Director of Marketing and Communications Strategy

Posting Details

Position Information

Job Title
Director of Marketing and Communications Strategy

Position Summary

The Director of Marketing and Communication Strategy is responsible for developing and executing long-term marketing strategies that align with the university's goals. This position works closely with the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications to ensure that all campaigns, initiatives, and marketing activities support the university's strategic vision, as well as assist communication strategies as needed. The Director of Marketing and Communication Strategy will lead the overall marketing plan, targeting key audience segments to drive lead generation and brand awareness. Additionally, the Director will serve as the second-in-command in the Marketing and Communications department, stepping in to lead initiatives and manage the department in the Executive Director's absence.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Marketing Development:
  • Lead the development of long-term marketing strategies that align with the university's overall mission, vision, and goals.
  • Collaborate with the Executive Director to develop a comprehensive marketing roadmap that outlines key initiatives, campaign goals, and measurable outcomes.
  • Design, implement, and oversee integrated marketing plans across multiple channels (e.g., digital, print, social media, SEO) that increase visibility and engagement with prospective students, their families, school counselors, and other key stakeholders.
  • Oversee the planning and execution of marketing campaigns that target prospective students, alumni, faculty, staff and other key stakeholders.
  • Ensure all marketing initiatives align with the university's brand identity and support lead generation, enrollment, and retention goals across all channels.
  • Continuously assess and optimize the marketing strategy based on performance data and emerging trends to identify opportunities and threats.
• Strategic Communication Support:
  • Support communication strategy and implementation as outlined by the Marketing and Strategic Communication plan.
  • Ensure that the university's value proposition is clearly conveyed to all audiences through targeted messaging and storytelling.
  • Ensure communication projects are outlined within project workflow and provide direction on priorities.
  • Support brand review processes to ensure all materials are on brand.
• Leadership & Management:
  • Serve as the second-in-command to the Executive Director, providing leadership and support across the Marketing and Communications team.
  • Step in to lead department functions, projects, and campaigns in the absence of the Executive Director.
  • Mentor and guide marketing team members, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
  • Provide supervision to marketing support team.
  • Work closely with the Executive Director to set departmental goals, objectives, and performance metrics.
  • Provide strategic direction to ensure that marketing efforts are aligned with university priorities and resources.
• Campaign Execution & Monitoring:
  • Lead the execution of marketing campaigns, ensuring that all elements (messaging, design, digital channels, etc.) are consistent with the university's strategy and brand.
  • Manage the allocation of resources and ensure marketing projects are completed on time, within budget, and with the highest quality.
  • Monitor campaign performance and adjust strategies as needed to optimize audience, reach, engagement, and lead generation.
  • Coordinate with other departments (Admissions, Communications, Alumni Relations, etc.) and vendors to ensure integrated marketing efforts and unified messaging across all channels.
• Audience Targeting & Lead Generation:
  • Define key audience segments and create marketing plans tailored to each group, including prospective students (undergraduate and graduate), alumni, faculty, staff and donors.
  • Drive lead generation through targeted digital marketing strategies, including SEO, paid search, social media, and content marketing.
  • Use data and analytics to continually improve marketing tactics and maximize conversions.
  • Partner with vendors to ensure there is goal and performance alignment.
• Collaboration & Cross-Departmental Initiatives:
  • Work closely with the Executive Director to ensure marketing strategies support broader institutional goals and objectives.
  • Collaborate with other university departments to create and implement marketing programs that enhance student recruitment, retention, and engagement.
  • Leverage internal and external resources to develop innovative marketing solutions that resonate with prospective students and other target audiences.
• Reporting & Analytics:
  • Track, analyze, and report on marketing campaign performance, providing insights to the Executive Director and other senior leadership.
  • Use data and KPIs to guide decisions and improve the overall effectiveness of the marketing strategy.
  • Analyze and report on digital marketing performance, tracking key metrics like website traffic, social media engagement, conversion rates, and other KPIs that have been identified.
  • Knowledge of tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, Hootsuite and other digital reporting platforms to gather insights and data on website and content performance, and/or collaborate with staff members to pull data.
  • Provide actionable recommendations based on data analysis to optimize marketing efforts and improve ROI as needed.
  • Knowledge of SEO performance, ensuring content is optimized for search engines to drive organic traffic.
• SEO Support:
  • Support SEO strategy and implementation for all digital content, including web pages, blog posts, social media, and email campaigns.
  • Direct keyword research, on-page SEO, technical SEO, and link-building efforts to enhance search engine rankings as needed.
  • Ensure that all content is aligned with SEO best practices to maximize visibility and reach on search engines.

Education, Certifications and/or Licenses

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field (Master's preferred).

Experience

• Extensive experience in developing and executing marketing strategies, preferably within higher education or a similar industry.
• Proven experience in leading and managing marketing teams and projects.
• Strong understanding of marketing principles, digital marketing tools, lead generation strategies, and analytics.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to think strategically and act with a focus on long-term goals while managing day-to-day marketing needs.
• Experience with content marketing, SEO, paid media, email campaigns, and social media.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives concurrently.
• Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyze performance metrics and make informed decisions.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with competing priorities.

Preferred:

• Experience in higher education marketing, particularly in student recruitment.
• Familiarity with marketing automation tools, CRM systems, and web analytics platforms.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in marketing and communications.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number
2016AS1007P

Posting Open Date
04/01/2025

Open Until Filled

Posting Close Date

Special Instructions to Applicants