| Essential Function The University of Cincinnati offers 82 degrees and certificates online. More than 6,000 students are enrolled in 100% online learning programs, and more than 10,000 students have taken online courses. Currently, Cincinnati Online manages operations for fifteen of these degrees and expects to grow steadily over the next several years. Under general direction of the Dean and Vice Provost, the Executive Director of Marketing oversees the full marketing and recruiting activities of Cincinnati Online, the University of Cincinnati's online learning unit. Through the successful investment of a sizeable marketing budget, the Marketing Director will launch a value chain that will be tracked and evaluated in multiple ways. To view the progression of attracting qualified leads, and nurturing them as they move through the advising, application, and admissions process – to enrolled students participating in online courses and programs. The Executive Director of Marketing must be willing to build from the ground up and possess strong technical skills. This includes researching, developing, and implementing a comprehensive and multi-channeled marketing structure with the goal of increasing student enrollments and revenue, while positively shaping Cincinnati Online's brand, profile, and visibility within local, regional, national, and international markets. In consultation with the Vice Provost and Dean and other college administrators, the Executive Director of Marketing will lead a team of marketing managers and recruiters to create, implement, and deliver ROI through strategic marketing efforts for Cincinnati Online. This includes developing and delivering a multi-channeled and comprehensive marketing plan for each Cincinnati Online program and owning the prospective student pipeline from inquiry to enrolled student. Characteristic Duties The Marketing Director reports directly to the Vice Provost and Dean of Cincinnati Online, and guides the overall marketing strategy for Cincinnati Online. Entrusted with a significant marketing budget, the Marketing Director must be data driven, business oriented, hands-on, and experienced in building systems and processes for gathering and analyzing data to drive leads through the enrollment funnel to produce significant and positive returns on the marketing investment. Candidates must have a solid understanding of cost per lead, cost per enrollment, total acquisition cost per student, conversion rates of leads by marketing channel, recruiter contact rates, recruiter conversion rates, and other metrics to measure impact and value creation. Building a marketing team that is data driven, metrically focused, analytically oriented will be required to meet the scale and need of the online marketing effort at the University of Cincinnati. Key duties include: - Develop goals and objectives for enrollment planning in collaboration with Cincinnati Online's budget team and with the budget teams of UC's colleges.
- Oversee the overall online student recruitment process and vendor relationships for marketing and recruitment to ensure effective management and conversion of prospective student leads.
- Represent and advocate marketing resource needs to the Vice Provost and Dean, including staffing, resource, and technical needs.
- Collaborate with internal constituents to develop and implement a branding and marketing strategy based on student and market research that incorporates the overall institutional vision, mission, goals and strategic plan.
- Develop and implement data-driven, metric-based marketing research, analysis and assessment tools for Cincinnati Online.
- Build, deploy, manage, and refine a CRM process flow to appropriately track, manage, and nurture leads through the enrollment pipeline as well as tracking and reporting and implementing on-going prospect communications.
- Develop overall marketing strategy that addresses the student life cycle and takes into account Cincinnati Online's priorities including using customer data to establish optimum, cost effective contacting practices, and combining customer data to achieve the best ROI for promotional efforts.
- Gather and use response and enrollment data to benchmark and refine the media mix.
- Use market research to adjust marketing strategies to optimize student recruitment and retention.
- Plan and oversee program reporting and analysis including campaign media planning, budget allocation, lead source tracking, weekly snapshots of results, and formal semester reports.
- Interpret market research data and assist Cincinnati Online's leadership and functional teams in setting institutional and departmental curriculum development priorities for internal and external clients.
- Develop, and optimize the architecture and usability of Cincinnati Online's public website, while incorporating search engine optimization and digital marketing techniques, and the utilization of other social and emerging digital marketing strategies and channels.
- Perform lead generation planning, placement, organization, distribution, and evaluation of all Cincinnati Online's promotional print, television, web, radio advertising and direct mail marketing, banners, email blasts and interactive promotions for social media, pay-per click, and organic lead generation through search engine optimization (SEO).
- Oversee staff to develop automated email campaigns to re-engage leads and stimulate further action to becoming a student.
- Oversee staff of external vendors in performing market research, enrollment analysis, and assessment services.
- Develop a measurement and reporting structure to present key findings and results to university stakeholders.
- Oversee brand control in alignment with UC brand standards.
- Coordinate with internal stakeholders on various public relations and media planning opportunities as they arise.
- Assist the Vice Provost and Dean in developing relationships with a wide variety of constituencies within the UC community, throughout the region and state, nationally, and internationally, to advance Cincinnati Online's goals and to enhance the organization's image.
Minimum Qualifications - Master's degree with ten (10) years' experience; -OR- Bachelor's degree with twelve (12) years' experience.
- At least ten (10) years of experience developing marketing strategy, including research, messaging, positioning, copy, and campaigns, with management responsibility of a team performing these services for at least five (5) years.
- At least five (5) years of experience selecting, managing, and growing marketing teams.
- Experience working with sales teams, or at least as a cross-functional team with marketing to achieve shared objectives. Ability to manage, motivate, and teach staff and vendors to deliver high quality executions of campaign elements on multiple concurrent projects. Strong strategic thinking and creative skills. Demonstrated ability to negotiate.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office. Very strong Excel skills with experience using its analytical and data tools. Experience working with a CRM. Experience with web content management systems. Ability to lead, direct, and manage, but willingness and skillset capable of performing hands-on tasks as needed. Experience with budget and financial processes and structures.
- Understanding of the administrative functions, academic programs, and requirements of a university.
The University of Cincinnati, as a multi-national and culturally diverse university, is committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and diverse place of learning and employment. As part of a complete job application you will be asked to include a Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion statement. As a UC employee, and an employee of an Ohio public institution, if hired you will not contribute to the federal Social Security system, other than contributions to Medicare. Instead, UC employees have the option to contribute to a state retirement plan (OPERS, STRS) or an alternative retirement plan (ARP). The University of Cincinnati is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer / M / F / Veteran / Disabled. REQ: 30173 SF:OMJ SF:OOD SF:RM SF:INS SF:IND; SF:INS |
