JOB SUMMARY

The Sr. Director of Strategic Marketing serves as the University leader accountable for driving the marketing strategy for the University. This strategic role is responsible for optimizing CSU Global’s digital ecosystem,with direct oversight of the University's website, all brand social media channels, relationship marketing, brand management, and paid digital advertising to support institutional goals and maximize enrollment success. This role will provide the vision, energy, managerial and entrepreneurial acumen, and leadership abilities necessary for all areas of growth for the University, including the enrollment funnel from brand awareness, lead generation, and new student enrollment. The Sr. Director will lead, manage, and hold teams accountable to their role in supporting the prospective learner journey, including managing marketing vendors. As the senior leader over marketing, together with the Chief Engagement Officer, the Sr. Director will be involved in both tactical and strategic decision-making for the University as it relates to marketing positioning, messaging, and brand management. This position serves on the University’s senior leadership team to support the University’s mission and strategic plan.

OUR MISSION & VALUES

Colorado State University Global is committed to advancing student academic and professional success in a global society, by providing access to dynamic education characterized by excellence, innovative delivery technologies, industry relevance, and strong stakeholder engagement. We continue to thrive and drive our mission forward because we are:

Growth-Minded: We continually learn, seek opportunities for growth, and believe we can do better with effort and persistence.

Dedicated: We provide exceptional service and support to our stakeholders to drive the mission of the university.  

Tenacious: We are accountable for getting the job done right, acting thoughtfully and taking responsibility for our commitments and actions, and we thrive on achieving results.

Agile: We are flexible in our thinking, focus on solutions, innovative problem-solving, and overcoming obstacles.

Engaged: We collaborate, communicate, and motivate one another to achieve excellence.

Champions of Integrity: We act ethically, honestly, and respectfully to be trustworthy and reliable towards all stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

• In collaboration with executive and senior leadership, lead University planning and execution of strategies to increase enrollment and University growth
• Manage all agency and vendor partners with a shared responsibility to strategize, plan, and execute effective multi-channel enrollment-driven marketing efforts designed to attract new students to the University
• Serve as senior leader over the Marketing Department, lead the implementation of enrollment-driven lead generation strategies, including, but not limited to, marketing vendors/partner(s) selection and readiness, communications campaigns, text campaigns, enrollment marketing campaign development, messaging strategies and scripts, awareness campaigns, and other methods to meet or achieve annual goals
• Hold direct management responsibility for the University's paid digital advertising budget ($28M+), strategy, and execution across all platforms (including search, display, social media, and programmatic advertising) 
• Work closely with agency partners and internal stakeholders to develop campaign strategies, allocate budgets effectively, optimize performance, and ensure advertising efforts align with enrollment and institutional priorities, which includes monitoring ROI, conducting A/B testing, and making data-driven recommendations to maximize advertising effectiveness
• Design and launch campaigns for new programs, product types, and offerings at CSU Global, ensuring University-wide launch plans, including the development of compelling website content, marketing materials, campaigns, and advertising strategies that drive goal attainment
• Responsible for direct oversight and management of the University’s main website, ensuring an optimal user experience, driving engagement, and supporting conversion goals across all prospective student populations, requiring analyzing digital performance metrics, user behavior, and emerging trends to continuously improve the user experience
• Stay current on marketing technologies, with special consideration of AI developments, evaluating tools and platforms for potential approval by the AI committee
• Lead marketing operations, oversee dashboards, and track and monitor relevant KPIs across all marketing, digital media, social media, and engagement functions
• Ensure quality management over all lead data in CRM, ensuring compliance and data integrity for effective segmentation, communication, outreach, and reporting
• Responsible for the University’s social media channels, ensuring cohesive messaging, brand consistency, and engagement across platforms, monitoring performance metrics to drive brand awareness, and in support of positive reputation management
• Responsible for the management of the University’s SEO and AI-optimization, requiring regular evaluation, monitoring, and response strategies to ensure CSU Global maintains its content authority
• Lead enrollment-driven advertising and creative campaigns, relationship marketing strategies, incorporating messaging that deeply resonates with CSU Global’s prospective student audience
• Direct the development, production, and distribution of marketing collateral and assets, and source and manage external partners in project-based creative executions related to campaigns, events, or media placements where appropriate
• Lead strategy for one-time and ongoing/automated direct email and text messaging campaigns designed to increase completion of both interest forms and student application completion, and, ultimately, new student enrollment
• In collaboration with reporting units, operational partners, and in alignment with the University strategic plan, develop an annual strategic marketing plan that achieves or exceeds University goals
• Provide direct oversight of reporting units and leadership, as well as additional related units or functions as assigned
• Annually review and update all University marketing policies and forms
• Oversee marketing vendors and negotiation of contracts
• Collaborate with the leadership and management of CSU Global to drive the culture and values of the organization and establish mission-aligned marketing practices to support the success of the organization
• Engage in marketing research on audience demographics and geographics, as well as competitive audits, to ensure effective lead targeting and strategic planning
• Keep abreast of industry trends both in higher education and digital marketing, ensuring best practices are followed, and emerging trends, channel performance and tactics are evaluated, tested, and implemented where proven effective
• Remain current with all campus and program information, including new or complex program offerings
• Inform the leadership team and relevant unit representatives on new project initiatives and core marketing messages
• Ensure all marketing tickets are completed in a timely manner

Leadership and Management

• Coordination, supervision, and leadership of all staff, office functions, and services for reporting departments 
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and oversee professional development of leaders
• Collaborate with department leadership, where applicable, to design and implement specific key performance indicators (KPIs) and scorecards for all reporting team members to drive best practices and support CSU Global vision, mission and core values
• Perform personnel functions such as selection, training, evaluation, goal setting, performance management, corrective action, coaching, and mentoring
• Fiscal management of all reporting departments to ensure that the University achieves financial and operational goals, requiring:
• Participating in the annual budgeting cycle process and monthly budget reviews
• Managing expenses and oversees contracts for reporting departments and functional units to ensure that departments stay at or below budget. 
• Providing accurate expense forecasting
• Communicating to accounting monthly expense accruals and review of budget-to-actual summaries for accuracy
• Ensuring timely invoice submission, payment approvals, and procurement card statement reconciliations
• Develops and executes strategic plan contributions, objectives, and measurable outcomes to achieve new enrollment and university growth targets
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

● Directly supervise a team of 3-5 unit leaders

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

● Advanced organizational skills and attention to detail
● Demonstrated ability to work effectively, independently and as a member of a team, especially in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment
● Demonstrated ability to effectively manage relationships with external vendors and related parties
● Experienced in coordinating significant marketing budgets and in the use of a CRM system
● Proven ability to work well in a confidential fast-paced environment
● Demonstrated ability to work with, understand, and make decisions from CSU Global- and partner-generated data
● Proven Ability to work within a team environment
● Proven Ability to work with and report quantitative and qualitative information
● Proven Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately
● Proven Ability to interact in an effective and appropriate manner with diverse populations, the University community and the public
● Proven Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously
● Proven Ability to effectively supervise personnel and complete all associated personnel actions in a timely and accurate manner
● Proven Ability to prepare and monitor operating budgets
● Proven Ability to develop and implement policies and procedures
● Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills

QUALIFICATIONS: EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Management, Marketing, Communications, or a related field 
• At least nine (9) years of related work experience in enrollment performance marketing, or other related field
• At least five (5) years of direct management of multi-channel marketing campaigns with budgets of over $5M, inclusive of digital marketing, OTT/CTV, search, and display
• At least three (3) years of direct supervisory experience
• Strong working knowledge of best practices in enrollment, current marketing trends, and issues in higher education

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

● Position is remote but may require up to 10% travel related to business development and on-campus activities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

● While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to touch, handle or feel, and talk or hear.
● The employee is occasionally required to sit, reach with hands and arms.
● Ability to spend long durations of the workday in front of a computer monitor.
● Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
● The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.

TOTAL COMPENSATION

CSU Global offers employer contributions to medical, dental, group life, AD&D coverage, Wellness benefit and training & development opportunities. Additional employee-paid benefits are available for vision, FSA/HSA, voluntary life, and voluntary AD&D coverage, critical illness and accident insurance. CSU Global also offers a 401a retirement account with a generous employer match, 100% tuition assistance for CSU Global programs (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees), paid sick time, paid vacation time, and 10 holidays per year. CSU Global employees are state employees and have access to the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program (C-SEAP) resources. Discounted pet insurance is also available.

Salary: $115,000 - $135,000 annually

Deadline to apply: Wednesday, January 14, 5:00 pm MST.