Position Summary
The Director of Marketing and Communications will develop and execute the RILSH’s marketing, communications, and brand strategy in partnership with the CEO & President, positioning Rhode Island as a leading destination for life science investment, talent, and company formation. The role pairs communications leadership — messaging, media relations, and public affairs — with hands-on marketing operations: digital marketing, social media, and building the infrastructure and systems needed to generate, manage, and convert inbound and outbound leads into the RILSH pipeline.
The Director will coordinate closely with the communications teams at Rhode Island Commerce (“RI Commerce”), the Governor of Rhode Island’s Office, and other Rhode Island state agencies to align messaging and present a unified statewide voice for the life science sector. As part of a small management team, the Director will work directly with the CEO & President to execute the organization’s strategy, coordinate signature events, and represent the RILSH to external audiences. This is a hands-on, operator’s role that includes building the marketing and communications function — its systems, programs, and processes — largely from the ground up.
Essential Functions
Leadership & Strategy
Partner with the CEO & President to set marketing and communications strategy and translate it into execution.
Build the marketing and communications function — its structure, systems, and processes — and execute directly in a small, hands-on team.
Manage agency partners, vendors, and contractors, with the ability to build and lead a small team over time.
Manage the marketing and communications budget.
Additional responsibilities as assigned and/or needed by the organization.
Communications & Public Affairs
Develop and lead the RILSH’s overall communications strategy, including brand voice, messaging, media relations, press releases, talking points, executive communications, and thought leadership.
Serve as the primary point of contact for media inquiries and build relationships with local, regional, national, and trade press covering life sciences and economic development.
Coordinate closely with the communications teams at RI Commerce, the Governor’s Office, and other Rhode Island state agencies to align messaging, coordinate joint announcements, and present a unified state voice on life science initiatives.
Coordinate with RI Life Science Companies and Organizations to promote the RI Life Science Industry.
Manage issues and crisis communications, ensuring timely, accurate, and consistent responses.
Oversee core collateral and content — website copy, newsletters, annual reports, fact sheets, and executive presentations.
Digital Marketing & Social Media
Own and execute the digital marketing strategy across web, email, search, and paid channels to build awareness and drive engagement.
Manage the organization’s social media presence (LinkedIn, X, and others), including content calendars, campaigns, community management, and analytics-driven optimization.
Oversee the website — content, SEO, user experience, and performance — and manage web and creative vendor relationships.
Establish KPIs and reporting dashboards to measure reach, engagement, conversion, and return on investment across marketing channels.
Marketing Operations & Lead Management (Business Infrastructure)
Build out the marketing and business-development infrastructure — CRM, marketing automation, and supporting systems and processes — to capture, track, nurture, and route inbound and outbound leads (companies, investors, site selectors, and partners).
Design and operate inbound lead-capture pathways and outbound demand-generation programs (targeted outreach, account-based campaigns, and email sequences)and infrastructure to track, and manage the lead development and handoff process.
Partner with RI Commerce and business-attraction stakeholders to align the RILSH lead pipeline with statewide business-attraction efforts.
Event Coordination
Coordinate and help manage RILSH events — roundtables, industry convenings, ribbon-cuttings, conferences, and sponsorship activations — working with staff, vendors, and partners on planning, logistics, and follow-up.
Provide oversight and coordination of event budgets, vendors, sponsorships, registration, and post-event lead capture, in partnership with internal staff and external support (hands-on ownership of every event detail is not required).
Represent and promote the RILSH at industry events, conferences, and community functions.
Key Competencies
Marketing operations & systems thinking: Job requires the ability to design and operate marketing systems (CRM, automation, lead pipelines) and to connect them to measurable business outcomes.
Digital & social fluency: Job requires hands-on fluency across digital channels, social media, content, and analytics, with the ability to turn data into action.
Strategic targeting & content development: Job requires the ability to identify and segment target audiences, develop compelling content across channels, and manage brand and media to reach the right people with the right message.
Stakeholder engagement & interagency coordination: Job requires the ability to work effectively across internal and external stakeholders, including coordination with Rhode Island state agency and Governor’s Office communications teams.
Builder / operator: Job requires the ability to build marketing and communications systems, programs, and processes from the ground up and to execute them directly in a small, hands-on team.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and find ways over, around, or through barriers to success. A bias for action. A results-oriented “doer.”
Qualifications
A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations, business, or a related field; a master’s degree is a plus.
A minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience in marketing and communications, including hands-on marketing operations / demand-generation experience. Experience in life sciences, economic development, a government agency, or an agency setting is strongly preferred.
Hands-on experience building and administering CRM and marketing automation platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce, or similar) and managing lead pipelines.
Demonstrated digital marketing and social media expertise, including content strategy, SEO/SEM, email marketing, and analytics.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a strong brand and design sensibility.
Strong organization, project management, and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work with sensitive and confidential information.
Pay: $100,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Digital marketing: 5 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
