Director of Marketing Strategy - Online Higher Education #0610
Our client is a prominent private Christian university—among the largest in its state—looking for a Director of Marketing Strategy to establish and lead a specialized marketing team supporting its fast-expanding online programs. This newly created position will form the foundation of the university's online marketing efforts, enhancing brand recognition and fueling enrollment growth within an intensely competitive higher education market.
This role is ideal for a visionary marketing professional who excels at blending creative thinking with measurable outcomes. The successful candidate will construct a top-tier team from scratch, create integrated marketing campaigns, and ensure external partners meet performance expectations.
Key Responsibilities:
Ensure external marketing agencies meet performance standards, deadlines, and deliverables while producing quantifiable outcomes
Lead, develop, and coach a newly formed marketing team dedicated to the online division
Act as the central point of contact between marketing operations and online division executives, facilitating ongoing strategic coordination
Analyze marketing metrics and data to shape strategy, refine campaigns, and present findings to senior leadership
Create differentiated, full-cycle marketing campaigns that set the organization apart in a saturated market
Work alongside creative, digital, and communications colleagues to produce promotional assets across print, digital, and additional platforms
Build and execute holistic marketing strategies combining brand awareness initiatives with performance-driven tactics to increase enrollment and visibility
Cultivate an environment of innovation, inquisitiveness, and ongoing improvement within the marketing function
Supervise project parameters, schedules, outputs, and key milestones across several simultaneous efforts
Convert competitive intelligence and market research into practical campaign approaches
Steward significant marketing budgets with strong fiscal responsibility and project oversight
Required:
Demonstrated success holding external vendors and agency partners to high performance standards
Strong written and oral communication abilities, including experience presenting to executive leadership and collaborating across departments
Proficiency in reading dashboards, interpreting analytics, and leveraging campaign data to guide decisions
Solid project management skills with capacity to juggle multiple sophisticated initiatives at once
5–7+ years of strategic marketing experience with documented, quantifiable achievements in lead generation, revenue growth, brand development, or market expansion
Hands-on experience with both brand-building (awareness, top-of-funnel) and results-oriented (lead generation, conversion) marketing approaches
Ability to operate autonomously, manage competing priorities in a dynamic setting, and adjust to shifting organizational requirements
Experience overseeing or shaping substantial marketing budgets
Proven capability to conceptualize and deliver comprehensive marketing campaigns from inception to completion
Exceptional organizational skills with sharp attention to detail, timelines, and quality of deliverables
Preferred:
Background in higher education marketing (sector-specific experience is highly valued)
Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related discipline; graduate degree preferred
History of recruiting, developing, and managing marketing teams
Experience across diverse industries or verticals, showcasing flexibility
Prior work in smaller organizations or startups with direct executive access and strategic accountability
Working knowledge of CRM platforms, marketing automation tools, and campaign management systems
Blend of agency and corporate/in-house marketing experience
Salary Range**:** $109,000 annually, commensurate with experience
Comprehensive benefits package including healthcare and retirement plans
Generous paid time off and vacation schedule
Mission-driven work environment with strong work-life balance
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