Communications, Culture, and Experience Manager

Music & Arts; Frederick (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Music & Arts, part of the Guitar Center family, seeks a Communications, Culture, and Experience Manager to shape brand voice and tell compelling stories across Associates, customers, educators, parents, and students.

You will lead multi-channel content, maintain editorial calendars, and support events like Town Halls and Leadership Meetings, partnering with Brand, Digital, Marketing, and Creative teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications or related field with 5-7 years of relevant experience preferred.
• Strong writing and editing abilities for multiple audiences and channels.
• Experience managing projects and leading cross-functional teams with a strategic mindset.

Responsibilities

• Drive communication initiatives aligned with strategic priorities, culture, and brand.
• Write, edit, publish, and deliver impactful communications for Associates and internal channels.
• Develop creative content for campaigns, digital experiences, social content, and emails.

Skills

Writing skills

Project management

Brand storytelling

Audience strategy

Copyediting

Cross-functional

Leadership

Adobe Creative Suite

O365 experience

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Communications

Tools

O365

CMS platforms

Job description

Have you ever wanted to help shape the voice of Music & Arts at a time of transformation - building the narrative through communication, strategic storytelling, culture, and brand content? This role sits at the intersection of Associate communications and creative brand storytelling, helping Music & Arts connect more meaningfully with Associates, customers, educators, parents, and students.

Sound exciting? We think so too!

The Communications, Culture, and Experience Manager should be a writer, project manager, critical/creative thinker, innovative storyteller, intuitive communicator, and brand-minded content creator. You will be collaborative, passionate, high energy, organized, articulate, and able to distill messages with a strategic mindset while adapting tone and content for different audiences.

You will be an expert in multi-channel communications with experience across digital platforms and content development. In addition to leading Associate communications, you will support creative content and copy development for Music & Arts brand channels, campaigns, digital experiences, social media, and other customer-facing touchpoints.

You will drive Associate engagement through effective communications across Music & Arts while also helping strengthen the Music & Arts brand voice through compelling storytelling and copy. This includes maintaining communication channels and editorial calendars, writing and distributing Associate communications, developing stories and brand content, partnering on customer-facing creative, and providing content and event support for Town Halls (MA Live), Leadership Meetings, and other key Music & Arts moments.

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES

• Drive communication initiatives across Music & Arts in support of our strategic priorities, culture, and brand.
• In collaboration with subject matter experts and cross-functional partners, identify, write, edit, publish, and deliver impactful communications for Music & Arts Associates and key internal channels.
• Assist in developing creative content and copy for Music & Arts brand initiatives, including campaigns, digital experiences, social content, landing pages, emails, presentations, and other customer-facing communications.
• Help define, maintain, and evolve the Music & Arts brand voice, ensuring copy is clear, consistent, audience-relevant, and aligned across channels.
• Partner closely with Brand, Digital, Marketing, Creative, School Services, Lessons, and other teams to translate business objectives into compelling stories and content.
• Build and maintain editorial/content calendars that connect Associate communications with key brand, seasonal, education, and business moments.
• Edit and proofread high-visibility communications and creative copy, ensuring message clarity, accuracy, consistency, and brand alignment.
• Drive Associate engagement, inform Associates, and reinforce Music & Arts priorities, culture, values, and vision.
• Monitor and measure the impact of Associate communication and content campaigns.
• Make recommendations as needed to ensure communication goals are achieved.
• Develop and communicate quantitative and qualitative metrics evaluating the effectiveness of communications and content.
• Serve as a trusted communications partner and voice for the team, helping leaders translate business priorities into clear, engaging messages.
• Lead, coach, and mentor members of the team and/or cross-functional partners as appropriate.
• Support Music & Arts events, Town Halls, Leadership Meetings, and other key Associate experiences.

To join our band, you'll need the following experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications or a related field is required (OR 5-7 years of directly relevant experience)
• A minimum of 5 years of directly relevant work experience (in addition to degree or years of previous experience)
• Experience managing people and/or leading cross-functional work.
• Strong project and program management skills, able to drive multiple projects simultaneously.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with the ability to shift voice and tone across Associate and customer-facing audiences.
• Advanced proficiency with digital communication and content platforms; experience with O365 or similar tools is a plus.
• A demonstrated passion for audience experience across engagement, design, written and rich media communications, with an understanding of how to use each to achieve communication and brand goals.
• Skilled in multi-tasking, delivering under tight timelines, adapting quickly to change.
• Ability to create and foster productive and engaging employee relationships.
• A strong eye for visual design, creative storytelling, and brand consistency.
• Working knowledge of AP Style and strong writing, editing, proofreading, and copy-development skills.
• A writing portfolio that demonstrates communications, storytelling, and/or brand copy work is available for review.
• Experience partnering with creative, marketing, digital, social, or agency teams; basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite is a plus.
• A POSITIVE attitude and team player in a collaborative environment

Pay Rate:

$100,000 - $120,000/ annually depending on background and experience.This position is eligible to participate in the Guitar Center Company bonus program based on Company performance.

The job posting is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific employee, which is always dependent on actual experience, education, and other factors. The pay range(s) listed are provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different in other locations

About Music & Arts

Music & Arts is dedicated to helping students, educators, and families experience the lifelong joy of making music. Since 1952, the brand has supported music education through instrument rentals, lessons, repairs, retail, and partnerships with school music programs and educators.

Music & Arts serves school music communities through a broad network of stores, school representatives, educators, and digital experiences, with a focus on making it easier for students to start - and continue - their musical journey.

As part of the Guitar Center Company, Music & Arts combines the resources of a leading music retailer with a specialized focus on band and orchestral music, music education, and the needs of students, parents, teachers, and school programs.

Why join us?

With a career at Music & Arts, you will be part of a team focused on supporting music education and helping more people experience the joy of making music. Whether working with Associates, educators, parents, students, or partners, our shared goal is to strengthen the communities that keep music learning thriving.

Guitar Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides fair and equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State, or local laws. All employment decisions are based on valid job‐related requirements.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request a reasonable accommodation to express interest in a specific opening. You can request a reasonable accommodation by sending an email to [e-mail].