POSITION SPECIFICSAre you a data-driven marketing leader ready to make a tangible impact at a world-class institution? The Penn State Smeal College of Business, one of the nation's top-ranked business schools, is seeking a visionary
Director of Enrollment Marketing to lead the strategy, planning, and performance of the marketing efforts that support enrollment growth across our portfolio of graduate and undergraduate programs. Smeal is entering an exciting period of strategic growth, with opportunities to reach new audiences and elevate the visibility of its dynamic academic portfolio.
This is a senior marketing leadership role for a strategic thinker with deep experience in enrollment and recruitment marketing. The ideal candidate has a proven ability to leverage digital marketing automation, and campaign optimization to develop and execute full-funnel student acquisition and conversation strategy that advances the college's enrollment goals. Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, this leader will oversee a team of marketing professionals and collaborate with stakeholders across the college to develop integrated marketing strategies that deliver measurable enrollment results.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership & Department Management- Strategic Planning: Develop annual enrollment marketing plans aligned with college enrollment priorities; establish campaign objectives, success metrics, and resource plans to achieve growth targets.
- Portfolio Strategy: Develop comprehensive, data-driven marketing strategies across owned, earned and paid channels for a diverse portfolio of academic programs (undergraduate, residential masters, hybrid and online programs, and executive education), optimizing for lead generation, nurturing, and conversion.
- Lead Nurture and Lead Generation: Partner with the team's email marketing strategist toexecute email marketing campaigns in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, including segmentation, automated journeys, and integration with Salesforce for lead nurturing and conversion.
- Manage Content Production: Drive content and editorial development for enrollment marketing across all channels, including production management and vendor/resource management as necessary.
- Fiscal Stewardship: Develop, forecast, and manage the enrollment marketing budget; authorize expenditures for paid media, vendor contracts, and technology licenses, ensuring optimal allocation of resources to maximize cost-per-enrolled-student efficiency.
- Innovation: Identify and implement competitive best practices, emerging trends in EdTech, digital advertising, and marketing automation to maintain our program's advantage.
Team Leadership & Development- Talent Management: Manage a team of marketing professionals (e.g., campaign managers, content specialists, coordinators); define roles and responsibilities to ensure coverage across all degree programs.
- Performance Management: Set clear individual and team goals; conduct performance reviews, provide mentorship, and identify professional development opportunities to foster a high-performance culture.
- Resource Allocation: Prioritize staff assignments and manage workflow to ensure deadlines are met across multiple simultaneous recruitment cycles.
Data Analytics, ROI & Performance Measurement- ROI Analysis: Collaborate with the team's data analyst to establish a robust reporting framework to track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including Cost Per Lead (CPL), Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), and conversion rates by channel and program.
- Optimization: Utilize analytics to continuously test and optimize campaign performance; present regular executive dashboards to leadership regarding enrollment health and marketing effectiveness.
- Forecasting: Analyze historical data and market trends to predict enrollment outcomes and adjust strategies proactively.
Stakeholder Collaboration & Admissions Partnership- Academic Partnership: Serve as the primary marketing liaison to Academic Program Directors and Faculty Chairs; translate their program goals into actionable marketing plans.
- Admissions Integration: Collaborate closely with Admissions leadership to ensure seamless handoffs between marketing-qualified leads and admissions counselors; align scoring models and communication timing.
- University Alignment: Coordinate with Penn State World Campus and central University Strategic Communications to ensure compliance with University brand standards and leverage enterprise-wide resources.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in advertising, marketing, business administration, communications, or related field OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in marketing, including demonstrated success in performance marketing, lead generation, or enrollment marketing
- At least 3 years of supervisory experience, with a proven track record of leading teams, managing performance, and supporting team development.
- Demonstrated success developing and leading strategic data-driven, multi-channel marketing initiatives that support measurable growth.
- Experience working with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred), marketing automation platforms (Salesforce Marketing Cloud preferred), and digital analytics tools.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate and build alignment across teams.
- Ability to translate performance data into actionable strategic recommendations that drive measurable outcomes.
- Strong organizational, project leadership, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paces environment.
- Strategic mindset, business instincts, quick learning, and a willingness to challenge conventional approaches.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience in higher education, enrollment marketing, or another mission-driven organization serving multiple audiences or programs.
- Familiarity with Salesforce, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, or comparable CRM and marketing automation platforms.
- Deep understanding of digital marketing disciplines such as, paid media, SEO/SEM, content strategy and campaign analytics.
- Experience working with marketing dashboard/reporting tools and data visualization platforms.
- Experience managing agencies, vendors, or external partners in support of marketing strategy and execution.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONSBachelor's Degree8+ years of relevant experience, includes 3+ years of supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience acceptedRequired Certifications:None
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCESEmployment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Due to the financial and fiduciary responsibilities of this position, successful completion of a credit history check will be required in addition to standard background checks.
Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
SALARY & BENEFITSThe salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $91,488.00 - $137,280.00.
Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
