Director of Admissions Marketing & Communications

Western Washington University • Bellingham, WA

1d

About The Position

The Director of Admissions Marketing & Communications provides strategic leadership for marketing and communications that support undergraduate admissions at Western Washington University, with a focus on recruitment, application, admission, and transition to enrollment. Housed within University Marketing, this role leads the development and coordination of integrated admissions communications strategies in close partnership with Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid, and Orientation & Transition. The Director ensures that messaging, timing, and channels are aligned across units to create a cohesive, student-centered experience and to support institutional admissions goals. This position serves as the primary strategic lead for admissions communications executed through Slate, coordinating CRM-based messaging, campaign sequencing, and performance assessment in collaboration with Admissions leadership and Marketing Operations. This role also provides strategic guidance and consultation to support Admissions marketing and communications efforts across Western’s campuses and locations, ensuring a cohesive approach that reflects both institutional priorities and local context. The Director exercises a high degree of independent judgment and supervises professional staff supporting admissions marketing initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, English, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience.
• Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, or admissions-related work.
• Demonstrated expertise with Slate in an admissions communications context, evidenced by Slate certification and/or a minimum of one year of hands-on Slate experience.
• Experience working in undergraduate admissions, enrollment management, or student transition programs.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Strong analytical skills and experience using data to inform communications strategy.
• Demonstrated experience developing and leading integrated, multi-channel marketing or communications strategies.
• At least one year of experience leading staff or complex, cross-functional communications initiatives.
• Advanced experience coordinating communications across multiple functional units.
• Experience working within a centralized or matrixed marketing organization.
• Demonstrated success aligning admissions communications strategy with institutional goals and student experience outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction for admissions-related marketing and communications within University Marketing.
• Lead the development of integrated admissions communications strategies spanning recruitment, application, admission, financial aid awareness, and transition to enrollment.
• Provide strategic leadership and guidance for Admissions marketing and communications initiatives that span Western's multiple campuses and academic centers, including Bellingham, Western on the Peninsulas, and other locations, ensuring alignment with institutional brand, messaging, and admissions goals.
• Ensure admissions communications are student-centered, accessible, and aligned with institutional brand and messaging frameworks.
• Serve as a strategic partner to Admissions, Financial Aid, and Orientation & Transition leadership to align communications with admissions priorities and student needs.
• Translate admissions goals into coordinated communications approaches across channels and units.
• Serve as the primary strategic lead for admissions-related communications executed through Slate.
• Establish and maintain frameworks for admissions lifecycle messaging, campaign sequencing, and audience segmentation in collaboration with Admissions and Enrollment Management partners.
• Coordinate CRM-based admissions communications to ensure consistency, clarity, and appropriate timing across recruitment and yield phases.
• Partner with Marketing Operations and Enrollment Systems staff to align communications strategy with data structures, governance practices, and technical capabilities.
• Analyze performance data to evaluate effectiveness and inform refinements to admissions communications strategies.
• Foster strong, ongoing collaboration between University Marketing and Admissions-related units to ensure coordinated planning and execution of admissions communications.
• Align admissions marketing efforts with broader institutional marketing initiatives and calendars.
• Serve as a central point of coordination for cross-unit admissions campaigns and communications initiatives.
• Represent University Marketing on admissions-related working groups and committees as appropriate.
• Supervise and support professional staff working on admissions marketing and communications initiatives.
• Provide functional guidance and mentorship related to admissions campaign development, messaging coordination, and communications assessment.
• Establish metrics and reporting frameworks to assess the effectiveness of admissions marketing efforts.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, workflows, and use of marketing technologies to support admissions goals.
• Contribute to long-range planning related to admissions marketing strategy, tools, and staffing.

Benefits

• Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position

What This Job Offers

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