Executive Director of Growth Marketing and Enrollment, Grad and Online Programs

Southern Utah University•Cedar City, UT

6d•Remote

About The Position

The Executive Director of Growth Marketing and Enrollment provides strategic leadership for the marketing, lead generation, and enrollment communications functions supporting Southern Utah University's graduate and online portfolio of approximately 3,700 online students. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Graduate & Online Programs, this position leads a high-performing enrollment marketing operation that mirrors the capabilities of an Online Program Management (OPM) organization, utilizing data analytics, AI-enabled marketing strategies, and multi-channel campaigns to drive inquiry generation, application growth, and enrollment outcomes. This position serves as Southern Utah University's chief architect for online enrollment growth, leading an integrated marketing operation that combines data analytics, artificial intelligence, digital demand generation, and student journey optimization to drive sustainable enrollment growth across graduate and online programs. Provides strong leadership and direct supervision of professional staff, student employees, and external marketing partners. Responsible for hiring, training, performance management, and professional development of assigned personnel. This position is intended to function as the equivalent of an internal OPM marketing leader, building and leading an agile, data-driven enrollment marketing operation capable of generating sustainable growth for Southern Utah University's graduate and online portfolio. This position has the option of working remotely with periodic trips to campus. Must live in one of the following states: UT, ID, AZ, NV, TX, WY, CA, IL, AL, FL, CO, PA, WA, DC, AK or TN. The Director will oversee a team of 4-6 individuals who will implement the functions below. Success will be measured by enrollment outcomes in the following categories: Total online enrollment Graduate enrollment Online undergraduate enrollment Total student starts Enrollment by program Enrollment by marketing source

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Higher Education Administration, or related field.
Seven or more years of progressive experience in digital marketing, enrollment marketing, lead generation, or student recruitment.
At least three years of supervisory and leadership experience.
Demonstrated experience managing large-scale digital marketing campaigns and enrollment funnels.
Experience with CRM platforms and marketing automation technologies.
Strong analytical skills with experience utilizing data visualization and reporting tools.
Budget management experience.
Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Higher Education, or related field.
Experience in graduate, online, or adult learner recruitment.
Experience working for or alongside an Online Program Management (OPM) organization.
Demonstrated expertise in AI-powered marketing, predictive analytics, and marketing automation.
Experience with Salesforce, Slate, Banner, Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, and other enrollment technology platforms.
Experience leading integrated teams responsible for digital marketing, communications, and enrollment management.
Deep understanding of enrollment marketing and lead generation strategies.
Knowledge of emerging trends in higher education marketing and artificial intelligence.
Ability to develop and execute data-informed enrollment strategies.
Strong project management and organizational skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders.
Demonstrated commitment to innovation, customer service, and student success.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute comprehensive enrollment marketing strategies for graduate and online programs.
Establish annual lead generation, application, and enrollment targets and create plans to exceed those goals.
Serve as the primary marketing strategist for Graduate & Online Programs and provide recommendations regarding new program launches and market opportunities.
Oversee direct paid and organic digital marketing strategies including Google, Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube, display advertising, SEO, AIO (AI Optimization), and GEO (Generative Experience Optimization).
Develop and optimize marketing funnels that move prospective students from awareness to enrollment.
Monitor cost-per-lead, cost-per-enrollment, and return-on-investment metrics.
Direct the lead CRM communication strategies and automated recruitment journeys.
Oversee lead scoring, nurturing campaigns, segmentation strategies, and recruitment workflows.
Ensure the building of dashboards and reporting systems that provide real-time enrollment funnel analytics.
Direct the implementation and oversee the use of generative AI tools to enhance marketing content, personalization, campaign automation, predictive analytics, and workflow efficiencies.
Evaluate emerging technologies and implement scalable solutions that replicate best practices utilized by leading OPM organizations.
Champion a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
Provide direct supervision and leadership to marketing, communications, and recruitment personnel, including full-time staff, student employees, and external partners.
Establish performance metrics and professional development plans.
Partner with academic leaders across all programs to develop enrollment strategies and compelling value propositions.
Collaborate with University Marketing, Admissions, and Information Technology to ensure alignment of institutional and program marketing initiatives.
Manage enrollment marketing budgets and vendor relationships.
Continuously analyze campaign performance and reallocate resources to maximize enrollment outcomes.
Perform other duties as assigned.