Marketing Manager (Childcare)

Hiring on Behalf of Marigold Academy
Marigold Academy is a growing early childhood education brand known for its warm, “home-away-from-home” environment, innovative curriculum, and commitment to quality care. With corporate schools in New Jersey and a rapidly expanding franchise network nationwide, we are dedicated to supporting each franchisee through every phase of their ownership journey — from site selection to grand opening and beyond.

Position Overview
The Marketing Manager will serve as Marigold Academy’s central marketing lead — coordinating all marketing activities, managing external vendors, overseeing social media and lead generation, improving brand visibility, and supporting the launch and growth of new franchise locations.

This role blends creative execution with operational structure. The ideal candidate is an organized project manager, a strong communicator, a brand-focused designer, and a hands-on marketer who can work across multiple platforms, partners, and locations. They should be confident leading agencies, building systems, and elevating Marigold’s marketing presence across all key channels.

This is a full-time role with flexibility. Travel is required for discovery days, school content capture, local events, and grand openings.

Key Responsibilities

Vendor & Agency Management

• Manage all marketing vendor relationships, including agencies such as lead generation agency and social media agency.
• Coordinate deliverables, timelines, content needs, and performance expectations across all partners.
• Provide clear creative direction and feedback, ensuring all work aligns with brand standards.

CRM Integration & Lead Management

• Oversee CRM setup, integration, and optimization using childcare specific CRM.
• Ensure automations, workflows, and lead funnels function properly across new and existing locations.
• Partner with operations to improve inquiry → tour → enrollment conversion rates.
• Troubleshoot system issues and collaborate with vendors to resolve them quickly.

Social Media Oversight & Engagement

• Manage the social media content calendar across all franchise and corporate locations.
• Review and approve content created by agency; ensure brand alignment and timely posting.
• Actively support social engagement efforts, including responding to comments/messages and monitoring activity.
• Identify social trends and create content that supports enrollment, hiring, community awareness, and brand storytelling.

Content Creation & Brand Development

• Develop and own Marigold Academy’s brand identity, including visual style, tone, look/feel, and brand experience across all platforms.
• Capture photos, videos, and stories on-site at schools for marketing use, building a rich content library.
• Create, maintain, and update brand guidelines to support consistency across corporate and franchise locations.
• Design all branded assets in-house using Canva and Adobe Creative Suite (social media, signage, brochures, presentations, print materials, digital ads, and promotional campaigns).
• Build template libraries and branded resources for corporate teams and franchisees (flyers, event materials, curriculum graphics, enrollment packets, center materials, etc.).
• Support all new center openings with branded materials, launch content, and promotional needs.

Website, Landing Pages & Digital Presence

• Collaborate with the agency on updates to website pages and landing pages, including new locations, tour scheduling, franchise development, and campaign pages as well as on SEO-driven content.

Corporate Partnerships, Community Marketing & Local Outreach

• Support marketing initiatives tied to employer partnerships, local business collaborations, and community engagement.
• Build relationships with local Realtors to increase visibility for new families relocating into the area.
• Assist with outreach materials, presentations, and campaigns that expand Marigold’s presence within key local markets.

Reporting, KPIs & Strategy

• Track performance metrics using Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, Looker Studio, and CRM dashboards.
• Provide weekly and monthly reporting with insights and recommendations.
• Use data to guide improvements in lead generation, social engagement, and enrollment marketing.

Systems, SOPs & Playbook Development

• Create and maintain marketing SOPs and playbooks, including:
• Social media standards
• Content capture guidelines
• Enrollment marketing processes
• Grand opening marketing checklist
• Franchise marketing onboarding materials
• Support marketing readiness for new franchisees throughout their onboarding and launch phases.

QualificationsRequired

• 3–6+ years of marketing experience, preferably in multi-location, franchise, education, or consumer service industries.
• Experience managing agencies, vendors, or cross-functional partnerships.
• Strong design skills (Canva + Adobe Creative Suite); motion graphics is a plus.
• Experience with Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, and CRM systems (IKS, HubSpot, or similar).
• Excellent project management and organizational abilities.
• Strong communication skills and ability to provide and receive constructive feedback.
• Ability to lead and influence without direct authority.

Preferred

• Experience in childcare, education, hospitality, wellness, or highly regulated service industries.
• Experience supporting franchise systems or multi-location expansions.
• Familiarity with WordPress, Webflow, Wix, or Squarespace.
• Basic HTML/CSS knowledge.
• Experience writing SOPs, playbooks, or training materials.

Why Join Marigold Academy

• Work with a passionate leadership team expanding a trusted and fast-growing childcare brand.
• Play a critical role in strengthening Marigold’s brand and marketing presence across multiple states.
• Be part of launching new schools from pre-opening through grand opening and growth.
• Enjoy long-term career growth opportunities as the franchise network expands.
• Make an impact in a mission-driven organization rooted in quality care, innovation, and community.

Pay: $55,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee discount
• Paid time off

Application Question(s):

• Do you have experience creating or managing a brand identity (including brand guidelines) and producing graphic design assets using Canva and Adobe Creative Suite?
• Are you comfortable traveling for grand openings, content capture at schools, and local events as needed?
• How many years have you directly managed external marketing vendors or agencies (e.g., paid ads, social media, SEO, CRM, or website partners)? What about direct reports?

Work Location: In person