Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Guest Experience
Association Of Zoos & Aquariums, Seattle
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Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Guest Experience
JOB POSTING
Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Guest Experience
Posted: Open to internal and external applicants
Reports to : President & CEO
Status: Full-time, salaried, benefitted position
Hours of work: Standard Monday–Friday workweek, 8am–5pm. Occasional need for weekend or after-hours work as related to events and other projects.
Date needed: Mid-November 2025
Posting expires: September 5, 2025
Position Overview:
Situated on Seattle’s revitalized waterfront, the Seattle Aquarium is a welcoming place for people to see, feel, and experience aquatic life. One of the most visited cultural attractions in Seattle, the Aquarium presents a unique opportunity to marry a critical mission with transformative experiences to serve as a force for good. The Seattle Aquarium is positioned as a nonprofit conservation organization working to regenerate the health of Earth’s one ocean. Our mission is Inspiring Conservation of our Marine Environment. We are a mission-driven aquarium committed to marine conservation, education, and community connection through extraordinary experiences, exceptional animal care, conservation research, education, and advocacy. We offer an immersive guest experience that bridges ocean advocacy with public engagement.
We are seeking an innovative and collaborative Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Guest Experience to lead our brand strategy, deepen community connections, and steward a compelling, awe-inspiring guest experience that reflects our commitment to caring for and stewarding animals, nature, and humans.
The Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Guest Experience reports to the President and CEO and is a member of the Aquarium’s executive team. This position also co-staffs two different Board of Directors committees, the Public Partnerships Committee and the Board Advancement Committee, to engage the board in marketing and fundraising efforts in support of our mission.
This is a rare opportunity to shape the voice, visibility, and in-person experience of one of the Pacific Northwest’s most treasured organizations, and to directly impact ocean conservation through storytelling, innovation and leadership.
Key functions:
The Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Guest Experience has a strong guest-centric focus, developing and deploying a variety of strategies to integrate all Aquarium audiences and drive earned and contributed revenue. This includes visitation and exposure to the Aquarium itself, as well as its website, blog and social media presences. The role is responsible for developing, executing and evaluating strategic marketing, advertising, public relations, communications and guest experience programs and campaigns to promote visitation and awareness, and to communicate the Aquarium’s key messages to target audiences, while managing resources to produce results consistent with Aquarium plans, goals and mission.
This role collaborates across the organization to ensure consistent messaging, branding and guest experiences for all areas of the aquarium.
Communication, Marketing & Engagement
Lead the creation and execution of strategic, multi-channel marketing campaigns to increase visibility, engagement, and revenue across regional, national, and international audiences.
Collaborate with Finance, Membership and the Conservation, Engagement, & Learning teams to set visitation, admission pricing, and per-cap targets, hit earned-revenue goals and execute audience driving strategies.
Guide the evolution of the organization’s brand identity in alignment with our conservation mission and sustainable values.
Expand digital reach through innovative content, Seach Engine Optimization / Marketing strategies, and targeted messaging to grow both online and onsite audiences.
Develop and implement marketing partnerships that help strengthen the brand while generating revenue.
Communications & Public Relations
Serve as lead communications strategist and brand steward, ensuring clear, compelling messaging and storytelling across platforms—from media and web to social and print.
Build and nurture relationships with local, national, and international media to elevate organizational initiatives and conservation impact.
Lead internal communications that connect staff and stakeholders to mission, impact, and strategic priorities.
Oversee crisis communications for external and internal audiences.
Guest Experience & Waterfront Connection
Develop and implement strategy for an awe-inspiring and impactful guest experience for all audiences. Oversee front-of-house operations across multiple facilities, including the newly expanded Ocean Pavilion campus along Seattle’s revitalized waterfront.
Champion guest service excellence with a focus on inclusivity, accessibility, and sustainability in every touchpoint.
Implement systems and training to continually improve guest satisfaction, flow, and engagement, while upholding sustainable operating standards.
Events & Commercial Operations
Oversee strategy and performance for a diverse events portfolio—daytime audience-building activations, community programs, fundraising galas, conferences, and private rentals—aligning each with outcome targets.
Oversee revenue-generating commercial partnerships, including retail, café/catering, private rental events and other concessions.
Strategic Leadership & Organizational Impact
Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team of professionals in marketing, communications, guest services, events, and commercial operations, including the direct supervision of 4 senior leaders.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Development, Conservation, Education, Animal Care and Operations to support integrated campaigns and guest-centric program design.
Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, participating in the shaping of long-term strategy and organizational innovation.
Sustainability & Social Responsibility
Align marketing and guest experience initiatives with the organization’s commitment to climate action, sustainability, and animal care for our diverse Seattle and global communities.
Embed practices which reflect the Aquariums mission, vision and values in all aspects of marketing, events, and operations—from vendor selection to digital infrastructure to onsite experiences.
Reflect and represent the aquarium’s SALISH values in all aspects of the messaging and the experience.
Experience, education and certifications:
Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership in marketing, communications, brand strategy, and/or guest experience—preferably in nonprofit, conservation, or public-facing cultural organizations.
Experience building and stewarding a compelling brand aligned with organizational mission and values.
Proven track record in managing integrated marketing programs across digital, social, and traditional media, with measurable outcomes.
Strong creative direction skills; demonstrated ability to oversee writers, designers, and contractors across campaigns, publications, and media.
Prior responsibility for retail-style marketing, brand presentation, and sales or revenue-driving initiatives.
Executive or senior leadership experience, including cross-functional collaboration and strategic planning.
Demonstrated success in leading diverse teams toward shared outcomes; skilled in fostering inclusive, mission-driven workplace culture.
Deep understanding of and commitment to environmental sustainability, marine conservation, or climate-focused missions.
Excellent communicator with strong storytelling, data-informed decision-making, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
Experience in fundraising campaign marketing and nonprofit donor engagement is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with or prior experience in an aquarium, zoo, or animal care setting preferred.
Working conditions:
Most work is performed in a typical office setting in a private office / semi-private work area with frequent interruptions.
Some exposure to elements as employees are located in a campus environment with multiple buildings, outdoor and semi-covered areas. For example, moving between Aquarium buildings in all types of weather to participate in meetings.
Must be flexible for occasional evening, early morning, or weekend hours in support of events and projects.
Salary and benefits: $170,000-$180,000 annually, dependent on experience. Please include salary expectations in your materials. Full-time staff are eligible for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, 403b retirement fund with employer match, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, a Seattle Aquarium Family Plus membership and generous paid time off.
How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.
Interested candidates should upload a résumé to our online application to be considered.Application review will begin immediately.
Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodation to apply for this job by emailing us .
Note: If offered the position, candidates must pass a background check. Conviction record is not an automatic disqualifier; we are a second chance employer.
About the Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is a respected authority on Puget Sound, the Salish Sea and the world’s one ocean. Our passionate staff increases awareness and drives the change needed to preserve and protect our marine environment by providing an inspiring visitor experience, engaging daytime and evening events, conservation education programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, community outreach to marginalized populations, research that advances understanding of animals in our care and their counterparts in the wild, advocacy and policy work, an award-winning volunteer program, high-impact marketing and communications, and more.
Our values, developed in conjunction with our staff, include commitments to adopting and promoting sustainable practices, creating awe-inspiring experiences, constantly learning and improving, fostering an inclusive community, maintaining scientific credibility through evidence-based practices and honoring our unique place by using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.
Proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, we’re among the top 10 aquariums in the U.S. by attendance, and we welcome over 1 million people each year. Guided by our mission ofInspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment , we’re working to substantially increase our conservation impact through our expanded campus which now includes the Ocean Pavilion, a connective hub for the waterfront and Pike’s Place. Learn more atSeattleAquarium.org .
Timeline:
We anticipate the following recruiting schedulefor those candidates who are selected for consideration.The following dates are preliminary and subject to change.We will work with candidates to set interview dates.
Priority given to applications received by August 25, 2025.
Interviewscompleted by October 10, 2025.
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