Senior Director of Direct Marketing

Role overview

The National WWII Museum is looking for a Senior Director of Direct Marketing to shape and lead multichannel direct response marketing programs that support major growth areas across the organization. This role is responsible for strategy, delivery, and optimization of campaigns tied to educational travel tours, the Sanderson Leadership Center, conferences, symposia, and the Museum’s online graduate degree partnership with Arizona State University.

Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, the role focuses on acquiring new audiences, deepening engagement with current participants, and increasing revenue and lifetime value through direct mail, digital and traditional advertising, email, social, and owned media. The position also works closely with internal teams in marketing, travel, sales, Institutional Advancement, and the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy, while coordinating with outside agencies, media partners, and vendors.

This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced direct response strategist who can guide campaign planning, budget management, media strategy, creative development, testing, reporting, and cross-functional execution. Assignments may evolve depending on Museum priorities, workload, and organizational needs.

Key responsibilities

• Direct the planning and rollout of integrated direct response campaigns across direct mail, digital media, DRTV/CTV, web, email, social, and related channels for assigned programs.
• Serve as the main owner of marketing strategy, execution quality, and campaign results for those initiatives.
• Create, monitor, and refine performance measures related to acquisition, conversion, retention, and participant growth.
• Coordinate campaign activity across priority initiatives to support growth while minimizing audience fatigue from repeated messaging.
• Partner with Museum stakeholders to build and activate marketing plans for new revenue opportunities.
• Oversee outside agencies and vendors handling advertising, media buying, and production work.
• Plan, manage, pace, and report on campaign budgets.
• Shape media strategy, including targeting, segmentation, channel mix, flighting, and ongoing optimization.
• Brief and guide creative development with internal design and content teams, including testing and segmentation approaches.
• Review work for strategic fit, execution quality, and readiness before senior leadership review.
• Study results, convert performance data into clear insights, and recommend improvements.
• Complete additional assignments as directed by the supervisor.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, or a similar field is required.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience is required.
• Strong background in direct-response campaign management across direct mail, digital advertising, social, email, DRTV, CTV, and similar channels is essential.
• The role calls for a highly analytical, outcome-focused, inquisitive, and solutions-oriented professional.
• Experience working with agencies, vendors, and cross-functional teams is required.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a strong eye for detail are necessary.
• Proven ability to track KPIs, build performance reports, draw strategic insights, and run testing programs is expected.
• A self-directed work style and the ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines are important.
• Strong creativity, organization, judgment, and meticulous attention to detail are needed.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build productive relationships at all levels, including with third-party developers, agency partners, and consultants, are required.
• Willingness to work overtime during peak demand periods is required.
• Flexibility to work beyond a standard 40-hour week, including evenings and weekends when needed to meet deadlines, is required.

Benefits

• Medical coverage with two plan options, with the Museum paying 75% of the premium.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Flexible spending account.
• 401(k) plan with a 50% employer match on employee contributions up to 6%; employer contributions become fully vested after 3 years.
• Employer-paid life insurance and AD&D coverage of $15,000, plus optional additional life and AD&D coverage.
• Long-term disability insurance.
• Paid vacation and sick leave, plus 10 paid holidays each year.
• Free parking.
• Tuition assistance and professional development support.
• Employee assistance program.

Equal opportunity statement

The National WWII Museum is committed to equal employment opportunity and welcomes a diverse workforce. Hiring decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other protected status under applicable federal, state, or local law. Applicants may request reasonable accommodations to participate in the application process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.