Head, Marketing & Communications

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a global, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., working to improve environmental sustainability, human health, and resilience in the built environment through its programs and rating systems including LEED. Today, people in over 150 countries and territories live, work, and learn in LEED certified buildings, communities, and cities that protect health, climate, and natural resources, and enhance quality of life.

Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) is the premier certification body responsible for global delivery and quality oversight of green building and green business sustainability standards. Its integrated team of green building specialists administers credentials and certifications for the U.S. Green Building Council (LEED), the International WELL Building Institute (WELL Building Standard), International Finance Corporation (EDGE), PEER, Sustainable SITES, TRUE Zero Waste, and IREE.

To Apply

Review of candidates will begin immediately. Applications (resumes), inquiries, and nominations

must

be emailed to : USGBC@heidrick.com.

Position Summary

USGBC is looking for a results and strategy-driven Head of Marketing & Communications who will be responsible for the global marketing and communications strategy of both USGBC and GBCI. They will join the organizations as they seek to drive global green building adoption and scale the use of USGBC and GBCI programs and services.

This leader will be responsible for developing and executing the marketing and communication strategies to ensure the organization maintains a strong presence and brand image in diverse global markets, as well as plays an instrumental role in driving demand generation, corporate marketing, communication plans, and product marketing strategies. They will drive a results-driven culture, where strategies and initiatives include metrics and data that help shape future product direction and innovation.

The Head of Marketing & Communications will help further the green building movement through marketing and communications that shape market behavior and effectively position the organizations' products as critical solutions. They will develop the organizations' brand and narrative across a range of audiences, including members, policymakers, certification users, sustainable financers, and more, spanning a wide range of global geographies.

Working closely with the CEO, CGO, product team, and an expanding global sales team, this individual will oversee brand strategy globally at both the organizational and product levels, optimizing for achievement of both strategic objectives and sales goals.

They will be a strong team leader, committed to developing, motivating, and guiding a global marketing and communications team. They will establish and refine marketing and communications procedures and structures to best promote collaboration and successful partnership with cross-functional teams and align regional marketing strategies with overall business objectives.

Responsibilities :

Marketing and Communications Strategy

Develop and implement comprehensive, mission-aligned marketing and communications strategies that advance organizational priorities and deliver measurable results.Create and execute annual marketing plans in close collaboration with departmental and team leads to support strategic, product and regional objectives.Monitor and analyze market activity and developments, consumer insights, data analytics, and competitor activities to identify opportunities and maintain a competitive advantage.Stay informed about industry trends and emerging marketing technologies to ensure innovative and effective strategiesTeam Leadership

Lead and mentor a diverse marketing and communications team spanning creative services, continuing education, corporate events, and sales promotions, fostering excellence and innovation.Manage marketing budgets, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and marketing spend achieves maximum ROI.Collaborate with internal teams, including Product Management, Technical Development, Project Management, Market Development, Finance, Technology, Customer Service and others to ensure a cohesive approach to meeting organizational needs and market demands.Product Marketing

Drive customer acquisition, revenue growth, and brand awareness through targeted marketing initiatives, market research, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.Develop strategic marketing plans tailored to the target audience and aligned with organizational objectives.Oversee the execution of effective campaigns to generate leads, increase brand awareness, and drive sales growth.Optimize multi-channel marketing efforts to effectively engage target audiences.Foster relationships with business partners, vendors, and media outlets to amplify marketing reach and impact.Brand and Reputation

Partner with key stakeholders to develop brand initiatives that align with strategic priorities.Build and execute strategies to enhance brand positioning, differentiation, and awareness while measuring campaign effectiveness.Act as a brand ambassador, maintaining consistent brand identity and values across all communication channels.Build and nurture strategic partnerships with agencies, vendors, and influencers to enhance brand reach and recognition.Communications

Develop comprehensive public relations and communications strategies that achieve broad market awareness, positive media coverage, and active stakeholder engagement.Coordinate and execute an organizational media plan across a full range of earned, owned, and paid media, including mainstream, trades, influencers, and podcasts, etc., with editorial, paid, and self-published media.Establish and maintain relevant media and journalist relationships necessary to work effectively with mainstream, industry and social media outlets.Drive publicity and PR around product launches, events, and other engagement opportunities.Ensure consistent messaging across platforms, including websites, FAQs, tutorials, email campaigns, newsletters, brochures, advertisements, collateral, social media, and blogs.Develop and deploy social media strategy and enterprise-wide social media plan, ensuring uniform messaging across all channels.Cultivate spokespeople to represent organization and products across formats and regions including in handling presentations, media interviews, policy advocacy, crisis communications, or other communications needs.Serve as an advisor to the CEO and senior leadership on risk and issue management, including crisis communications.The Team

Oversee a team of 20 global staff, responsible for a full suite of marketing and communications including :

Product MarketingGlobal Marketing and CommunicationsCenter of excellence (graphic, content, production)Strategy and PositioningExperience Requirements :

Marketing and Communications Strategic Leadership :

Demonstrated senior leadership experience in a global leadership role within the marketing field, preferably in the environmental / building / real estate sectors.Proven experience in developing and implementing effective marketing strategies that integrate market research, consumer insights, and data analysis.Strong analytical skills and data-driven thinking; strong knowledge of web analytics and the ability to derive meaningful insights for marketing strategy refinement.Product Marketing :

Demonstrated experience planning, developing, and executing marketing campaigns that drive revenue growth and customer engagement.Demonstrated proficiency in digital marketing tools, CRM platforms, and analytics software.Brand and Reputation Communications :

Has developed strategy and executed campaigns to build andstrengthen brand awareness, enhancing customer experience.

Has built cohesive corporate narrative across global markets, targeting a wide of range of audiences (customers, policymakers, membership, etc.)Strong written and verbal communications skills, including effective presentation skills, in English - other languages, preferred.Team Leadership :

Experience in managing, mentoring, and developing a global marketing and communications team; inspires team and fosters a collaborative, results-oriented team culture.Demonstrated experience ensuring strong procedures, operations, structures, and systems that support the team's capacity and ability to effectively partner with the wider organization.Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with senior leadership, internal teams and external partners.Oversee the team's operational management, including developing and managing budgets, workplans, and staffing.Culture Impact

The Head of Marketing & Communications will demonstrate the following leadership characteristics :

Passion and commitment to the USGBC and GBCI missionExceptional interpersonal skills including high level of professionalism, empathy and respect for others, active listening, and building effective working relationshipsCommitment to effective team building and cross-team collaborationAttention to detail and ability to synthesize complex information.Deep sense of personal responsibility and accountability for delivering high-quality work.Eager, self-motivated, adaptive to change, receptive to feedback, and able to deal with ambiguity.Entrepreneurial and innovative creativeEducation And Training Requirements :

Bachelor's degree in marketing, Business Administration, or related field is preferred. A master's degree is preferred.CMO / Strategic Marketing Leadership Executive Education program from a recognized academic institution preferred.Details :

Full-Time role with benefitsLocation : Washington, DC (hybrid)If candidate is a resident of Washington DC / Virginia / Maryland, they must be able to commute into the office few times a weekHours : Regular working hours negotiated during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9 : 00 am to 5 : 30 pm ET),USGBC is an equal opportunity employer

Benefits :

Employees work for an established mission-based and member-driven nonprofit organization with a compelling vision, nonprofit competitive compensation that includes 401k matching, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive health insurance, employer sponsored Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) and pre-tax Flexible Spending Account (FSA), generous paid leave, in addition to a renewal leave of six weeks for employees celebrating monumental employment anniversary.

The headquarters office is a LEED Platinum commercial interior space in a LEED certified building in the LEED Platinum certified central business district in the first LEED Platinum certified city, Washington, DC. The office serves as an example for green design and construction products and practices. It is close to public transportation and incorporates many healthy and environmentally friendly features, including an on-site gym, rooftop lounge and healthy snacks for staff.