Senior Director, Advancement Communications and Marketing - University Advancement

Carnegie Mellon University•Pittsburgh, PA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Carnegie Mellon University is seeking a Senior Director, Advancement Communications and Marketing, to build on its success and digital excellence. This role is for a leader who can manage a complex digital ecosystem, translate performance data into actionable insights, and lead a high-performing team in executing a sophisticated, omnichannel digital strategy. The Senior Director will oversee the advancement communications tech stack, leveraging tools like Marketing Cloud and GiveCampus, and will be responsible for monitoring and reporting on digital marketing initiatives. This role requires interpreting complex data sets to optimize outreach to alumni, parents, donors, and other constituents. The Senior Director will also provide strategic guidance to the digital gift officer program and lead mass digital marketing for signature programming. A key aspect of this role is leading the university’s commitment to ethical innovation in AI, ensuring strategies remain at the forefront of the industry while focusing on engagement and donor retention.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required (master’s degree preferred)
7-10 years of relevant work experience required
A combination of education and relevant experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.
Successful background check
Valid state driver's license.
Must complete a driver's license verification on an annual basis and complete the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving training program once every three years.
Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States. CMU will not sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.
CMU is not a qualifying employer for the STEM OPT benefit: only the 12-month OPT may be used to work at Carnegie Mellon.

Nice To Haves

A highly data-driven mindset, with the ability to interpret complex data and communicate findings in meaningful ways to diverse stakeholders.
Management experience is required, with a focus on mentoring digital specialists and fostering a collaborative culture.
Proficiency in data tools and experience using data to make strategic recommendations.
Experience creating digital marketing cascades and multi-channel campaign management.
Technical proficiency in industry-standard tools.
Strong relationship-building skills, working effectively with content creators and campus partners to ensure a unified brand voice.

Responsibilities

Leading digital strategy and execution for University Advancement, building upon the momentum of current programs across social media, email marketing, event management, SMS and online giving.
Serving as the primary interpreter of digital engagement data, utilizing Google Analytics and platform-specific metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of digital marketing cascades.
Reporting on success to senior leadership and campus partners, providing clear visualizations and recommendations to inform future strategies.
Managing the advancement communications tech stack, with a focus on maximizing the capabilities of Marketing Cloud and GiveCampus to enhance the constituent journey.
Driving investment and ethical innovation in AI, integrating emerging tools into the workflow to increase efficiency and personalize donor engagement.
Supervising and mentoring a team of high-performing digital communicators, fostering a collaborative environment focused on excellence and operational efficiency.
Collaborating with content creators and campus partners to ensure alignment across engagement efforts.
Work with the Executive Director to ensure that ACM communications initiatives are fully integrated and coordinated across all platforms, digital and print.
Operating with high organization in a fast-paced environment, ensuring all deadlines and strategic milestones are met with precision.
Other duties as assigned.