Job Description:

Job Description

The Director of Marketing and Communications at Brown Universityâ™s School of Professional Studies (SPS) leads recruitment marketing strategy and execution for the Schoolâ™s wide-ranging portfolio of programs, including approximately 20 masterâ™s degree programs and a growing suite of non-degree executive education programs. SPS students include recent college graduates enrolled in residential programs and mid-career professionals and adult learners enrolled in fully online or hybrid courses of study. Reporting to the Dean of the School of Professional Studies, the Director of Marketing and Communications also supports the communications needs of the Dean and leads the Schoolâ™s communications planning and implementation for student support, academic affairs and alumni engagement.

The Director is expected to be an innovative communicator who oversees a marketing team that produces targeted, cross-channel marketing campaigns via a digital-first approach and manages relationships with external vendors, as needed. The Director establishes key performance indicators of marketing efforts in collaboration with campus partners to meet program recruitment goals. The Director analyzes multi-channel marketing metrics, establishes dashboards for regular reporting, and oversees the optimization of content and campaign strategy accordingly. The Director evaluates paid media opportunities and oversees paid social media campaigns that cross divisions within the University.

The Director leads communications planning for School priorities and initiatives, drafting constituency-based communications and preparing remarks and talking points for the Dean as needed. The Director works closely with the Dean and campus partners to develop and implement a communications strategy for internal and external audiences of students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents and families.

Major Responsibilities

1. Major Responsibility: The Director of Marketing and Communications leverages metrics to develop and implement effective multi-channel marketing campaigns, including paid media, digital advertising, and social media campaigns. 35%

Supporting Actions:

The Director of Marketing and Communications establishes budgets and key performance indicators in collaboration with campus partners to meet project and campaign goals. The Director analyzes multichannel marketing metrics, establishes dashboards for regular reporting, and optimizes marketing content and campaigns accordingly. The Director evaluates paid media opportunities and oversees paid social media campaigns that cross divisions within the University. The Director ensures that key messages are amplified and coordinated, collaborating with campus partners on tools and approaches.

The Director maintains strong relationships across campus and stays current on marketing best practices, analytics and trends. The Director ensures that marketing communications platforms (including websites and social media channels) are consistent and aligned with University and School priorities and goals. The Director is an exceptional writer and editor and has the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of constituencies (especially international and domestic students) across a range of mediaâ”and often under tight deadlines.

The Director develops strategies in alignment with Brownâ™s policies and protocols relating to visual identity, image use, Web hosting, accessibility, and vendor hiring. The Director follows established Brown University identity and messaging priorities and coordinates with internal campus constituents, including the Office of University Communications, as needed for projects requiring collaboration and input from other University stakeholders.

2. Major Responsibility: The Director ensures development and delivery of routine and campaign-oriented communications to internal and external audiences. 30%

Supporting Actions:

The Director leads the development of a School communications plan, including social media, email, newsletters, and other communications. The position collaborates with close partners on campus to ensure coordinated messaging and scheduling. Through their team, the Director ensures that content is created and delivered according to this plan. The Director supports the Dean in preparation of a range of communications, including presentations, targeted messages to specific audiences, and other communications.

3. Major Responsibility: The Director supervises a team of staff members (and external vendors as needed) and supports the professional development of staff. 30%

Supporting Actions: The Director supervises and leads their team in the strategy and execution of high-impact, multi-channel marketing campaigns and projects aimed at increasing engagement across a range of audiences leading to degree and program enrollments, and in a robust schedule of communications to internal and external audiences. The Director ensures that staff follow a creative, metrics-driven approach while building and maintaining strong campus partnerships. The Director assesses staff capacity in the planning for upcoming activities, and collaborates with SPS leadership to determine if/when external vendors are warranted to support activities. The Director then oversees the recruitment of and relationship with external vendors.

As a direct supervisor and mentor to a team of staff members, the Director conducts performance evaluations, sets individual and team goals, and supports the professional development of staff. The Director ensures that staff engage in necessary professional development to remain aligned with industry best practices in their work.

4. Major Responsibility: The Director attends relevant meetings and keeps current on best practices and trends through professional development opportunities. 5%

Supporting Actions: The Director represents the marketing and communications team and its work at relevant OUC and campus stakeholder meetings and closely collaborates with Marketing and Communications leads in other campus units (e.g. Graduate School, School of Public Health, Division of Campus Life). The Director engages in relevant professional development opportunities to keep current in a rapidly changing field.

Job Qualifications

Education

● Required: Bachelorâ™s degree

● Preferred: Advanced degree

Experience

● Minimum 7 years of experience in strategic marketing, journalism, public relations, communications, or a related field

● Proven experience overseeing multi-channel content production, especially multimedia in a fast-paced environment

● Professional experience planning and executing digital marketing campaigns with measurable results to advance the goals of an organization

● Demonstrated experience analyzing and reporting on multi-channel marketing metrics, including proficiency developing dashboards and/or other mechanisms for tracking performance indicators

● Experience working in a creative environment

● Experience with online collaboration tools for project management a plus

● Background in higher education or a complex non-profit organization preferred

Job Competencies

Indicate the essential job competencies. Competencies are required knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the job successfully.

● Strategic thinker with a track record of successful execution and implementation of complex communication strategies and projects across digital and media platforms

● Expertise in developing effective messaging tailored to audiences, including extensive knowledge of applying strategic communications and messaging

● Superb verbal and written communication skills

● Extensive knowledge of print and digital marketing principles, including data analytics to assess key performance indicators

● Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume environment

● Strong visual aesthetic

● Demonstrated analytical skills and business acumen

● Broad interest in and understanding of higher education issues

● Excellent management skills, including the ability to inspire staff members

● Proficiency with the full Microsoft Office Suite

● Proficiency in managing multiple projects with competing deadlines

● Possess a willingness and ability to support and promote a diverse and inclusive campus community

Criminal and education background check required.

In order to maintain 90% or greater universal vaccination rates on campus, all newly hired employees at Brown University must receive the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before they begin work, unless they are approved for a medical or religious exemption. For more information, please visit the Healthy Brown site. 

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Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any staff position at Brown University you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

Still Have Questions?

If you have any questions you may contact employment@brown.edu.

EEO Statement:

Brown University is an E-Verify Employer.

Brown University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community; as an EEO/AA employer, Brown considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, race, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.