Director Marketing & Branding

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Founded in 1980, Urban Resource Institute (URI) is the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelter and support services and a leading provider of housing and services for families experiencing homelessness. Across 24 shelters in New York City, URI provides safe housing for nearly 4,000 individuals and their pets every night and serves more than 40,000 people annually.

URI’s work is grounded in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care. In addition to emergency and transitional housing, URI delivers a robust continuum of Justice Initiatives – including economic empowerment, legal education and advocacy, prevention and youth programming, and abusive partner intervention – designed to break cycles of violence, instability, and poverty. URI also develops permanent affordable and supportive housing, advancing long-term pathways to safety, healing, and stability for families and communities.

Salary: $94,000 - $100,000

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Director of Marketing & Branding is a senior-level strategic leader responsible for overseeing URI’s brand integrity, digital ecosystem, and public-facing presence across platforms. Reporting to the Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, this role sets direction for how URI shows up visually, digitally, and experientially – ensuring consistency, clarity, and impact across all channels.

This position owns website strategy and performance, brand governance, digital storytelling, and collateral development, using data, analytics, and audience insights to guide decision-making and continuous improvement. The Director serves as URI’s internal authority on brand standards, digital best practices, and user experience, ensuring that all marketing assets advance organizational goals related to fundraising, advocacy, public awareness, and institutional credibility.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Website Management & Digital Presence

• Own the strategic management and continuous optimization of URI’s website, ensuring it functions as a high-performing platform for storytelling, fundraising, advocacy, and public engagement.
• Serve as primary internal lead and decision-maker for website architecture, content strategy, user experience (UX), accessibility, and performance optimization.
• Lead and manage relationships with external web development partners, setting priorities, approving scope, and ensuring timely execution of enhancements, redesigns, and technical improvements.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for website and digital performance, including traffic, engagement, conversion, SEO, GEO, AEO, and accessibility metrics.
• Analyze user behavior and performance data using analytics tools to inform content decisions, landing page strategy, campaign optimization, and overall digital effectiveness.
• Ensure digital content aligns with brand standards, organizational priorities, and audience needs while advancing understanding of URI’s programs and impact.

Brand Stewardship, Brand Identity & Governance

• Serve as the organization’s senior brand steward, maintaining and evolving URI’s brand identity, visual standards, and tone of voice across all platforms.
• Lead brand governance by establishing clear guidelines, review processes, and approval standards to ensure consistency, quality, and mission alignment.
• Provide strategic guidance and consultation to internal teams on brand application, positioning, and audience alignment across campaigns, events, and initiatives.
• Review and approve all major branded assets, ensuring visual and narrative integrity and alignment with URI’s values and leadership position in the sector.
• Oversee branding across physical and digital environments, including print collateral, event materials, site-based communications, and digital display systems.

Content Strategy & Collateral Development

• Set strategic direction for the development of marketing and communications materials, including impact reports, program one-pagers, donor materials, event assets, and digital content.
• Partner with Program and Development teams to translate complex programmatic and impact data into clear, compelling, audience-centered narratives.
• Ensure website and digital content remains current, accurate, accessible, and aligned with program priorities and organizational voice.
• Oversee production workflows, timelines, and quality control for all designed materials, balancing speed, quality, and strategic intent.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Organizational Support

• Serve as a senior partner to internal stakeholders, translating organizational goals into cohesive brand, digital, and marketing strategies.
• Manage and prioritize Marketing & Communications requests with a strategic lens, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and capacity.
• Collaborate closely with Development to support fundraising campaigns, donor engagement strategies, and digital conversion goals.
• Provide strategic and operational support for internal and external events, including branding, digital promotion, on-site visuals, and experiential elements.

Vendor, Budget & Resource Management

• Lead vendor and consultant relationships, including web developers, designers, photographers, and printers, with clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards.
• Oversee scopes of work, budgets, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring cost-effectiveness and high-quality outcomes.
• Evaluate vendor performance using qualitative and quantitative metrics to drive continuous improvement.
• Manage and forecast the marketing and branding budget for areas of responsibility, providing regular reporting and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Graphic Design, Digital Media, or a related field required.
• Advanced degree or relevant professional certifications (digital marketing, analytics, UX, or brand strategy) preferred.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Leadership & Strategic Competence

• 6 – 8+ years of progressive experience in marketing, branding, or digital communications, with demonstrated leadership at the manager or director level.
• Proven ability to set strategy, make data-informed decisions, and lead complex initiatives across multiple stakeholders.
• Experience operating as a brand authority within an organization, balancing creative excellence with organizational discipline.

Digital, Website & Analytical Expertise

• Demonstrated success managing and optimizing websites and content management systems (WordPress or similar) at a strategic level.
• Strong command of digital analytics, including Google Analytics, SEO tools, and performance dashboards.
• Ability to translate data and insights into actionable improvements in content, UX, conversion, and audience engagement.

Creative Direction & Brand Excellence

• Strong creative judgment and visual literacy, with experience directing designers and approving high-impact brand assets.
• Ability to define and communicate clear creative direction aligned with strategy, audience, and mission.

Project & Operational Management

• Advanced project management skills with the ability to manage overlapping initiatives, vendors, and timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects from strategy through execution with accountability and follow-through.

Communication & Collaboration

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong sense of narrative, clarity, and audience.
• Proven ability to partner cross-functionally and influence without authority in a complex organization.

Mission Alignment & Cultural Competence

• Deep commitment to URI’s mission, survivor-centered values, and equity-driven storytelling.
• Experience in nonprofit, human services, advocacy, or social justice organizations strongly preferred.

Technical Proficiency

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, WordPress, and email marketing platforms.
• Strong working knowledge of analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Meta Business Suite, SEO tools.
• Comfort with collaborative and project management tools such as Microsoft Office and Monday.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Will be required to read printed and handwritten materials.
• Will be required to manipulate the computer mouse and keyboard.
• Will be required to read information on computer screen.
• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to enter information in digital forms and spreadsheets.
• Must be able to lift and mobilize materials and supplies weighing up to 25 pounds