendars, intake systems, communication workflows, lead-time expectations, and prioritization frameworks that improve responsiveness, accountability, execution consistency, and campaign effectiveness.
• This role is empowered to recommend timeline adjustments, communication changes, and prioritization decisions that support stronger organizational alignment and execution quality.
• Success in this role requires strong organization, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines and maintaining quality standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with departments across the association, including operations, philanthropy, membership, childcare, camp, finance, and executive leadership.
• Support shared campaigns and communication initiatives that require coordination across multiple departments and operational teams.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Improved strategic planning and campaign organization
• Stronger alignment between marketing and operational goals
• Increased responsiveness and turnaround time
• Effective communication and collaboration with operational leaders
• Strong campaign execution and communication consistency
• Support of membership, enrollment, participation, and organizational growth goals

YMCA-CW Comprehensive Benefits for Full-Time Staff:

• Voluntary Medical, Dental insurance, and Vision insurance
• Voluntary Retirement plans (403(b) and Roth options) + 9% Employer Contribution to 403(a) when eligibility is reached
• Voluntary Life and AD&D
• Voluntary Short Term Disability
• Voluntary Accident
• Voluntary to Critical Illness
• Voluntary to Pet Insurance
• Voluntary LegalShield/IDShield
• Vacation leave (accrual increases with tenure)
• Sick leave (in accordance with applicable state and local regulations)
• 3 paid holidays annually
• 6 floating holidays annually
• Complementary Y Membership

About Us

The YMCA of Columbia-Willamette serves communities across Oregon and Southwest Washington with a focus on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Our programs span early learning, afterschool enrichment, fitness and wellness, camps, and community services. This role ensures the systems that support our mission are dependable, consistent, and implemented with fidelity across every site we serve.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Business, or related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience
• Minimum 3–5 years of professional experience in marketing, communications, digital engagement, or related field
• Demonstrated experience managing marketing campaigns and communication initiatives
• Strong writing, storytelling, and communication skills
• Strong organizational and project management abilities
• Experience working across digital marketing platforms including social media, email marketing, website content management, and analytics
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborative mindset with strong relationship-building skills
• Experience in nonprofit, mission-driven, or community-based organizations preferred

Desired Characteristics

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking and operational awareness
• Strong collaboration and communication skills
• Initiative and adaptability
• Strong relationship-building abilities
• A proactive and solutions-oriented mindset
• Commitment to community impact and mission-driven work
• Confidence establishing priorities and execution expectations
• Ability to balance collaboration with clear decision-making
• Strong organizational discipline in fast-paced environments