Growth Manager (Acquisition Marketing)

Job Description
About the California Academy of Sciences
Founded in 1853, the California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned, AZA-accredited non-profit scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, rainforest, research institute, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. Our living collection reflects Earth's vast biodiversity, consisting of nearly 60,000 animals representing over 800 species.

Our research collections are the largest west of the Mississippi, spanning nearly 46 million plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. Our diverse team includes leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who are passionate about advancing knowledge and catalyzing action through science and storytelling. Whether you're conducting research behind the scenes or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

The Growth Marketing Manager leads the growth and engagement of membership and revenue-generating programs at the California Academy of Sciences, including attendance, sleepovers, and other public experiences. Reporting to the Associate Director of Brand Marketing, this role supervises the NightLife Marketing Specialist and is responsible for executing integrated marketing campaigns that drive customer acquisition, deepen engagement, and increase retention across a diverse portfolio of offerings.

The ideal candidate brings experience in subscription or membership marketing, thrives in a fast-paced, multi-program environment, and uses data to continuously optimize performance. When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, and celebrates its accomplishments together. Staff share a commitment to executing a new strategic plan that will strengthen the organization's financial foundations, cultivate a vibrant internal culture, and foster smart growth to secure the Academy's future.

The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences.

Support go-to-market strategies for seasonal programming, exhibitions, and special events
Collaborate with internal teams to optimize conversion paths across the website and ticketing platform
Membership & Retention (Lifecycle Marketing)
Segment audiences (members, lapsed members, program attendees, families, young professionals) to deliver targeted messaging
Program Marketing
Lead marketing execution for key programs, including sleepovers, tours, birthday parties, new programs, and seasonal offerings
Manage campaign calendars across multiple concurrent programs with varying audiences and timelines
Partner with programming teams to translate program content into compelling, audience-focused messaging
Optimize attendance and revenue through targeted promotions and audience insights
Campaign & Project Management
Manage multiple campaigns simultaneously across membership and program verticals
Coordinate timelines, creative assets, and stakeholder approvals to ensure on-time delivery
Maintain alignment across marketing, digital, and program teams
Coordinate with external agency partners on creative development, campaign execution, and asset delivery for membership and program campaigns
Support budget tracking and reconciliation for dedicated marketing spend, ensuring campaigns stay on budget and flagging variances as needed
Write and adapt copy for paid and organic campaigns across digital, email, and direct mail channels, tailoring voice and messaging to distinct audience segments
Monitor and analyze campaign performance across channels
Conduct A/B testing to improve messaging, creative, and audience targeting
Present campaign performance and insights to program partners and marketing leadership on a regular cadence, translating data into clear, actionable narratives
Supervise and mentor one Marketing Specialist, providing day-to-day guidance, feedback, and support for professional development
Foster a collaborative, growth-oriented team environment aligned with the broader marketing department's goals and values
3–6+ years of experience in marketing, preferably in membership, subscription, or experiential marketing
~ Experience with customer acquisition and retention strategies
~ Ability to manage multiple programs or campaigns simultaneously
~ Strong understanding of lifecycle marketing and audience segmentation
~ Experience with CRM/email platforms and marketing automation tools
~ Analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into strategy
~ Strong collaboration and project management skills
Experience marketing to diverse audience segments (families, adults, donors, tourists)
Familiarity with managing or tracking marketing budgets across multiple programs or campaigns
Strong copywriting skills with experience writing for ads, email, and promotional campaigns across multiple audience types
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Schedule
: Full time, 40 hours per week, hybrid schedule
Interested candidates should submit a resume and application through our Careers Page portal.