Associate Director of Enrollment Marketing

Details•San Diego, CA

1d•$6,667 - $7,167•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Enrollment Marketing is a strategic, data-driven position responsible for developing and executing comprehensive enrollment marketing campaigns for the Knauss School of Business graduate program portfolio. This role oversees market positioning, lead generation, content strategy, conversion optimization, and top-of-funnel growth with a focus on volume and quality across a diverse range of programs, including MBA, specialized master’s, dual-degree offerings, and future program expansions, while adhering to brand standards and strategy. This role serves as a growth-oriented strategist responsible for driving the inquiry-to-applicant pipeline for the Knauss School of Business; leveraging data-driven paid media, SEO, GEO, LLM-visibility optimization, and CRO, amidst an evolving digital and technological landscape. Bridging the gap between Admissions and Marketing, the Associate Director shall ensure that marketing spend translates into qualified prospective student leads and measurable enrollment growth. The role leverages A/B testing, data analysis and performance insights to continuously optimize campaigns, maximize lead acquisition, enhance audience targeting, and improve conversion outcomes. This position manages collaboration with internal stakeholders and external partners, ensuring marketing efforts are integrated, high-performing, and tailored to the needs of prospective graduate students, ultimately driving enrollment growth and program visibility. The Associate Director will periodically need to be available on nights and/or weekends for various Knauss School events and occasionally may be asked to travel to graduate business recruitment or marketing events, as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with preference given to Business, Marketing and/or related field of study
5 years of work experience in product marketing, email marketing, campaign planning, digital marketing, messaging, positioning, copywriting, academic program recruitment and/or related field
Enrollment management strategies within higher education, particularly for graduate business programs
Development and execution of integrated, multi-channel marketing campaigns (digital, email, paid media, CRM-driven outreach)
Market research, audience segmentation, and persona development to inform targeting and messaging strategies
Brand positioning and content strategy, including storytelling that resonates with diverse prospective student audiences
Marketing analytics platforms and CRM systems (e.g., Slate, Salesforce, Google Analytics) to track and measure performance
Lead generation, nurturing strategies, and enrollment funnel management
Vendor management and collaboration with external marketing agencies or partners
Budget development and management for marketing and enrollment initiatives
Higher education trends, competitive landscape, and best practices in graduate student recruitment and marketing
Interacting with the professional business community
Designing and executing data-driven enrollment marketing campaigns that drive measurable increases in leads, applications, and enrollments
Using data and analytics to assess campaign effectiveness and continuously optimize performance and ROI
Leading cross-functional initiatives and collaborating effectively with admissions, marketing, academic units, and external partners
Translating complex data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations for senior leadership
Managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Developing compelling messaging and content strategies that strengthen brand awareness and engagement
Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external vendors
Exercising sound judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making in dynamic and evolving situations
Communicating clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, to a variety of audiences
Ability to use mature judgment
Ability to form productive working relationships with faculty, staff and administration
Working with diverse personalities
Being flexible and versatile in coping with evolving work situations
Ability to focus on technical details in an environment with many distractions
Ability to handle the stress of last-minute deadlines and changes
Ability to assume responsibility and effectively resolve problems by exercising independent judgement

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree from an accredited college of university in Business, Marketing or a related field
5+ years of progressively responsible marketing experience in product marketing, email marketing, campaign planning, digital marketing, messaging, positioning, copywriting and/or academic program recruitment
2+ years of hands-on experience in lead generation, search, online advertising and pay-per-click (PPC)
Experience working in higher education

Responsibilities

Develop and execute an annual multi-channel enrollment marketing plan for each graduate program to meet inquiry, application, and enrollment targets.
Manage paid media strategies (SEM, LinkedIn, Meta) in collaboration with external agencies and/or the marketing teams (Knauss and USD Central), focusing on lead generation and ROI.
Develop high-impact drip campaigns and "journey" communications within the CRM (Slate) to nurture leads through the funnel.
Actively manage and coordinate vendor agreements as they relate to enrollment management strategies and services.
In coordination with the Director of Business Admissions, provide directives and feedback via regularly scheduled meetings with contracted vendors.
Coordinate with the Knauss School Finance and Administration Team regarding contract renewals and new contract engagements.
Perform related tasks and assignments that support enrollment growth and brand visibility.
Lead the creation of compelling, conversion-focused content across landing pages, brochures, emails, ads, text messaging, social media platforms and other analog and digital channels that inspire action and reinforce the Knauss value proposition.
Ensure all graduate-level messaging aligns with USD’s brand guidelines while maintaining the professional, high-touch tone expected by graduate audiences.
Manage and audit graduate program web pages for SEO, accuracy, user experience, and improved conversion pathways.
Leverage storytelling, success metrics, and alumni outcomes to strengthen engagement and conversion at each stage of the funnel.
Track, analyze and report on the effectiveness of all marketing tactics, using data from A/B testing, vendor dashboards, Slate and Google Analytics to optimize spend and messaging.
Monitor competitor graduate business programs and market trends to ensure Knauss remains a leader in the San Diego and global markets.
Manage the graduate enrollment marketing budget with the Director of Business Admissions, ensuring efficient allocation across different program priorities.
Monitor pipeline health, identifying opportunities to improve lead quality, conversion rates, and campaign efficiency.
Produce regular performance reports and insights to guide resource allocation and strategic decision-making.
Work with the Knauss School Finance and Administration team on the annual submission of graduate business tuition rate proposals and enrollment targets.
Act as the primary liaison to the Knauss Marketing and Communications team for the Graduate Business Admissions team.
Maintain ongoing collaboration with the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications to ensure Knauss-wide initiatives (e.g., rankings, reputation building) support recruitment goals.
Attend weekly recruitment meetings to ensure alignment of marketing spend with enrollment needs.
Partner with Knauss School Faculty Program Directors and Coordinators to gather success stories, alumni data, and program updates to keep marketing materials current.
Other duties as assigned.