Requisition ID: 118084

Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Enrollment Management

The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid is responsible for an integrated and seamless approach to strategy, planning, and implementation in undergraduate enrollment management, as well as providing strategic input for graduate and professional program enrollment management across the university.

The Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications will play a critical role in shaping the public presence, positioning, and brand of the university by creating and executing marketing strategies to advance and promote the university as the top choice for potential undergraduate or graduate students. This role will be devoted to 70% effort on undergraduate enrollment management and 30% on graduate and professional enrollment management.

This role will report to the Associate Vice Provost for Admissions and Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, with a dotted line report to the University’s Central Communications office. The Sr. Director will be part of the senior leadership team, working on all enrollment management issues.

For undergraduate enrollment management, they will provide direction, develop programming, and implement and assess strategies in support of undergraduate admissions’ priorities and goals with a focus on all areas related to marketing and communications. This role oversees marketing and communications for all constituents, including prospective and admitted students, parents, secondary school educators, and the broader higher education community relevant to the recruitment, admission, and yield of students to Krieger and Whiting undergraduate schools, including the application, admission, and financial aid aspects of undergraduate admissions. Efforts will be responsible for reaching over 800,000 prospects representing all domestic and global markets.

For graduate enrollment management, the day-to-day responsibilities for marketing and communications rest in the schools/divisions. The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid will work closely with the deans and schools to provide advice, guidance, and additional capacity and expertise, as well as assess strategies in support of graduate and professional enrollment. A critical part of this effort will be to align school-based strategies and outcomes with institutional priorities, including stewardship of critical financial aid gifts. The Dir-MC will work closely with the Vice Provost, Associate Vice Provosts for Admissions and Financial Aid, and central communications and marketing to support and guide school efforts and will serve as a critical liaison with the university’s stewardship team.

The role is management-intensive with direct responsibility for providing supervision, mentorship, professional development, and structure for a team of 7-8 staff members. In addition, given the working group structure and integrated working model in the admissions office, candidates will be expected to be invested in the success of the broader admissions staff. The successful candidate will be a leader and creative problem solver who has a growth-oriented and solutions-oriented mindset.

They will also sit on the University-wide marketing and communications committee.

Specific Duties And Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Developing, managing, and executing brand and marketing campaigns and strategies to enhance awareness, reputation, and position the schools with prospective students.
• Leading efforts to market and promote the university’s academic programs, scholarship, events, and activities through coordinated marketing campaigns. As needed, hire and manage external agencies to support this work.
• Overseeing the development of the university’s brand and visual identity in relation to enrollment management goals, in coordination with University Communications and key stakeholders.
• Monitoring and providing the vice provost and the vice provost’s leadership team with regular updates on trends in the higher education landscape, including regular benchmarking of peer universities, schools, and programs to support strategy and decision-making.
  
  
  

Creative Direction

• Ensuring brand consistency across all media while leveraging brand guidelines to elevate the presentation of the undergraduate and graduate experience.
• Branded, experiential marketing during programs and events.
• Establishing a compelling and effective web presence.
• Ensuring all collateral is modern, compelling, and most importantly, effective in reaching and converting audiences.
  
  
  

Data and Analytics

• Expected to synthesize complex data to make clear and effective recommendations for targeting populations and building the admissions funnel.
• Serve as a content area expert around some of our key vendors for prospect acquisition and management to identify the most effective opportunities to expand and build our applicant pool.
• Track performance and conversion of various initiatives to identify new markets for growth and increase conversion towards institutional priorities.
• Audience development by overseeing strategic approaches for engagement and conversion relevant to each stakeholder audience type.
• Provide insights and identify new and emerging opportunities to reach prospects and facilitate efficient conversion through the marketing funnel. Should be knowledgeable about the evolving landscape of prospect acquisition and modes of reaching students and their influencers on various platforms.
• Evaluate market presence (ads, third-party sites/publications, etc.) and strategies to leverage third-party content to reach new audiences.
• Present trends and recommendations for future investments and initiatives to stakeholders.
• Be aware of the competitive landscape in higher education and undergraduate admissions and be able to develop strategies to uniquely position the Hopkins undergraduate experience in the market.
  
  
  

Team Building and Management

• In collaboration with the Vice Provost and other leadership, develop the staffing plan and budget for the communications and marketing department.
• Recruit and hire team members.
• Lead, coach, develop, and supervise the long-term development of the team.
• Develop, manage, and oversee the budget of approximately $3.8M, ensuring optimal allocation of resources for maximum impact. Evaluate the budget impact and ROI of investments around new vendors/products.
• Hire and manage any outside contractors or vendors needed to support the communications and marketing program.
• Develop and implement strategies for continuous improvement and adaptation to new communication technologies and practices.
  
  
  

Collaborations and Partnerships

• Serve as the liaison to the communications offices at the University, other divisions, and Johns Hopkins Medicine to identify and leverage opportunities for collaboration.
• Work closely with key offices and professional functions across the university, such as IT, Institutional Research and Analysis, fostering partnerships and enhancing reputation.
  
  
  

Special Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Analytical skills—ability to leverage data to inform both marketing and communications decisions.
• Project management—demonstrated initiative, problem solving, attention to detail, and team management skills.
• Ability to manage relationships in a complex environment, both internally and externally.
• Strong collaboration and team skills.
• Excellent written communication skills and experience editing/providing feedback on the work of others.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to influence and build trusted relationships with senior-level internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to prioritize well and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and produce results under pressure.
  
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communication, marketing or related field.
• Twelve (12) years related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required education, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
  
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD preferred.
• Seven years of increasing responsibility in admissions or Higher Education field preferred.
• Prior experience in management and advanced marketing/communications and/or editorial experience.
• Strong media relations background, demonstrating leadership in both a strategic and tactical setting.
  
  
  

Preferred Skills And Knowledge

• Knowledge of the secondary school education landscape.
• Knowledge and past experience working in SLATE or a comparable CRM.
• Volunteer management (students, alumni, and faculty).
• Broader knowledge of the higher education field including exposure to financial aid landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a diverse team, oversee multiple projects, and work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of leading high-performing communications and marketing teams.
• Experience hiring staff, developing teams, crafting and overseeing budgets, and managing contract resources or agencies for discrete projects.
  
  
  

Classified Title: Sr. Dir. Comms & Marketing Divisional

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Enrollment Management

Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PH

Starting Salary Range: $116,600 - $220,000 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: M-F with some nights and weekends as needed, including on major event days.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid/Homewood Campus

Department name: Undergraduate Admissions

Personnel area: University Student Services

Total Rewards

The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University’s salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Education and Experience Equivalency

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies

Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at [email protected]. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit https://accessibility.jhu.edu/.

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Hybrid: On-site 3-4 days a week