Director of Strategic Marketing

Overview

The Director of Strategic Marketing is a forward-thinking leader who helps advance Penn College's marketing organization through insight-driven and data-informed approaches. A member of the Strategic Marketing & Communications team, the Director leads the development and execution of integrated marketing strategies that support institutional priorities, including but not limited to enrollment, academic programs, the promotion of credit and non-credit programs, retention and campus services. The Director serves as a key ambassador and communicator of the college's marketing strategy, translating data, market trends and performance insights into clear, actionable recommendations that inform decision making and improve organizational outcomes. The Director oversees a talented team responsible for strategic marketing, advertising, social media, photography, videography, brand management, and campaign planning, execution and performance. The Director collaborates with the Marcom team and subject matter experts across the college to advance integrated marketing initiatives aligned with key organizational objectives. Working closely with the Vice President of Strategic Marketing & Communications, the Director develops and manages budgets, oversees agency partnerships, guides marketing and communications planning, recommends tools and processes that improve effectiveness, and leads the Strategic Marketing team in executing initiatives that deliver meaningful outcomes. The Director will have a proven record of translating information into strategic action, communicating effectively with executive leadership and campus partners, championing innovation and emerging technologies and fostering a culture grounded in Penn College's values of strength through respect, student-first culture, real-world education and collaboration with business and industry.

 

Benefits include: medical and dental insurances, retirement plans, paid time off, educational benefits for employees and dependents at Penn College and Penn State University, and more. For additional information, click here.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communication, or related discipline. Required
• Master's Degree in Strategic Communications, Marketing, or related discipline. Preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Seven (7) years in marketing, communications, or related experience. Required
• Five (5) years of experience creating, writing, and editing marketing and informational messages/materials in accordance with brand standards. Required
• Five (5) years of experience working with marketers, communicators, designers, printers, and online publishers. Required
• Five (5) years of experience supervising staff. Required
• Experience with budget building, management, and ROI tracking. Required
• Experience in dealing with the public in marketing, sales, or education roles. Required

ABILITIES AND SKILLS

• Evidence of management abilities and leadership skills. Required
• Good organizational skills that allow for the creation of efficient, accurate, and coherent information. Required
• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals with diverse skillsets and personalities. Required
• Work independently and make decisions without supervision. Required
• Analyze and understand project objectives to discern project impact on instutional advancement. Required
• Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals and constituencies in a diverse community. Required
• Ability to analyze and understand project objectives and discern project impact on the department and College. Required
• Ability to handle a variety of projects simultaneously and to meet deadlines often requiring very quick turnaround. Required
• Ability to structure information so that it is manageable and comprehensible to readers. Required
• Flexibility in scheduling, etc. to meet immediate/unanticipated needs. Required
• Ability to analyze problems and develop solutions with accuracy and composure. Required
• Ability to resolve impromptu problems/clients’ complaints quickly and with composure. Required
• Ability to work on own initiative independently and make decisions with limited supervision. Required
• Ability to assess project scope and needs, and delegate as necessary. Required
• Capable of dealing with a variety of assignments simultaneously with frequent interruption of work. Required
• Effective oral and written communication skills. Required

 

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership • Lead the development of annual and long-term integrated marketing plans. • Lead brand vision, oversight and management of brand guidelines and long-term brand direction. • Serve as a key ambassador for the college’s marketing strategy, translating data, performance results and market insights into actionable information for leadership, stakeholders and campus partners. • Create annual budgets in collaboration with Strategic Marketing & Communications directors. • Analyze annual marketing spend to identify opportunities to improve return on investment (ROI). • Support and oversee trademark, copyright protection and compliance efforts to safeguard the college’s brand and intellectual property.
• Marketing Planning & Performance • Develop and implement data-informed strategies in collaboration with the Web-Based Services and Strategic Communications teams to support marketing campaign execution, digital experiences and institutional priorities. • Recommend adjustments to marketing strategies, tactics and resource allocation to enhance campaign performance and outcomes. • Oversee advertising strategies and analysis of key performance metrics. • Oversee social media strategy, including the development and maintenance of content pillars and performance metrics. • Evaluate video and photography needs to establish content production priorities that support institutional goals and enrollment objectives. • In collaboration with the Operations team, develop standardized solutions, templates and models to efficiently support applicable projects and reporting requirements.
• Analytics & Insights • Leverage marketing, enrollment and audience data to identify trends, generate strategic insights and drive continuous improvement across marketing initiatives. • Gather and analyze data from college resources to monitor recruitment funnel health and inform adjustments to campaign plans and priorities. • Champion the development, implementation and monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs), leveraging outcomes-focused data analysis, tools and processes to measure results and inform decision making. • Create analytics standards, including UTM templates, in collaboration with Web-Based Services to enable consistent measurement and comparison of campaign effectiveness. • Develop and monitor data dashboards that empower team members to prioritize work based on recruitment funnel health and performance indicators.
• Team Leadership & Development • Lead and empower the Strategic Marketing team to execute plans effectively, prioritize work, produce high-quality deliverables, and collect and analyze performance metrics. • Supervise assigned staff, including performance management, coaching and professional development. • In collaboration with Strategic Marketing & Communications directors and the VP, manage content representatives to ensure effective support of college departments. • With input from team members, create individual and team talent development plans that support professional growth and organizational needs.
• Stakeholder Communication & Partnership • Partner with institutional stakeholders to align marketing priorities and resources with strategic objectives. • Communicate regularly with recruitment and retention leaders, along with department content representatives, to understand strategic priorities and manage expectations regarding non-priority projects. • Represent the department on campus committees, as requested.

Physical Standards and Special Job Features

None

Pay Transparency

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

College Statement

This is not a complete itemization of all facets of this position. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. The College has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without prior notice.

EEO Statement

Penn College is committed to equal opportunity and the diversity of its workforce.

 

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Job Code

L682