Marketing and Communications Manager

Woodstock Farm Sanctuary is a nonprofit animal rescue and forever home for nearly 300 rescued farmed animals on 135 acres in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley. Since our founding in 2004, we’ve saved tens of thousands of animals’ lives directly and impacted millions indirectly through education and advocacy. We connect humans and animals to foster empathy, compassion, and responsibility, and steward critical wild spaces while conducting environmental education.

About the role

The Marketing and Communications Manager is a full-time, year-round, non-exempt position reporting to the Executive Director. You’ll collaborate with the Development Manager, Shelter Director, Education Manager, and other team members, occasionally supervising staff, interns, and volunteers. The role focuses on program promotion, fundraising, and marketing execution within budget and program goals.

This is an onsite position based at the Sanctuary in High Falls, NY. Applicants must live within 40 minutes of the Sanctuary or already be planning to relocate. If our top candidate lacks some experience, we may offer a coordinator role with adjusted responsibilities and pay.

Responsibilities

• Develop long- and short-term communications plans supporting policy initiatives, fundraising, advocacy, and program promotions.
• Create and maintain systems to improve institutional memory and access for external communications.
• Manage, organize, and update processes and pipelines for all external communications.
• Build upon and enforce the Sanctuary’s branding and identity standards.
• Manage or co-manage social media accounts and create content.
• Build and monitor the department budget, hitting earned revenue and fundraising goals.
• Provide monthly and annual reports on campaigns, conversions, and digital marketing impact.
• Coordinate social media communications plans and campaigns to maximize mission impact.
• Fundraise across all platforms and develop acquisition strategies.
• Moderate comment threads and respond to messages promptly.
• Implement strategies to increase social media presence and track results.
• Manage or co-manage ad generation, data tracking, and algorithm navigation.
• Create or oversee content that tells the stories of Sanctuary residents, campaigns, and programs.
• Co-create or lead content development for signage, brochures, flyers, rack cards, and other print materials.
• Manage promotion plans, including advertising, for programs like The Gray Barn (onsite inn), Sanctuary Store, Public Education (tours and partnerships), Advocacy and Legislation, Events, Interns, and Volunteers.
• Manage or co-manage the creative plan for the Sanctuary Store, including new designs and items.
• Streamline messaging across multiple platforms with the external relations team.
• Cultivate press relationships and maintain a database of contacts.
• Draft and send press releases, coordinating earned media engagement.

Requirements

• At least five years of experience in marketing and external communications, preferably in smaller or mid-sized nonprofits.
• Personnel management experience preferred but not required.
• Website management experience necessary.
• Demonstrated ability to manage all facets of a communications plan.
• Comfort around all types of animals and affinity for them.
• Understanding of farmed animal issues and rescue work, including adherence to a vegan lifestyle.

Skills

• Excellent writing skills for web, print marketing, blogs, social media, and press releases; technical or creative writing skills are a plus.
• Experience with appeal and/or longform writing is a plus.
• Content creation and social media management experience required.
• Tech and systems savvy; familiarity with CRM systems is a plus.
• Ability to train staff, manage projects, and provide coverage as needed.
• Strong copy editing and proofreading skills.

Schedule

Full-time, onsite, hourly position with a baseline work week of 35 hours. Some remote work may be allowed seasonally, but the candidate must live locally (within 40 minutes) and be available for nights and weekends as needed.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off and paid holidays.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401K and life insurance.
• Work-life balance and schedule flexibility when possible.

Pay

$55,000 – $65,000 per year, depending on experience.

This position requires interacting with large animals, moving around the Sanctuary property for tours and media visits, and occasional travel (under 5% of total time) for events, conferences, and rescues. Candidates must have reliable transportation, an active driver’s license with a clean record, and willingness to work nights and weekends as needed.