Marketing Director

Overview

The Marketing Director will be responsible for building, managing, and amplifying the festival’s brand across all platforms. This role is responsible for driving national audience growth, Festival ticket sales, partnerships, and brand consistency to position the festival as a must-attend national cultural event and sell tickets.

Charleston Literary Festival is a ten-day world-class literary festival with an international edge based in the city’s Dock Street Theatre. With an emphasis on featuring international and national award-winning authors, the festival is committed to providing diverse audiences with a forum for engaging with new ideas and experiencing the transformative power of literature. Located right in the heart of Charleston’s historic district, the Festival puts an emphasis on literary excellence and innovation as well as fostering the next generation of readers and writers in the South East of the US.

This year’s festival will run from November 6-15, 2026. Charleston Literary Festival is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

• Fully own the marketing budget and oversee marketing campaign spend
• Plan and manage integrated marketing campaigns (digital, print, on-ground)
• Oversee content calendars for social media, email, and website promotions
• Collaborate with designers, copywriters, and video teams on creative assets
• Work with external PR agency on key pitches for 2026

• Drive ticket sales and registrations through targeted campaigns (digital and other)
• Analyze audience insights and campaign performance to optimize reach

• Develop and execute the festival’s marketing strategy aligned with overall goals
• Ensure consistent brand voice, tone, and visual identity across all touchpoints
• Strengthen the festival’s positioning among readers, authors, publishers, and partners

• Ensure brand alignment in all partner communications and co-branded materials
• Support sponsorship deliverables and visibility commitments

• Analytical approach to marketing with a data-driven mindset
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Media, or related field
• 2–5 years of experience in brand marketing, events, or cultural organizations
• Strong understanding of branding, storytelling, and content marketing
• Experience with social media platforms, email marketing, and analytics tools
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Passion for literature, arts, and cultural events

• Experience working on marketing campaigns in an agency or start-up
• Experience working on festivals, live events, or large-scale campaigns
• Familiarity with publishers, authors, or literary communities
• Ability to work in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments
• Creative thinker with strong attention to detail

• Opportunity to work with leading authors and thinkers and a great team
• Creative freedom to shape and scale a high-impact cultural brand
• Exposure to large-scale event marketing and partnerships
• A collaborative and intellectually stimulating work environment

Please send a CV and cover letter explaining your motivation to join Charleston Literary Festival as Literary Programming assistant to Amanda Bagdonas, Operations Director atamanda@c on Thursday, February 12th, 2026.