Leadership role
VP of Marketing
Leads efforts to grow the audiences a nonprofit serves or sells to, such as patients, students, members or ticket buyers.
Reporting and scope
Reports to the Executive Director / CEO, or to a Chief Marketing / Communications Officer. Authority covers marketing across the organization or a major business line.
Core responsibilities
- Leads marketing for enrollment, membership, ticket sales, patient volume or donor acquisition
- Oversees brand, advertising and digital campaigns
- Manages audience research and market data
- Sets the marketing budget and tracks returns
- Works with development on donor acquisition campaigns
- Manages agencies and creative staff
How it differs
The Chief Marketing / Communications Officer is the C-level owner. VP of Communications centers on media and reputation rather than audience growth or revenue. Director of Marketing runs the function at a lower level.
By organization size
The title is more common in nonprofits with earned revenue, such as health systems, colleges, museums and performing arts groups. In smaller organizations marketing is combined with communications under one director.
Filings from the last five years mapped to this role commonly report titles such as: VP of Marketing; VP Marketing; VP, Marketing; VP Marketing & Communications; VP, Marketing & Communications; Vice President of Marketing