Executive Director Of Marketing And Enrollment Management

Executive Director of Marketing and Enrollment Management

The Executive Director of Marketing and Enrollment Management leads the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS) Marketing and Enrollment Management team. They partner with college leadership to establish strategic direction, drive key marketing and enrollment initiatives, cultivate a strong brand identity, and align resources with CCAPS's goals and priorities. This role reports directly to the Dean of CCAPS.

Location and Work Environment: St. Paul Campus in 201 Coffey Hall, hybrid with the expectation to come in to work up to 4 days a week.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership (50%)
• Collaborate with the CCAPS Leadership Team on the development of CCAPS strategic goals.
• Proactively partner with leadership to regularly evaluate progress against college objectives and inform strategic adjustments to ensure goal attainment or reprioritize goals.
• Direct the development of annual, integrated marketing and enrollment management plans, empowering other Marketing and Enrollment Management leaders to lead the development of their individual plans.
• Establish and align strategic goals with the CCAPS Leadership Team to ensure all marketing, communications, and enrollment efforts drive measurable progress toward College and University strategic objectives.
• Collaborate across CCAPS with leaders in program management, student services, and finance to ensure marketing and enrollment strategies are fully integrated with program development and student experience objectives.
• Partner with University Marketing and Communications to align communication and marketing strategies with University and CCAPS priorities.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive communication strategy across multiple stakeholders, including internal and external messaging, public relations, and leadership communications, to support the College's mission and strategic goals.
• Provide strategic oversight and sponsorship to ensure the successful execution of integrated marketing and enrollment plans.
• Define and manage resource requirements (financial, technology, and staffing) to guarantee optimal allocation, impact, and alignment with CCAPS's strategic goals.
• Champion the CCAPS and University of Minnesota brand, ensuring all goals and strategies are aligned.
• Communicate brand attributes and positioning clearly, and oversee effective marketing and content strategies to enhance the college's image and programs.
• Ensure compliance with University of Minnesota brand policy.
• Manage external agency partnerships to fully leverage their expertise and resources and achieve college-wide strategic goals.
• Cultivate and maintain strong partnerships with University units including but not limited to UMN Marketing and Communications, the Office of Distributed Learning, and the Offices of Admissions and Enrollment Management.
• Program Innovation (20%)
• Serve as a strategic consultant to the Dean and CCAPS Leadership Team, leveraging deep expertise in market research to inform and guide strategic direction.
• Lead the Program Innovation process, including regular market review for program opportunities, thorough assessment of new program ideas, ensuring transparency regarding evaluation criteria, and actively championing the process across the College.
• Lead market analysis initiatives to assess demand, competitive landscape, and student return on investment (ROI) for current and prospective CCAPS educational programs
• Co-lead with the Finance Director the process to review CCAPS's portfolio of programs for performance, financial viability, and market alignment.
• Serve as the primary college liaison with external market research partners, including EAB, ensuring maximum value is derived.
• Team Leadership and Operational Management (15%)
• Lead and direct the Marketing and Enrollment Management Team.
• Manage the budget, set strategic goals, and establish operational practices aligned with CCAPS purpose and values.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
• Clearly communicate college priorities and goals, articulating the department's vital contribution to their achievement.
• Optimize team efficiency by establishing consistent, predictable work processes and providing necessary tools and training to departmental and CCAPS staff.
• Performance and Innovation (15%)
• Drive data-informed decision-making within the team, defining clear metrics and data to evaluate goal progress, refine audience targeting/segmentation, prioritize impactful processes, and determine key messaging.
• Champion continuous innovation in marketing and enrollment tactics to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of reaching, converting, and retaining CCAPS learners.
• Lead the Marketing and Enrollment Management team to reshape strategic priorities in response to the AI-driven transformation of the search, discovery, and enrollment landscape.
• Oversee all change management efforts for projects and initiatives, ensuring strategic alignment with College goals while fostering a collaborative, risk-aware environment that drives continuous improvement through insights.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 12 years of progressive, related professional experience.
• Significant leadership and management experience in strategic marketing roles.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience supervising professional staff and leading high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to creating an inclusive environment that serves a diverse population in a professional setting.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience of marketing operations, strategic communications, product or program marketing and related technologies such as, search optimization, CRM solutions, marketing automation, project management tools, and application systems.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience in higher education, preferably in marketing, continuing, or online education.
• Knowledge of emerging technologies in the field of marketing and enrollment management, inclusive of AI-driven practices in marketing and search optimization.
• Knowledge of higher education market trends, expectations, and demographics.

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

About the Department

In CCAPS, you'll find a flexible, hybrid work environment and supportive colleagues who are committed to empowering lifelong learners to achieve their educational goals in a learner-centric environment where diverse ideas, backgrounds, and identities are embraced. CCAPS has a large and diverse portfolio of program offerings, including bachelor's and master's degrees, professional development offerings for practitioners, pre-college programs for high school students, English language programs, and lifelong learning for...

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds. The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu.