Executive Director for Performance Marketing (Hybrid Opportunity)

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst the Commonwealths flagship campus is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1450acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College Hampshire College Mount Holyoke College and Smith College) which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Performance Marketing plays a pivotal leadership role in advancing strategic marketing planning and practices across the UMass campus system in alignment with the universitys strategic goals. This position leads transformative initiatives that position the university for sustained success elevate its visibility as a national brand and attract and retain diverse student populations that enable a dynamic and coveted learning community.

The role requires an individual with vast experience in fullcycle marketing with deep knowledge in marketing technology expertise in site/search/campaign analytics brand fluency and an acute strategic sensibility. The Executive Director will pioneer a tiered service model ensuring that all marketing efforts are fully integrated data and consumer insights driven and aligned with the Universitys critical objectives. Through continuous optimization of digital and traditional marketing efforts this position will bring a consultative approach forward thinking mindset and executive presence as a skilled partner that plans implements and measures highly strategic and innovative marketing solutions.

Essential Functions

• Builds and implements comprehensive growth marketing plans to successfully achieve UMass Amherst brand and campus partner strategic goals.
• Ensures that the marketing roadmap leverages current technologies and emerging digital marketing innovations to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Analyzes and applies prospective and current student journey data to measure and optimize marketing campaign impact on student recruitment engagement and retention.
• Implements a best practice internal marketing model. Ensures marketing strategies are aligned with institutional priorities in a tiered service model.
• Fosters strong cross collaborative relationships with internal teams with University Relations particularly Media and Community Relations. Collaborates with key stakeholders to ensure that plans are cohesive support institutional goals and promote the universitys mission.
• Builds and maintains relationships with external vendor partners to enhance marketing capabilities and leverage industry expertise. Serves as lead partner in consultation with agencies for development and implementation of bestinclass programs.
• Effectively leads mentors and develops team members to foster a highperforming collaborative and innovative work culture.
• Develops a team of account managers capable of developing and executing high impact annual marketing plans and cultivating collaborative relationships with key partners on a campus wide basis.
• Implements systems for tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) across all marketing campaigns. Assesses campaign and content strategy performance ensures that tactics are being executed as planned and adjusts as needed to optimize outcomes with a focus on achieving measurable results.
• Drives development and evolution of the brand strategy to position UMass Amherst as a national player ensuring the positioning resonates with target audiences and articulates the UMass Amherst value proposition to effectively differentiate and competitively position the University in the market.
• Analyzes and applies market research customer insights data analytics and target segmentation analyses to inform strategic marketing planning and execution. Applies an inventive mix of current and emerging marketing tools and strategies for maximized results.
• Oversees the endtoend growth marketing funnel strategy from awareness to enrollment and seamlessly integrates front and backend strategies.
• Leverages technology including advanced data analytics CRM tools and marketing automation platforms. Utilizes business intelligence methodology and influences direction of strategy through data insights.
• Leads campaign optimization efforts oversees the creation and execution of multichannel marketing campaigns (digital social media email etc.) ensuring continuous optimization based on realtime data and A/B testing results.
• Delivers compelling usercentered messaging through a strong understanding of website UX and content strategy frameworks to enable outstanding site and campaign performance.
• Utilizes financial expertise to make informed decisions on resource allocation. Oversees fiscal responsibility for allocation of marketing expenditures utilizes success metrics to inform future spending and adapt budget to market changes.
• Applies strategic foresight to anticipate future trends in higher education marketing ensuring the university remains competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Keeps a pulse on evolving student expectations to anticipate industry shifts.
• Interfaces as lead contact with campus partners and communicators. Represents the Performance Marketing team at campus client meetings key recruitment/retention events and senior administration and organizational presentations and meetings.

Other Functions

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge Skills Abilities Education Experience Certifications Licensure)

• A Bachelors degree in Marketing Data Analytics Business Administration or a related field.
• 7 (seven plus) years of experience in marketing leadership roles with a strong emphasis on digital and datadriven strategies.
• Expertise in digital marketing across various channels.
• Expertise in setting up analytics platforms (e.g. Google Analytics) and utilizing CRM systems and marketing automation tools.
• Exceptional communication presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated data analysis skills with ability to translate complex data into clear actionable strategies that drive business outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge Skills Abilities Education Experience Certifications Licensure)

• Masters degree in a related field.
• Experience working in higher education.
• Experience working within a professional centralized marketing function in a complex datadriven organization.
• Demonstrated ability leading crossfunctional teams and managing multiple projects in a fastpaced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to translate and present insights as compelling narratives for diverse stakeholders.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday Friday 8:30 AM 5:00 PM.
• May work nights and weekends as business needs dictate.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employees work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position is nonunit it is subject to the terms and conditions of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees NonUnit (Professional/or Classified) Employee Personnel Policy.

Salary Information

Salary commensurate to experience.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race color religion caste creed sex age marital status national origin disability political belief or affiliation pregnancy and pregnancyrelated condition(s) veteran status sexual orientation gender identity and expression genetic information natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment admission to and participation in academic programs activities and services and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities women persons with disabilities and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes rules and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.