Vice President of Marketing, Events, Sales and Communications

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Zoo Knoxville

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Vice President of Marketing, Events, Sales and Communications

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The Vice President of Marketing, Events, Sales and Communications serves as a senior executive leader responsible for stabilizing, aligning, and accelerating Zoo Knoxville\s marketing, communications, events, and earned revenue strategies.

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This role assesses current performance, develops Zoo Knoxville\s long-range marketing, sales, events, and communications strategy, and drives sustained improvements in attendance, revenue generation, brand positioning, and organizational effectiveness.

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Working in close collaboration with the President & CEO and senior leadership team, this position will provide hands-on leadership across marketing, sales, events, communications, and creative functions. The Vice President will lead a multidisciplinary team and ensure alignment with Zoo Knoxville\s mission, strategic plan, and revenue goals, while building systems, processes, and performance standards that position the organization for long-term success.

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RESPONSIBILITIES:

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As a team member, exemplify Zoo Knoxville\s core values through interactions with guests and fellow team members.

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Executive Leadership & Strategy

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Serve as a member of the Zoo\s senior leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy, decision-making, and performance management.

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Conduct a comprehensive assessment of current marketing, communications, events, and sales functions, identifying gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities for growth.

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Develop and implement long-range strategic action plans, including Zoo Knoxville\s 2026 and 2027 plans, focused on performance improvement and long-term sustainability.

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Establish clear KPIs, performance metrics, and accountability structures across all functional areas.

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Align departmental strategies with Zoo Knoxville\s strategic plan, brand positioning, and revenue goals.

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Marketing & Brand Strategy

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Lead the development and execution of integrated marketing strategies across paid, earned, and owned channels (PESO model) to drive attendance, membership, and revenue growth.

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Oversee brand management to ensure consistency, quality, and alignment across all platforms and guest touchpoints.

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Evaluate and optimize relationships with external agencies, vendors, and partners.

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Ensure data-driven decision-making through analytics, audience segmentation, and performance tracking.

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Oversee the CRM and audience-data infrastructure, ensuring strong data capture and segmentation that inform marketing, membership, and development strategies.

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Guide website, digital, and content strategies to improve conversion, engagement, and storytelling impact.

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Communications & Public Relations

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Serve as the organization\s senior communications leader and advisor on messaging, positioning, and media relations.

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Oversee public relations strategies to elevate Zoo Knoxville\s visibility, reputation, and thought leadership.

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Set the strategy for media, tourism, corporate, and civic relationships, directing the Communications Manager who serves as day-to-day spokesperson, while personally representing Zoo Knoxville at executive-level functions.

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Ensure consistent, compelling storytelling that advances conservation, education, and community engagement.

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Lead crisis communications planning and execution, as needed.

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Strengthen internal communications alignment across departments.

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Events & Guest Experience Integration

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Oversee the strategic direction, planning, and execution of all Zoo Knoxville events to ensure alignment with revenue and brand objectives.

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Evaluate event portfolio performance (attendance, revenue, guest satisfaction) and implement improvements or restructuring as needed.

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Drive innovation in event programming, including seasonal experiences, signature events, and new revenue-generating concepts.

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Ensure strong cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Guest Experience, and Development teams.

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Direct marketing that strengthens earned revenue across retail, food and beverage, admissions, and on-grounds signage, informed by guest survey and satisfaction data.

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Sales & Revenue Growth

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Lead the development and execution of comprehensive sales strategies across admissions, memberships, group sales, and special events.

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Identify and implement new revenue opportunities, pricing strategies, and promotional tactics.

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Own pricing, ticketing, and yield-management strategy across admissions, memberships, and events, improving channel mix and online conversion to maximize earned revenue.

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Oversee revenue operations, using dashboards and forecasting to manage and improve performance across all earned-revenue streams.

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Partner with Development to align sponsorship and partnership opportunities with marketing and event strategies.

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Drive a performance-based culture focused on achieving and exceeding revenue targets.

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Team Leadership & Organizational Development

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Provide direct leadership, coaching, and accountability for all direct reports and functional teams.

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Assess team structure, capabilities, and performance; implement necessary organizational or role adjustments.

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Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and excellence.

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Ensure clear roles, responsibilities, and workflows across marketing, events, communications, and creative functions.

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Support recruitment, onboarding, and transition planning as needed.

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Operational Excellence

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Oversee departmental budgets, ensuring effective allocation of resources and strong return on investment.

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Implement systems, processes, and tools that improve efficiency, communication, and execution.

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Ensure all marketing, communications, and event initiatives are delivered on time, on budget, and at a high level of quality.

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Attend zoo events and activities as required.

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Additional duties as assigned or required.

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QUALIFICATIONS:

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Minimum of 1015 years of progressive leadership experience in marketing, communications, sales, and/or revenue-generating functions.

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Proven track record of driving measurable growth in attendance, revenue, and brand engagement.

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Demonstrated experience leading organizational turnarounds, transformations, or performance improvement initiatives.

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Strong strategic thinker with the ability to operate at both executive and implementation levels.

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Experience managing integrated marketing campaigns, public relations, digital platforms, and event strategies.

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Experience with ticketing platforms, CRM systems, and digital marketing technology.

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Experience in a zoo, aquarium, museum, science center, theme park, or similar destination attraction preferred.

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Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and ROI analysis.

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Exceptional leadership, interpersonal, and team development skills.

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Outstanding written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.

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Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with multiple priorities.

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Bachelor\s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field (advanced degree preferred).

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Must be at least 21 years of age.

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A strong affinity for the mission of Zoo Knoxville.

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Ability and willingness to work outside regular business hours, including evenings and weekends

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Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, and respect for confidentiality.

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Understands and subscribes to the philosophy that meticulous organization, planning, and attention to detail are the fundamental components of successful events and marketing and communications campaigns.

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Professional demeanor and appearance.

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Self-starter with the ability to work independently as well as with a team.

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Excellent computer skills including all Microsoft Office programs especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook software.

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Proficient with Google Analytics.

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Ability and willingness to learn and adapt to new systems with minimal guidance.

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Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check.

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How to Apply

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Learn more and apply: https://www.zooknoxville.org/careers/

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Zoo Knoxville

3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive

Knoxville, TN 37914

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