Digital Media Strategy Subject Matter Expert (Hybrid)

EAB • Richmond, VA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Digital Media Strategy Subject Matter Expert to play a pivotal role in pre-sales activities by shaping customized digital marketing plans and solutions that drive enrollment and brand awareness for higher education institutions. Sitting at the intersection of sales, strategy, and execution, this role serves as the vital link between our business development and service teams, ensuring that prospective partners receive tailored, high-impact media plans that align with their marketing and enrollment objectives. As a strategic advisor, you will work closely with sales executives, marketing strategists, and creative teams to develop data-backed, results-driven digital campaigns. Your expertise in agency operations, media planning (Google, Bing, Meta, LinkedIn, and other digital platforms), and creative development will help craft compelling, effective solutions that drive real results for our education partners. This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive and innovative digital marketer with creative experience who thrives in a collaborative environment and enjoys translating complex marketing challenges into actionable, high-performing solutions. This single role is listed as Digital Media Strategy Subject Matter Expert (Hybrid) or Digital Media Strategist (Hybrid) for posting purposes; the official and internal title of this hire is expected to be Associate Director, Digital Media Strategy; Director, Digital Media Strategy; or Senior Director, Digital Media Strategy to align with EAB business norms. Applicants for this opportunity are being considered across all levels. This hire may be based in Richmond, VA.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• 4-10+ years of experience in digital marketing, media planning, or sales engineering, preferably within an agency setting where you have worked hands-on with major advertising platforms.
• Deep expertise in paid media strategy, including Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, programmatic display, video, and emerging platforms.
• Strong understanding of creative development processes, including ad design, messaging, and landing page optimization.
• Strong storytelling and presentation skills that translate complex data and media plans into compelling narratives for senior audiences.
• Proven ability to translate client goals into actionable marketing strategies with measurable outcomes.
• Excellent presentation and storytelling skills, with experience pitching media plans to executive stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive in a cross-functional environment, collaborating with sales, marketing, creative, and analytics teams.
• Willingness to travel domestically at least 10-15%.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with (delivering in sales or service roles) higher education clients is a plus.
• Commitment to embracing a continual learning environment and contributing to a dynamic and welcoming culture of fairness, authenticity, and belonging in support of EAB’s mission, values, and aspiration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and present digital marketing strategies that directly influence multi-million dollar partnerships with top educational institutions.
• Leverage industry trends and performance analytics to craft innovative digital campaigns that set institutions apart.
• Collaborate with sales teams to assess prospective client needs and translate them into comprehensive digital marketing media plans, including paid search, social, display, video, and emerging channels.
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) in digital marketing, providing insights on industry trends, platform innovations, and best practices for education institutions.
• Partner with internal teams to develop custom creative assets (ads, landing pages, video concepts, etc.) that align with client goals and institutional branding.
• Work closely with data and analytics teams to incorporate performance insights into pre-sale proposals.
• Build pre-sale real-time demand assessments and analysis using search behavior (keywords and program-specific search terms).
• Join select partner and prospect conversations to address advanced technical and strategic marketing questions, reinforcing solution credibility and strengthening confidence during the sales process.
• Create and refine best-in-class media strategies that optimize budget allocation and maximize conversion impact.
• Bridge the gap between data and creativity, ensuring campaigns not only perform well but also tell compelling brand stories.
• Lead the development of customized, data-backed media plans that optimize spend across multiple digital channels.
• Guide creative strategy, ensuring that ad messaging, design, and execution resonate with education audiences and drive conversions.
• Ensure seamless handoff from pre-sale to execution, working with service teams to set up campaigns for success.
• Act as the liaison between sales and service teams, ensuring smooth knowledge transfer and alignment on client expectations.
• Train and mentor sales teams on digital marketing best practices, helping them communicate value propositions effectively.
• Stay informed on emerging trends, technologies, and platform updates that impact digital marketing for education institutions.
• Represent the company at industry events, conferences, and client meetings as a trusted advisor on digital strategy.
• Contribute to marketing initiatives such as webinars, blog content, and external-facing insights that showcase EAB’s digital media expertise and support demand generation efforts.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans; dependents and domestic partners eligible
• 20+ days of PTO annually, in addition to paid firm and floating holidays
• Daytime leave policy for community service and flextime for fitness activities (up to 10 hours per month each)
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with annual discretionary company matching contribution
• Health savings account, healthcare and dependent care flexible spending account, and pre-tax commuter plans
• Employee assistance program with counseling services and resources available to all employees and immediate family
• Wellness programs including gym discounts, incentives to promote healthy living, and family access to the leading app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation
• Fertility treatment coverage and adoption or surrogacy assistance
• Paid parental leave with phase back to work program for birthing and non-birthing parents
• Access to milk shipping service to support nursing employees during business travel
• Discounted pet health insurance coverage for dog and cat family members
• Company-provided life, AD&D, and disability insurance
• Financial wellness resources and membership in a robust employee discount program
• Access to employee resource groups, merit-based advancement, and dynamic professional growth opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level