Executive Director, Marketing & Communications

University of Denver • Denver, CO

1d

About The Position

The Executive Director of College Marketing and Communications will lead a strategic, collaborative marketing and communications model designed to drive graduate enrollment growth and revenue generation across multiple colleges within the university. This executive-level position requires a dynamic leader who can balance strategic vision with operational excellence, building cohesive partnerships across campus while managing both college-embedded marketing leads and a centralized shared services team.

Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive marketing leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a senior management role
• Proven experience managing complex, matrixed teams and cross-functional partnerships
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns that drive measurable results
• Deep expertise in digital marketing, including paid advertising, social media, email marketing, SEO, and web analytics
• Strong budget management experience with demonstrated ability to optimize resources and demonstrate ROI
• Strategic vision and execution
• Collaborative leadership
• Change management
• Stakeholder engagement
• Data analytics and performance measurement
• Budget and resource management
• Digital marketing expertise
• Process improvement and operational efficiency
• Relationship building and influence
• Adaptability and problem-solving
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills with ability to influence without direct authority
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills and data-driven decision-making abilities
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for a variety of audiences

Nice To Haves

• Masters degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Higher Education, or related field
• Experience in higher education marketing, particularly graduate and professional programs
• Knowledge of enrollment management principles and student recruitment lifecycles
• Familiarity with CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and enrollment management technologies
• Understanding of higher education organizational structures and academic culture

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and leadership for college-based marketing and communications leads and Office of Graduate Education lead within the shared services model
• Oversee and develop a centralized shared services team executing specialized functions including web development, social media, email marketing, paid digital campaigns, graphic design, content creation/blogging, and SEO
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across distributed and centralized team members
• Mentor and develop staff, ensuring professional growth and high performance standards
• Cultivate and maintain productive relationships with deans, central University Relations, and administrators across participating colleges and within the University of Denver
• Serve as the primary liaison between the Office of Graduate Education, college leadership, and the shared services marketing and communications team
• Build trust and credibility across stakeholders with competing priorities and distinct program needs
• Facilitate regular communication and collaboration to ensure alignment on enrollment goals and marketing priorities
• Develop and implement comprehensive marketing strategies that drive enrollment growth and revenue across all participating programs
• Identify market opportunities, emerging trends, and competitive positioning to inform strategic recommendations
• Create integrated marketing campaign plans that leverage economies of scale while respecting individual program uniqueness
• Establish metrics and KPIs to measure marketing effectiveness and ROI across programs and channels
• Lead university-wide graduate enrollment strategies, identify partnership opportunities, champion new initiatives that will benefit multiple colleges, and liaise with the Office of Graduate Education to support units without dedicated marketing and communications resources
• Analyze current operations to identify opportunities for process improvement, resource optimization, and operational efficiencies
• Implement scalable systems, workflows, and technologies that enhance productivity and service delivery
• Develop standardized processes and best practices while maintaining flexibility for program-specific needs
• Ensure quality control and brand consistency across all marketing materials and campaigns
• Manage and optimize multiple marketing budgets, ensuring strategic allocation of resources across colleges and programs
• Develop annual budget recommendations based on enrollment priorities, strategic initiatives, and market data
• Monitor expenditures, forecast needs, and provide regular financial reporting to stakeholders
• Maximize ROI through data-driven budget decisions and efficient resource utilization
• Design and execute sophisticated paid marketing campaigns across digital platforms (search, social, display, video, etc.)
• Allocate paid media budgets strategically to benefit all units within the model while achieving institution-wide enrollment goals
• Analyze campaign performance data and optimize strategies for maximum enrollment impact
• Stay current on digital marketing trends, platform updates, and higher education marketing best practices

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• retirement
• paid time off
• tuition benefit
• ECO pass

What This Job Offers

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