Senior Manager Marketing

About this role

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department Salary: $98,731.00 - $141,926.09 Commensurate with Experience Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.   This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.   Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.   The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

SUMMARY The Senior Manager of Marketing serves as the senior leader responsible for the strategy, execution and performance of CATS’ marketing and promotional functions. Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, this role provides leadership for marketing programs supporting ridership growth, fare initiatives, brand awareness and customer engagement across diverse audiences.

This position holds accountability for both strategic marketing direction and operational execution, particularly in a phased organizational structure where Manager-level roles may not yet be established. The Senior Director directly oversees marketing staff and program delivery while establishing the systems, processes and performance standards necessary to support future organizational scaling.

Operating within a complex public-sector transit environment, the role translates agency priorities into integrated campaigns, partnerships and outreach strategies that expand awareness, improve customer understanding and support service utilization. The Senior Manager also plays a key role in building a sustainable marketing function capable of evolving into a multi-layered organization. Major Duties and Responsibilities: Marketing Strategy and Program Leadership • Provide strategic leadership for all marketing programs supporting ridership growth, fare initiatives and service awareness • Translate organizational priorities into targeted marketing strategies, campaigns and engagement initiatives • Establish long-term marketing plans aligned with agency goals, service delivery priorities and customer experience objectives • Balance strategic planning with direct oversight of program execution in a developing organizational structure

Campaign Planning, Execution and Oversight • Lead development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns across digital, print, broadcast and community channels • Ensure campaigns align with operational realities, service conditions and organizational priorities • Oversee campaign timelines, deliverables and performance outcomes • Evaluate campaign effectiveness and adjust strategies based on performance data • Assume direct responsibility for campaign execution in the absence of a manager-level role • Assume oversight of Transit Advertising Program

Brand Governance and Creative Direction • Establish and maintain brand standards, messaging frameworks and visual identity guidelines • Provide oversight of creative direction and content development across all marketing channels • Ensure consistency and quality of marketing materials across the organization • Align brand messaging with customer experience, accessibility considerations and public-sector communication standards

Fare Programs and Promotions • Develop and oversee marketing strategies supporting fare programs, promotions and service initiatives • Support the development of partnerships with employers, institutions and community organizations • Coordinate promotional activities tied to service expansions, policy changes, and special initiatives • Ensure alignment between partnership activities and agency marketing objectives

Marketing Analytics and Performance Management • Establish performance metrics and monitoring frameworks for marketing initiatives • Analyze engagement data, ridership trends and campaign outcomes to guide decision-making • Prepare reports and evaluations supporting leadership visibility and accountability • Identify opportunities to improve marketing effectiveness and return on investment

Organizational Leadership and Workforce Development • Provide direct supervision of marketing staff, including specialists, designers and other assigned personnel • Establish accountability structures, performance expectation and operational standards • Build scalable systems and processes supporting future organizational growth • Develop staff capabilities and prepare the organization for transition to a multi-layered structure

​Cross-Functional Coordination and Organizational Alignment • Collaborate with Communications, Customer Service, Operations, Planning and Finance teams • Ensure marketing initiatives align with service delivery priorities and op

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