Marketing Operations Manager

Are you a project manager, marketer, or other professional who excels at developing and managing schedules and systems that help the rest of your team thrive? 

Does your skill set span project management for a wide array of tasks; fluency with a marketing platform like HubSpot, Mailchimp, or Salesforce; and insightful perspectives on and practices for how to optimize existing systems and processes?  

Would you thrive as part of a team that is collaborative, passionate, and flexible in its dynamic marketing of resources that enhance congregational life in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and beyond? 

If you stare complexity in the face and can’t wait to get started on taming it, the Marketing Operations Manager position on the Congregational Team at 1517 Media may be just the job for you. 

1517 Media is a multimedia company composed of five vital, creative imprints: Augsburg Fortress, Sparkhouse, Fortress Press, Beaming Books and Broadleaf Books. We create resources for spiritual growth and development, for Christian worship and faith formation, and for academic study and professional development. 1517 Media strives to create an environment of inclusiveness, equity, and respect for all regardless of ability, age, ethnicity, faith, gender, gender identity, nation of origin, race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Individuals who are committed to contributing meaningfully to diversity and inclusion in publishing are encouraged to apply, including members of groups historically underrepresented in publishing (which is - according to industry research – a traditionally white, straight, cisgender, and nondisabled field).

Two imprints form the Congregational Team at 1517 Media: Augsburg Fortress and Sparkhouse. Both imprints develop innovative resources for worship and music, faith formation, devotional life, and Bible study to support the ministries of faith communities in communicating the good news of God’s liberating grace.

The Congregational Team is hiring a Marketing Operations Manager to join its team of marketers, resource developers, and designers who publish and market hundreds of resources annually for worship and music, faith formation, devotional life, and Bible study. 

The Marketing Operations Manager leads the development and management of marketing schedules for new releases and ongoing communications for our existing portfolio of resources. This person also provides significant input to the systems that support our Sparkhouse and Augsburg Fortress webstores. The person in this position can learn new systems, suggest process improvements, and maintain a big picture focus for the entire Marketing team. Because of the pace, volume, and variety of projects, this position demands a person who knows how to manage schedules, meet or exceed deadlines, anticipate and solve problems, and effectively communicate with stakeholders. Deliberate onboarding, training as needed, and ongoing professional support will ensure the person hired for this position has the tools they need to succeed and thrive in this role. 

The Marketing Operations Manager is part of our hybrid work model, requiring residence in the Twin Cities. This position involves working a few days in our Minneapolis office each week.

The Marketing Operations Manager holds these responsibilities: 

• Develops and manages schedules of marketing plans developed by Marketing team members, and may be involved in developing and executing occasional marketing plans 
• Acquires/strengthens fluency with HubSpot, the essential platform used by the Marketing team that manages customer lists, email communications, blogs, and other key marketing functions 
• Leads the data entry process on the Augsburg Fortress and Sparkhouse webstores for all new releases, monitors the process of new products in development until their release, and sets up systems for limited-time promotions 
• Conducts ongoing review and auditing of Augsburg Fortress and Sparkhouse webstores to ensure accuracy, updates, and other needed changes 
• Offers editorial expertise as needed to review copy written by Marketing colleagues 
• Provides support to the Marketing team’s Event Manager as needed with technical support by setting up Point of Sale systems, managing event registrations, and other functions 
• Supports the Marketing and Design teams as needed throughout the process of design briefings, tracking schedules at all routing stages 
• Maintains frequent, results-focused communication with the following departments throughout the different stages of developing and executing marketing plans: Product Development, Design, Purchasing, Project Management, and Content Management 
• Contributes to the creation of annual marketing budgets and monitors selected budget line items to ensure accurate spend
• Travels to at least two events annually to staff the booth where Augsburg Fortress and Sparkhouse resources are sold 
• Offers support to and completes other duties as assigned by the Director of Congregational Development and Marketing 

Desired education and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field 
• 5+ years of experience in marketing, project management, or other position requiring oversight of operations 
• Experience in an ELCA or other mainline Protestant congregational ministry setting as volunteer, staff member, or other role is beneficial 

Desired knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Ability to develop schedules for and manage simultaneous projects with attention to detail and accuracy, avid follow-up, and adherence to deadlines 
• Insights into optimizing processes and systems that can be translated into actionable steps 
• Deep commitment to building high-trust relationships among Marketing team members and cross functional colleagues
• Familiarity with a CRM platform (such as HubSpot), project management tools (such as Teamwork), and apps within the Microsoft 365 suite, or a demonstrated interest in and ability to learn new digital tools quickly and well 
• Highly organized approach to all marketing tasks to ensure schedules, files, and expectations are in good order 
• Motivation that is fueled by fast-paced work and a highly collaborative environment 
• Ability to communicate with precision in written and verbal forms 
• Familiarity with theological foundations and congregational life in the ELCA or other mainline Protestant denomination(s) 

We know the pandemic has changed the ways that congregational ministry happens. We are looking ahead to how we can market our congregational resources in new ways to our dedicated customer base. Our team is small, nimble, and tuned into the changes and opportunities in the 21st Century religious landscape. This position will help streamline and optimize our work. 

Please include your resume, cover letter, and references with your application. 

1517 Media offers a competitive salary and a full list of benefits, including vacation for new employees, sick time, health, retirement, a pre-tax transportation program, paid parental leave and no-cost gym access in the building. You will join a collaborative and creative hybrid work environment, with a talented group of 80 individuals who have a passion for their work. The corporate headquarters is located in the North Loop, Minneapolis with adjacent access to Light Rail and Metro Transit bus lines.