Chief marketing and communications officer (CMO)

Chief marketing and communications officer (CMO)

The American Physical Society (APS) is a nonprofit membership organization devoted to advancing and diffusing the knowledge of physics through its outstanding research journals and scientific meetings, as well as its education, outreach, advocacy, and international activities. APS represents 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and throughout the world.

Position Summary:

The chief marketing and communications officer (CMO) provides visionary leadership for APS's global marketing and communications strategy. Partnering closely with the CEO and c-suite leaders, the CMO leads the development and execution of APS positioning and messaging, content marketing, and digital engagement strategies. The CMO ensures APS delivers clear, compelling, and consistent communications that amplify the voice of physics worldwide and drive revenue growth across membership, meetings, and publications in support of the Society's mission and strategic priorities.

The CMO oversees all marketing, external and internal communications, media relations, and related digital strategy. This leader expands APS's reach and strengthens its brand across the global physics community, ensuring APS's story inspires action and engagement. The role centers on growing and engaging diverse audiences while deepening relationships with APS members, authors, and customers.

The CMOis responsible for:

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  Develop, implement, and evolve an integrated, global, and digital communications, content, and marketing strategy that drives APS business priorities, grows revenue, supports mission, and enhances the Society's reputation and influence.

  
  
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  In partnership with C-suite leaders, define and track key performance indicators aligned with APS strategic priorities.

  
  
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  Translate APS's enterprise strategic priorities into a clear, integrated marketing and communications vision, supported by a multi-year transformation roadmap and a coordinated campaign planning framework that drives alignment, accountability, and execution across the organization.

  
  
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  Leverage analytics and customer insight to inform strategy and connect marketing and communications activity to measurable engagement and business outcomes.

  
  
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  Lead market analysis to identify new products and growth opportunities in partnership with APS business units.

  
  
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  Monitor emerging trends in marketing, member engagement, and digital strategy, translating insights into innovative, actionable approaches.

  
  

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  Lead the development of all internal and external communications products, including websites, newsletters, press materials, social media, marketing campaigns, internal communications, and staff intranet.

  
  
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  Own and evolve APS's enterprise positioning and messaging framework to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment across audiences, channels, and business lines in support of the Society's mission and strategic priorities.

  
  
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  Lead and inspire the team to create mission storytelling - translating science and purpose into compelling external narratives.

  
  
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  Foster strategic partnerships with scientific societies, institutions, agencies, and global organizations to advance shared goals and extend APS's global reach and visibility.

  
  
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  Oversee APS crisis communications ensuring alignment with supporting frameworks and decision trees adopted by APS governance and leadership.

  
  

Digital engagement and experience

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  Set and lead APS's content strategy, ensuring all digital and other content across APS's website and social media platforms, publications, meetings, and membership collateral, advances organizational goals, engages global audiences, and reflects APS's mission and brand voice.

  
  
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  Establish and oversee content governance and workflow frameworks that define ownership, decision-making, and quality standards across marketing, communications, and web production teams, ensuring a unified and consistent user experience.

  
  
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  Foster innovation and integration across channels, aligning storytelling, digital experience, and marketing initiatives to deliver cohesive, accessible, and dynamic content that elevates APS's global reach and reputation.

  
  
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  Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive digital engagement roadmap that enhances the customer experience across all digital touchpoints.

  
  
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  Partner with the CIO to drive APS's digital transformation, ensuring cohesive, engaging, accessible, and personalized experiences across all customer-facing platforms.

  
  
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  Lead APS's search and discovery strategy, including SEO and emerging discovery channels, to improve the visibility, accessibility, and impact of APS content across global audiences and platforms.

  
  

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  Use analytics, segmentation, and lifetime value models to improve member and author acquisition, retention and engagement, embedding customer-centric insight into APS's growth and engagement strategies.

  
  
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  Own audience and customer lifecycle strategy across members, authors, and customers-driving coordinated acquisition, engagement, retention, and long-term value across APS programs, products, and touchpoints.

  
  
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  Lead initiatives that harness data analytics and customer insights to personalize communications, optimize marketing strategies, and deepen engagement and retention.

  
  

Leadership and management

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  As a senior leadership team member, provide operational, cultural, and behavioral leadership.

  
  
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  Foster internal and external relationships to advance strategy and strengthen the APS brand.

  
  
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  Provide strategic direction and ensure mentorship and professional development across the communications and marketing team.

  
  
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  In partnership with C-suite partners, track agreed-upon key performance indicators, ensuring alignment with APS strategic priorities.

  
  
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  Oversee the department's budget responsibly, aligning resources with strategic priorities and organizational goals.

  
  
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  Build effective working relationships with the APS Board, using engagement as an opportunity to pressure-test ideas, deepen understanding of audience needs, refine strategic priorities, and provide guidance and direction on effective leadership communications.

  
  

Education:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience preferred.

Experience and qualifications:

• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in communications, marketing, digital and digital engagement, including enterprise-scale strategy and transformation leadership.
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  5+ years in a senior leadership role with responsibility for strategy, teams, and budget oversight.

  
  
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  Demonstrated expertise in leveraging digital marketing, data, analytics, and marketing technology (e.g., CRM, CDPs, Campaign Activation) to drive insight, engagement, and growth.

  
  
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  Proven ability to interpret and operationalize an organization's mission and strategic vision-setting clear direction and aligning global marketing and communications efforts to deliver measurable impact.

  
  
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  Demonstrated experience leading enterprise reputation management strategy, ensuring proactive monitoring, timely response to emerging issues, and consistent reinforcement of APS values.

  
  
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  Demonstrated experience in audience development and engagement, including managing member, author, and B2B and B2C customer lifecycles to drive long-term value and participation.

  
  
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  Experience in membership or scientific organizations, and with global research publications, is a plus.

  
  
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  Exceptional storytelling, writing, and editing skills across diverse media platforms.

  
  
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  Proven track record in building community and enabling multiple paths for engagement among groups and between individuals.

  
  
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  Strong collaborative skills and proven ability to work with a variety of stakeholders.

  
  
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  Commitment to APS core values in leadership and communication practice.

  
  

Location of work:

As noted in the job description, APS follows a "remote first" work model, with a majority of staff working primarily from remote locations. The CMO is a "remote first" position that will be associated with the APS offices in the Washington, DC metro area. The position will require regular and frequent travel to meet - in person - with staff in the College Park, Maryland; Hauppauge, New York; and Washington, DC, offices.

Travel:The position requires up to 20% travel to business meetings and industry events, and may include international travel.

Salary:

The salary range for this position takes into account various factors influencing compensation decisions, such as skill sets, experience, training, and other business and organizational requirements. The salary listed within the specified ranges considers relevant experience. Our compensation philosophy at APS aims to maintain salaries at the midpoint of the market. As a result, we typically hire within the target starting range. Exceptional, rare cases may merit reviews above target starting range for specialized or niche skills aligned with strategic operational goals.

Hiring range:$276,532/year - $376,774/year (USD)

Target starting range:$276,532/year - $307,641/year (USD)

This is us:

Help us achieve our mission of advancing and diffusing the knowledge of physics for the benefit of humanity, promote physics, and serve the broader physics community.

Our core values: our values are our guideposts

• Scientific Method
• Trust, Integrity, and Ethical Conduct
• Equity, Diversity, and Respect
• Collaboration
• Education and Learning
• Speaking Out

Amazing 2026 benefit offerings:

• APS offers a competitive package of benefits, including health and wellness, retirement savings and planning services, and professional development. APS respects work/life balance and offers generous time off. An overview of senior leadership benefits is provided in a separate document.

The American Physical Society is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of American Physical Society not to discriminate or allow the harassment of employees or applicants on the basis of race, religious creed, immigration status, alienage or citizenship, religion, color, ethnicity, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, protected veteran status, protected military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, predisposing genetic characteristics, ancestry, domestic violence victim status or any other characteristic protected by law with regard to any employment practices, including recruitment, advertising, job application procedures, hiring, upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, job assignments, benefits and/or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, provided the individual is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the essential functions of the job. This policy applies to all jobs at APS. The American Physical Society is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact APS Human Resources at hr@aps.org. The "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal'' poster, prepared by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), provides an overview of several laws that protect you from discrimination on the job, and several rights are afforded to you by these laws. The "Pay Transparency Non Discrimination Provision," prepared by the U.S. Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), provides an overview of several protections implemented to protect individuals working under federal contracts from discrimination when inquiring about or discussing compensation; these protections apply to all employees and applicants. The APS has a "remote first" concept that promotes equal treatment and equal access, independent of physical work location, with a majority of staff working primarily from remote work locations.

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For additional inquiries regarding this role, please contact Shade Bacote, Head of talent acquisition & design, at bacote@aps.org.

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