Director of Marketing and Communications

Details•San Diego, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Marketing and Communications at the Knauss School of Business works under the guidance of the Assistant Dean of Marketing and Recruitment to oversee the Knauss School of Business’s marketing and communications strategy, leading campaigns and initiatives that enhance awareness and reputation, while ensuring brand alignment and consistency with USD’s visual identity, messaging platform and brand. The Director leads a team of marketing and communications professionals in establishing and managing the brand reputation and visibility of the Knauss School of Business, to national and international audiences. Together with the Assistant Dean of Marketing and Recruitment, the school’s Centers of Distinction and University Marketing and Communications, the Director collaborates on strategies that position and promote the school, its initiatives, students, alumni, programs and centers. In addition, the Director also oversees strategic events management and ensures event-related alignment in implementing best practices and achieving strategic initiatives. The Director also provides support for dean communications, fundraising and special campaign materials, donor proposals, centers collateral, and special events programming, including print, video, email, social media, and talking points or scripting. The role requires flexibility in working some evenings and weekends, as well as occasionally traveling.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with preference given to business, marketing or related field
5 years of experience in leadership roles in marketing, brand development or related field.
Proven ability to develop, direct, and implement strategic marketing strategies for school-wide communications and recruitment
Proven leadership and effective strategic planning skills
Lead generation, lead nurturing and conversion skills using the latest in digital marketing technology
Experience and strong knowledge of CRM (customer relationship) and CMS (customer management) systems
Experience planning, developing, directing, implementing and evaluating strategic marketing and communications plans, programs and activities applicable to a university
Understanding of consumer marketing mix and customer journey mapping
Experience interacting with the professional business community
Ability to manage, motivate and teach staff and vendors to deliver high quality executions of campaigns on multiple concurrent projects
High level of budgetary and financial experience, which includes development of marketing and lead generation budgets and negotiating contracts
Proven experience leading a high-functioning team, including the ability to hire, manage, and motivate staff, and lead in a team environment
Solid understanding of university marketing and admissions trends and best practices
Experience developing and delivering executive level presentations and reports to a wide variety of audiences
Computers and software (including MS Word, Access or other databases, Internet, Web, Hubspot, Salesforce, Google Analytics, CMS and CRM systems, etc.)
Excellent knowledge of SEO, web traffic metrics and digital marketing platforms including Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, YouTube and others
Being comfortable in working with others from different cultures and countries
Human relations and interpersonal communications
Exercising self-initiative and creativity
Be able to function with the highest degree of autonomy
Operation of personal computer equipment and web management
Time management and organization of multi-tasking work requirements
Communicating effectively both verbally and in writing
Working with diverse personalities
Working independently using good judgment, initiative and creativity
Familiar and comfortable with working with students
Being flexible and versatile in coping with evolving situations
Being able to handle the stress of last-minute deadlines and changes
Ability to assume responsibility and effectively resolve problems by exercising independent judgment
Interacting with faculty, academic administrators and students
Project or event management

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university with preference given to business, marketing, or related field.
5+ years of experience in higher education marketing, branding or related field.

Responsibilities

Oversee School-Wide Marketing, Branding and Communications
Support the Assistant Dean of Marketing and Recruitment in the strategic planning of marketing and communications for the Knauss School of Business and its portfolio of programs.
Oversee the execution of a comprehensive internal and external marketing, communications and brand strategy and plan designed to support the Knauss School of Business thought leadership initiatives, development and alumni activities, taking into consideration institutional image, message, positioning, mission, goals, priorities and accomplishments of the school.
Lead a highly functional Knauss School of Business marketing team that supports, manages and oversees collateral development, video production, website development, media relations, website development, etc. for the school’s centers and institutes, as well as high-level events, fundraising campaigns, alumni outreach and more.
Generates and measures the impact of lead generation campaigns, positive media coverage about the Knauss School of Business, rankings, and other marketing and communications tactics that bring visibility and revenue to the Knauss School of Business
Collaborate with other members of the University Marketing and Communications team, University Advancement colleagues, and members of the campus community to increase the visibility of Knauss School of Business strategic initiatives, thought leadership, new programs and student/alumni success
Assists with internal communications from leadership, fundraising materials, donor proposals, center collateral, and special event programming, including print, video, email, social media, and scripting.
Oversee Knauss School of Business PR strategy and measurement along with USD media relations team and external agencies
Oversee event marketing coordinators, ensuring effective promotion, consistent brand messaging and elevated event experiences across the school
Provide strategic leadership and direction for all marketing and communications related to events, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and brand standards.
Oversee the planning and execution of a comprehensive events portfolio (e.g., brand activations, thought leadership events, internal and external engagement events, and signature school events) led by the Strategic Events Manager and Coordinator.
Establish clear event objectives, success metrics, and ROI frameworks tied to brand visibility, audience engagement, and overall marketing impact.
Supervise and support the Strategic Events Manager and Coordinator by setting priorities, providing guidance, and ensuring accountability for timelines, deliverables, and quality standards.
Ensure cross-functional coordination with internal stakeholders (e.g., academic units, leadership, communications teams) and external partners to deliver cohesive, high-quality event experiences that reinforce the brand.
Monitor event execution at a high level, proactively identifying risks, resolving escalated issues, and ensuring events are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
Review and analyze event performance data (attendance, engagement, feedback, and brand impact) to inform continuous improvement and future event strategy and, as appropriate, share with internal stakeholders.
Ensure compliance with university policies and procedures, including contracts, vendor management, budgeting, and risk management, in collaboration with the Knauss School Finance and Administration team.
Champion innovation in event strategy by incorporating emerging trends, technologies, and hybrid/virtual engagement models to enhance reach and effectiveness.
Represent the marketing and communications function in high-level event planning discussions and serve as an executive presence at key events, reinforcing brand positioning and institutional messaging.
Hires, trains, supervises and evaluates department admin and staff members
Manages marketing team budget to achieve operational goals, approves expenditures and ensures overall compliance with the budget
Identifies and implements cost-saving, budgetary efficiencies
Works with Finance and Administration Team on multiple vendor agreements to ensure compliance with university policies
In collaboration with the Associate Dean, negotiates vendor contracts as they relate to marketing strategies
Provides creative, viable solutions to operational challenges
Provides regular updates to internal and external stakeholders on departmental initiatives, efforts and outcomes
Other duties as assigned