Marketing Manager

Hornblower Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Hornblower Group in Chicago seeks a Marketing Manager to lead localized marketing strategies at our port locations, driving revenue, brand awareness, and guest engagement while aligning with national initiatives. You will adapt campaigns for local markets and collaborate with port leadership and corporate teams.

You will manage campaigns, content, events, and partnerships that support ticket sales and business growth, while tracking performance and optimizing spend.

Qualifications

• Hospitality industry experience is highly desired.
• Experience (3-5+ years) in both B2B and B2C marketing.
• Experience working in a matrixed organization and influencing without authority.
• Proven ability to build insight-driven, metric-focused, multi-channel marketing plans that drive YOY revenue growth.
• Proven success in developing and activating revenue-driving partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute localized marketing strategies to drive revenue and guest engagement.
• Manage local marketing budgets and participate in port reviews.
• Track KPIs and report performance to leadership weekly/quarterly.
• Plan and coordinate local content shoots and media.
• Collaborate with port leadership and corporate teams on campaigns and events.
• Support local partnerships, events, and brand activations.

Skills

Hospitality industry experience

B2B marketing

B2C marketing

Cross-functional collaboration

Budget management

Campaign analytics

Job description

The Marketing Manager develops and executes localized marketing strategies that drive revenue, increase brand awareness, and enhance guest engagement across assigned ports or regions. This role serves as the local brand ambassador by ensuring brand consistency while adapting national initiatives for local markets. Working closely with port leadership and corporate teams, the position executes campaigns, partnerships, events, and content that support ticket sales and business growth.

The role also manages local marketing budgets, tracks campaign performance, analyzes market trends, and provides strategic recommendations to optimize results. Success in this position requires strong collaboration, project management, communication, and analytical skills to deliver effective marketing initiatives and support revenue growth.

Duties and Responsibilities

Content & Production Support

• Identify opportunities for local photoshoots and social content development.
• Develop a plan with well thought-out goals and objectives for local content capture need
• Oversee local content capture, including sourcing models and photographers, coordinating locations, and managing production logistics.
• Serve as the local point of contact for full-scale brand photo and video shoots, coordinating crew logistics, talent management, and operational support.
• Collaborate with Social on content capture assignment; be ports content “creator” where applicable.

Budget Management

• Maintain full ownership and accountability for local marketing budgets for assigned port(s) or region(s). Participate in financial port reviews to represent marketing.
• Develop and maintain budget forecasts and projections aligned with marketing plans and revenue goals.
• Track marketing spend across campaigns, partnerships, media buys, and activations to ensure efficient allocation of resources.
• Conduct billing reconciliations and review vendor invoices to ensure accuracy and alignment with approved budgets.
• Identify opportunities to optimize marketing spend and maximize return on investment while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
• Develop local media, community and vendor relationships to supplement budget and expand trade opportunities.

Port/Region performance tracking and analysis

• Monitor local competitive activity, trends, and market shifts through research, observation, and on-the-ground engagement.
• Summarize insights and present findings to VP of Marketing and local port leadership to inform adjustments in positioning, pricing, targeting, and promotional strategy on a quarterly basis.
• Own and track port and regional marketing KPIs including leads, revenue, web traffic, and campaign performance. Share with your manager and port RVP/GM on a weekly basis.
• Analyze marketing performance trends and proactively identify opportunities to improve results.
• Develop and implement tactical marketing plans and solutions when performance is not tracking positively against targets.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN THIS ROLE

• Development and execution of clear local marketing plans aligned with the promotional calendar and local demand drivers.
• Demonstrate contribution to port revenue growth across both Indy and Group segments.
• Consistent tracking and reporting of marketing KPIs including leads, revenue, campaign performance, and web engagement to port leadership and your manager.
• Proactive identification of performance gaps and implementation of marketing solutions to improve results.
• Effective management of local marketing budgets with accurate forecasting, responsible spend, and timely reconciliations.
• Strong collaboration with port leadership and corporate marketing teams to ensure local initiatives support broader company goals.
• Successful execution of local campaigns, partnerships, events, and content initiatives that increase brand visibility and demand.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively across teams to support idea generation, creativity and campaigns that produce measurable result

Requirements

• Hospitality Industry experience highly desired.
• Experience (3-5+ years) in both B2B and B2C marketing
• Demonstrated success in working in a matrixed organization (achieving through influence vs authority)
• Demonstrated success in building insight driven, metric focused, multi-channel, integrated marketing plans that deliver YOY revenue growth.
• Demonstrated success in innovative, revenue driving partnership development and activation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – both written and verbal – to be able to develop relationships
• A problem-solver and self-starter, capable of working in a fast-paced environment.