Job Specifications
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Detroit, MI (Hybrid)
Travel: Required throughout Michigan as needed
Reports to: Chief Operating Officer
About Us
The Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA) is the leading voice for Black entrepreneurship in Michigan. Our mission is to help close the racial wealth gap by advocating for policies, creating programs, and building partnerships that lead to thriving, profitable Black-owned businesses.
As MBBA continues to drive impact toward our mission, we are investing in how we tell our story, align our messaging, and communicate our work with clarity and consistency.
Position Summary
The MBBA is seeking a Director of Marketing and Communications to lead, unify, and set direction for the organization’s marketing and communications efforts across our policy and advocacy work, programs, development, external affairs, and stakeholder communications. This is a foundational leadership role, bringing clarity, consistency, and strategy to our storytelling efforts.
The Director of Marketing and Communications will develop and execute a cohesive marketing philosophy – including brand voice, content strategy, platform strategy, and communications plan – while partnering closely with internal teams to translate MBBA’s work into clear, compelling, and aligned messaging.
In the immediate term, this role will focus on optimizing, executing, and stabilizing marketing efforts that are currently distributed across departments and vendors. Over time, the Director of Marketing and Communications will become the central authority on marketing and brand, supporting department leaders in identifying needs, prioritizing initiatives, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
This role is ideal for a marketing leader who is both strategic and hands-on, comfortable navigating multiple stakeholders, and excited to build the systems that allow MBBA to tell our story with clarity and credibility.
Key Responsibilities
Marketing and Communications Strategy
Develop and own MBBA’s overarching marketing and communications strategy, ensuring alignment across programs, advocacy, partnerships, and external affairs
Establish and steward MBBA’s brand voice, messaging pillars, and narrative framework
Create annual and campaign-level marketing and communications plans with clear goals, audiences, and success metrics
Execution and Optimization
Oversee and execute marketing and communications initiatives across digital platforms, email, web, print, and other channels as appropriate
Bring consistency and discipline to content creation, campaign execution, and messaging across departments
Identify gaps, redundancies, and inefficiencies in current efforts and implement solutions
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Serve as a strategic partner to department heads, providing guidance and direction on marketing and communications needs and translating them into effective plans
Provide guidance and guardrails to internal stakeholders to ensure alignment with MBBA’s brand and priorities
Act as an internal consultant on messaging, positioning, and audience engagement
Vendor and Partner Management
Determine needs and manage relationships with third-party vendors with accountability for quality, alignment, and outcomes
Set clear expectations, creative direction, and quality standards for vendors
Leadership and Governance
Serve as MBBA’s internal authority on marketing and communications decisions
Develop systems, processes, and standards that support scalability and long-term stability
Advise executive leadership on marketing, communications, and brand-related decisions
What We’re Looking For
Required:
7+ years of experience in marketing, communications, or brand leadership
Experience leading and managing internal creatives and/or external vendors responsible for creative deliverables
Demonstrated experience building or centralizing marketing and communications functions in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
Strong strategic thinking skills and a willingness to be hands-on, especially in growth or transition phases
Exceptional written and verbal communications skills, with the ability to translate complex work into clear, compelling narratives
Deep commitment to racial equity, economic justice, and supporting Black entrepreneurs
Preferred:
Familiarity with Detroit, Michigan, or similar community-centered ecosystems
What Success Looks Like
MBBA’s marketing and communications efforts feel cohesive, intentional, and aligned
Internal teams have clarity on messaging, brand standards, and when/how to engage marketing
External audiences experience a consistent, credible, and compelling MBBA narrative
Leadership has confidence in marketing and communications as a strategic asset – not a reactive function
Compensation And Benefits
Anticipated Salary: $90,000 – $105,000
MBBA offers a competitive compensation package designed to support the well-being and growth of our team:
Competitive Salary comme