Marketing Specialist

About Us

As Kansas City’s Botanical Garden, Powell Gardens plays a vital role in the community as a space for release, rejuvenation, and the celebration of the fleeting nature of nature itself. Visitors enjoy themed display gardens, nature trails, seasonal festivals, rotating exhibitions, and exceptional architecture. Established in 1988, Powell Gardens is a public garden, maintaining over 700 acres of lush, rolling hills and windswept meadows, with more than 175 acres and a large collection of plants open to the public for education, exploration, and recreation. With the addition of our second location, Colonial Farms, we offer a new way to advance our mission of education, community engagement and spreading our love for plants.

We at Powell believe that our team members are our most important asset. By building strong relationships with each other, we can ensure that our guests have the best possible experience. We are looking for someone passionate and with a proven record to elevate our marketing and social media efforts that will take Powell Gardens Colonial Farms into the future. If this sounds like you, we would love to speak with you!

Summary

The Marketing Specialist plays a key role in increasing the visibility, engagement, and customer awareness of Colonial Farms, a retail garden center and agritourism destination. This position is responsible for developing engaging visual and written content, supporting marketing campaigns and promotions, and coordinating marketing activities across digital, social media, email, print, and other communication channels.

Working collaboratively with internal departments, management teams, and outside vendors, the Marketing Specialist helps promote products, events, workshops, seasonal offerings, and other initiatives designed to increase visitation, customer engagement, and in-store traffic. The position also supports the organization's broader marketing efforts by maintaining brand consistency, monitoring basic campaign performance, and identifying opportunities to improve content and outreach.

The ideal candidate is creative, organized, collaborative, and comfortable working in a dynamic retail and outdoor environment. This individual should have a strong understanding of social media and digital content creation, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

Essential Functions:

Content Creation & Social Media:

• Develop and produce engaging photo, video, graphic, and written content for social media, websites, email marketing, print materials, and other marketing channels.
• Proactively capture high-quality photos and videos of products, departments, events, workshops, seasonal promotions, displays, and other marketing initiatives.
• Create and adapt content for platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and other relevant channels.
• Write engaging, accurate, and audience-appropriate social media copy, promotional messaging, and other marketing content.
• Maintain a consistent flow of timely and relevant content that supports marketing priorities and seasonal campaigns.
• Submit content for appropriate review and approval and make revisions as needed.
• Maintain an organized digital library of photographs, videos, graphics, and other marketing assets for current and future use.

Brand Voice & Brand Standards:

• Support consistent use of the organization's brand voice and visual identity across marketing channels and customer touchpoints.
• Utilize and maintain the organization's approved branding resources, including logos, colors, fonts, photography styles, messaging guidelines, and other brand assets.
• Ensure content and promotional materials are accurate, professional, visually engaging, and aligned with established brand standards.
• Help ensure that marketing communications provide a consistent and cohesive customer experience.

Campaign & Promotional Coordination:

• Assist with the development, coordination, and execution of marketing campaigns, promotions, seasonal initiatives, and special events.
• Coordinate content scheduling, promotional materials, campaign assets, and other marketing deliverables according to established timelines.
• Work with internal departments to gather accurate information, photography, product details, event information, and other materials needed to support campaigns.
• Help ensure that messaging, visuals, promotional materials, and digital content are aligned with campaign objectives and deadlines.
• Support the promotion of seasonal offerings, department initiatives, workshops, special promotions, and other customer-facing activities.

Digital Marketing & Marketing Platforms:

• Create, schedule, and publish approved content using relevant marketing and digital platforms.
• Support email marketing, website updates, social media scheduling, digital advertising, and other marketing activities as assigned.
• Utilize platforms such as HubSpot, Shopify, BigCommerce, Eventbrite, Canva, Meta Business Suite, Google Analytics 4, Microsoft Excel, Google Workspace, and other relevant systems.
• Learn and adapt to new marketing technologies, platforms, and tools as organizational needs evolve.
• Ensure marketing content is entered, scheduled, published, and maintained accurately and within established timelines.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Collect and maintain basic data related to content, social media, email, digital advertising, and campaign performance.
• Monitor metrics such as engagement, reach, audience response, website activity, and conversions when applicable.
• Utilize tools such as Google Analytics 4, Meta analytics, social media analytics platforms, Excel, and other reporting tools.
• Identify basic trends and opportunities for improvement based on available performance data.
• Prepare and maintain regular reports to share performance information and insights with the marketing team.
• Support the use of performance data to inform future content and promotional decisions.

General Marketing Support:

• Respond promptly to marketing requests and prioritize assignments according to established deadlines and organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with internal departments and management teams to identify marketing needs and opportunities.
• Manage multiple projects and deadlines while maintaining attention to detail and accuracy.
• Support the overall goals and objectives of the marketing function and organization.
• Promote and foster the organization's mission and vision.
• Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Job & Technical Expertise: Demonstrate depth of knowledge/skill in a technical or functional area.
• Results Orientation: Focus on the desired result of individual or teamwork, setting challenging goals, focusing effort on the goals, and meeting or exceeding them.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.
• Teamwork & Collaboration: Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to achieve a common goal: Build relationships, share responsibility, resolve conflict, and respect diversity.

Experience/Education:

• Required: 2+ years of experience in content creation across the following social media platforms, such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
• Required: 1+ years of experience in SEO/SEM, marketing database, email, social media platforms, and advertising campaigns.
• Required: Ability to operate basic equipment such as cameras, smartphones, and computers for content development and reporting.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Graphic Design, or related field.
• Preferred: Working experience in HubSpot, Shopify, Eventbrite, Canva, Meta analytics, and Google analytics.
• Preferred: Working experience/passion in landscaping, nursery, garden center, or a related industry.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment:

• Work environment primarily within a retail garden center, involving interactions with customers, staff, and vendors.
• Must be able to lift 40lbs (team lifting as necessary); Ability to stand, walk, and move around the garden center for extended periods. Must be able to bend, kneel, and reach as needed for content creation and setup.
• Comfortable working outdoors in different weather conditions, including sun, rain, and wind, during events or promotional activities.
• Working during peak hours, weekends, holidays, and outside regular business hours to support promotional events and marketing campaigns.
• Ability to adapt to varying indoor and outdoor conditions, including exposure to weather elements when participating in outdoor events and promotions.

Salary:

• Range from $40,000 to 50,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Medical/Dental/Vision.
• HRA, HSA and FSA Plans.
• Supplemental Insurance Available.
• 403b Plan and Match.
• Employer Paid Life Insurance.
• Employer Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
• Generous PTO Plan.
• 11 Paid Holidays per year.

To Apply

Applicants interested in this position must submit the following to hr@powellgardens.org.

• Cover letter addressing the following:
  • Discuss your experience as it related to this role.
  • Why are you interested in this role and why you would be a great fit.
• Resume.
• Three references: professional, academic, and/or personal.

To view the full list of open positions, please go to www.powellgardens.org

Equal Employment Opportunity & Employment Disclaimer

Powell Gardens is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Powell Gardens is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. If you require an accommodation to complete an application, participate in the interview process, or perform the essential functions of the position, please contact Human Resources.

The duties, responsibilities, and qualifications described in this job posting are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time to meet organizational needs.

Employment with Powell Gardens is contingent upon successful completion of all applicable pre-employment requirements, which may include reference checks, background screening, verification of work authorization, and other job-related requirements, as permitted by law.

This job posting does not constitute an employment contract or guarantee of employment. Employment with Powell Gardens is at-will, meaning either the employee or Powell Gardens may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause, except as otherwise provided by applicable law.