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the Ladders

Managing Director of Marketing and Partnerships

the Ladders, Missoula, MT


The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a nonprofit, wildlife habitat conservation organization, seeks a performance-motivated team leader with strong interpersonal skills to lead our corporate sales and partnerships, retail, and national events departments. At RMEF, we make our passion our career through pursuit of the organization's conservation mission. We offer a competitive compensation and benefit package. Knowledge and support of RMEF's mission is required. Bachelor's degree required with a concentration in business administration, marketing, or related field preferred. A minimum of eight years of experience working in a senior-level leadership position with direct experience conducting and/or overseeing advertising or sponsorship sales and/or marketing programs and staffing is required. RMEF is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer M/F/D/V.

This position is located at our headquarters in Missoula, MT.

Job Summary:

The Managing Director of Marketing and Partnerships is responsible for providing senior leadership and direction to a diversity of revenue departments including corporate sales and industry partnerships (advertising, sponsorship, licensing), retail sales and national events. The director will work to develop, oversee and implement strategies designed to meet or exceed department and program performance objectives and goals. The director is responsible for ensuring cooperation and alignment with other departments, including Brand and Communications, Field Operations, Development, Membership and Mission Operations.

Essential Functions:
  • Develop and implement short and long-term growth and operational strategies and goals for Corporate Partnerships & Sales, Retail programs and National Events that are designed to support revenue, brand and mission objectives.
  • Lead the development of, and oversight for, department budgets. Ensure directors/managers in the department are responsible for meeting or exceeding budget goals.
  • Build and maintain relevant relationships with industry leaders and stakeholders for the benefit of RMEF revenue and mission.
  • Responsible for overseeing the direction and execution of RMEF national events. This includes national event planning, marketing, execution, support and budgetary responsibility. Ensure national events and programs meet RMEF brand, mission, promotional and revenue objectives.
  • Responsible for overseeing the design, development, execution and budgetary responsibility of RMEF retail programs including at national events, RMEF Visitor Center and Shop RMEF. Ensure retail programs are profitable, sustainable and meet established brand and marketing objectives.
  • Ensure departments are employing proactive market and stakeholder analysis using data and metrics to identify challenges and opportunities for growth.
  • Provide leadership for programs within the department, communicating operating and strategic plans; guiding department programs to best achieve strategic goals and support organizational priorities; and developing an effective team within the department to implement and maintain these programs.
  • Provide regular department performance updates to supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Thorough knowledge and support of the RMEF's mission, goals, organization and activities, and the ability to promote them.
  • Knowledge and comprehension of sales, sponsorship and licensing processes and procedures is required.
  • Experience, knowledge and understanding of retail sales programs is preferred.
  • Experience, knowledge and understanding of event planning, preparation and execution is required.
  • Must have or be able to create and maintain, a high-level network of business and personal contacts in corporations. This will require strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work constructively with a wide variety of individuals and corporations.
  • Must have or acquire comprehensive and effective business and marketing strategies and activities of corporations to create innovative and attractive proposals designed to promote the conservation commitment of corporate donors and corporate business partners. Must possess a basic understanding of the many legalities involved in contract preparation and contract enforcement.
  • Ability to work in a team-oriented environment and strive to cooperatively accomplish a task.
  • Demonstrate a professional appearance and attitude.
  • Ability to perceive and establish long-term goals to develop and implement programs that are cohesive, progressive and mission oriented.
  • Demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
  • Ability to work independently without frequent, direct supervision and to remain focused on goals and objectives while adapting to changing priorities.
  • Must have strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to create documents and presentations, and the ability to communicate to a variety of audiences. Must have the ability to conduct presentations effectively and professionally.
  • Demonstrated excellence in leadership, supervision, organizational management and program management is required.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree required with a concentration in business administration, marketing or related field preferred. A minimum of eight years of experience working in a senior-level leadership position with direct experience conducting and/or overseeing advertising or sponsorship sales and/or marketing programs and staffing is required. The successful candidate must have extensive experience and proven skills around partnership management and program building and a strong understanding of the hunting and conservation community. Event management and/or retail sales experience also greatly preferred. Extensive public relations experience in dealing with a diverse group of individuals from a variety of backgrounds is preferred.

Supervision of Others:

Supervises staff in the Corporate Sales & Partnerships, Retail and National Events departments.

Additional Responsibilities:
  • Represent the RMEF as a speaker, participant, representative or partner at various local, state, regional, national and international public and private functions.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands:

Must be able and willing to travel extensively including on weekends. Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when necessary. The employee must sit or stand for long periods of time; use a computer terminal and telephone; reach forward and to the side; bend from both standing and sitting position; and lift items of various weights, including some heavy lifting. Frequent travel by automobile or airplane will be required. Some ATV and/or horseback travel may be required.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of the job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements.