Marketing Director - Zondervan Books / Harper Catholic (Hybrid)

Overview

Join a big-five publisher and be part of our mission to inspire the world. The Zondervan Books team at HarperCollins Christian Publishing prides itself on strong author relationships, award-winning content, and a cohesive team environment and is currently seeking a Director of Marketing for our new imprint, Harper Catholic. The Zondervan Books team is proud to partner with authors such as Rick Warren, Dr. Anita Philips, Lee Strobel, Craig Groeschel, and numerous others.

The Marketing Director is a strategic, senior-level leader responsible for developing and executing integrated marketing strategies for key frontlist and select backlist titles within Zondervan Books. This role blends title marketing leadership with deep digital, content, and audience expertise to drive revenue, reader engagement, and long-term author brand growth.The Marketing Director leads high-impact campaigns across channels, grounded in a strong understanding of audience behavior, felt needs, and platform dynamics. They operate as the central strategist—aligning positioning, messaging, content, and channel execution—while partnering cross-functionally and coaching authors to connect meaningfully with their audiences in an increasingly algorithm-driven landscape.

In addition to author and title responsibilities, the Director of Marketing will assist with other initiatives to support the Zondervan Books team.

Our preference is to fill this position in Nashville, TN but we are also open to qualified candidates that are located outside of the Nashville area. Travel is required based on the need of the business.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns across multiple titles and seasons
• Own positioning, messaging, and go-to-market strategy informed by audience insight and market analysis
• Develop deep understanding of target audiences, including motivations, behaviors, and felt needs
• Apply platform and algorithm knowledge to shape content and channel strategy
• Guide transformation of long-form content into high-performing digital and social assets
• Coach authors on audience engagement, content strategy, and platform best practices
• Partner cross-functionally with editorial, publicity, sales, and digital teams to align strategy
• Direct development of creative assets and campaign materials
• Manage budgets, forecasts, and campaign performance against revenue goals
• Analyze campaign performance and optimize based on data and insights
• Lead innovation in marketing strategy, adapting to evolving consumer and platform trends
• Present marketing plans and results to internal stakeholders and leadership
• Participate in acquisitions, evaluating projects for market potential and marketing approach
• Builds and sustains strong relationships with Catholic authors, agents, clergy, scholars, and institutional partners
• Represents Harper Catholic at conferences and industry events, serving as a visible ambassador for the imprint

Qualifications

Knowledge/Work Experience: 7+ years of experience in marketing, with demonstrated leadership in campaign strategy and execution. Strong background in both traditional title marketing and digital/content marketing required.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field

Industry Knowledge:

Required: Knowledge of marketing, digital strategy, audience development, and analytics best practices. Demonstrated familiarity with the Catholic Church and its teachings. Deep understanding of Catholic readerships, institutional structures, and current publishing landscape. Conversant in consumer demand, retail environments (physical and online), and competition.

Preferred: Book publishing and Christian audience experience. Experience in client-service role. Existing relationships with advertising reps and media outlets who serve Catholic readers. 

Skills:

• Strategic leadership and campaign ownership
• Deep audience insight and consumer understanding
• Platform fluency across social and digital ecosystems
• Content strategy and storytelling
• Data-driven decision making and testing mindset
• Strong communication and author-facing presence
• Cross-functional leadership and collaboration
• Technical proficiency with marketing tools and platforms

HarperCollins Christian Publishing is an equal opportunity employer.

HarperCollins Christian Publishing is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, in our job application and/or interview process. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing your application, due to a disability, email us at TalentManagement@harpercollins.com. Note: we will only respond to accommodation requests.