Director, Enrollment Marketing and Communications

$95,903 - $125,000/Yr

Kansas State University - Manhattan, KS

Full-time - Director

Remote - Manhattan, KS

Educational Services

About the position

The Director of Enrollment Marketing and Communications at Kansas State University is a pivotal role responsible for the strategic development and execution of marketing and communication initiatives aimed at supporting the university's undergraduate enrollment and recruitment goals. This position primarily supports the Office of Enrollment Management (OEM), which encompasses various offices including financial assistance, registrar, and undergraduate recruitment and admissions, along with central administrative resources that provide data analytics, budget management, human resources, and technology support. Reporting directly to the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, the Director will lead a comprehensive marketing program that coordinates outreach efforts across all functional units of OEM in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President for Communications and Marketing and academic units. In this fast-paced environment, the Director will oversee a team of marketing and communications professionals, ensuring the delivery of a high volume and diverse range of outreach and engagement efforts, including print collateral, direct mail, and email campaigns. The Director serves as the primary liaison with the University Department of Marketing and Communications, facilitating the coordination of advertising, web, and social media initiatives. As a key member of the OEM leadership team, the Director will provide strategic communication direction to the Vice Provost and other senior leaders, assisting with both internal and external communications for the unit. Key responsibilities include developing, executing, and evaluating a strategic enrollment marketing and communications plan in consultation with various university stakeholders, supporting the student lifecycle through multi-faceted enrollment communication strategies, and providing visionary leadership in communication strategy to enhance recruitment, admissions, student financial assistance, and registrar functions. The Director will also be responsible for conducting research, analyzing market trends, and understanding behavioral insights of prospective and current students to improve marketing and enrollment success. Additionally, the role involves implementing comprehensive communications strategies across multiple platforms to build awareness and enhance the reputation of Kansas State University and OEM, overseeing production and approval processes for various marketing materials, and coaching team members to maximize their effectiveness in a high-performance work environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute, and evaluate a strategic enrollment marketing and communications plan in consultation with diverse university-wide stakeholders to support strategic enrollment goals.
• Support the student lifecycle through multi-faceted enrollment communication strategies.
• Provide visionary and operational leadership in communication strategy to support the strategic initiatives of OEM, including recruitment, admissions, student financial assistance, and registrar functions.
• Conduct research, insights, strategic action plan analysis, market trend evaluation, and understanding behavioral insights of prospective and current students to enhance marketing and enrollment success.
• Develop and execute comprehensive communications strategies across multiple platforms to build awareness and enhance the reputation of Kansas State University and OEM.
• Implement the marketing and communications plan across various channels, including website management, email campaigns, texting campaigns, and printed collateral. Oversee production, editing, and approval processes.
• Coach and develop team members to maximize their creativity, productivity, and effectiveness, fostering a positive and high-performance work environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• Five to ten years of relevant experience.
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business, or a related field preferred; advanced degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in marketing, communications, or enrollment management, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership role.
• Experience with email marketing, including copy, design, and delivery/implementation.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills, with the ability to develop and execute comprehensive communication strategies.
• Proficiency with CRM tools (Slate preferred), content management systems, digital marketing platforms, and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to produce high-quality content and represent the university effectively.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely and within-budget delivery.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, senior leadership, and external partners to achieve shared objectives.
• Ability to foster creativity and innovation within the team to develop engaging and effective marketing and communication materials.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in evidence-based decision-making and outcomes assessment.
• Ability to interact cooperatively and sensitively with staff and individuals from other cultures, ethnic groups, lifestyles, and backgrounds.
• Experience supervising full-time staff.
• Prior higher education marketing experience.
• Prior admission/enrollment management experience.
• Experience in developing automated, rolling campaigns through CRM system.
• Basic HTML and/or CSS, Liquid Markup, and Microsoft Office skills.
• Experience with student information systems (PeopleSoft).

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in higher education marketing and enrollment management.
• Familiarity with automated marketing tools and techniques.
• Experience in developing and managing budgets for marketing initiatives.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement plans
• Paid time off - vacation, sick, and holidays