Description

Job title

Director of Marketing and Communications

Reports to

Executive Director

Department

Marketing

FLSA Status

Full-Time, Exempt Administrative

Position Summary

The Marketing Director leads the marketing team which includes a Marketing Coordinator and a group of student employees. This role is responsible for implementing and executing marketing programs which support business growth, guest satisfaction, and employee retention. This position provides support to all critical business initiatives including pricing, sale of our meal plans, sales growth, guest satisfaction and retention, employee retention, and guest/student engagement for Campus Dining and Shops. This role is pivotal in driving our Campus Dining program's success at the University at Buffalo and requires creative marketing strategies to engage with the student community. This role takes a lead role in collaboratively working with our dining operations team to engage in strategies to increase student and guest satisfaction and revenue while creating an engaging and inclusive dining experience for the UB community.

Expected Hours of Work
• This is a full-time, salaried position that requires flexibility to meet organizational needs and support the mission and operations of Campus Dining and Shops and Three Pillars Catering.
• The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday during standard business hours; however, the position requires the ability to work beyond regularly scheduled hours as needed to meet deadlines, support marketing initiatives, attend events, and respond to operational priorities.
• Regular attendance at campus events, promotional activities, grand openings, catering functions, student engagement programs, recruitment activities, and other department initiatives may require occasional evening, early morning, weekend, or holiday work.
• The Marketing Director is expected to effectively manage workload, prioritize competing responsibilities, and maintain availability to support time-sensitive projects, communications, campaigns, and operational needs.
• The position requires occasional travel between campus locations, dining facilities, catering venues, and other university locations.
• Occasional travel may be required to attend professional conferences, industry events, training programs, recruitment events, campus outreach activities, and other meetings that support organizational goals, professional development, brand awareness, and talent recruitment initiatives.
• Work hours and scheduling may vary based on seasonal demands, academic calendar activities, special events, marketing campaigns, recruitment cycles, and departmental priorities.

Essential Functions
• Develops, leads, and executes comprehensive marketing strategies that support the mission, goals, and strategic initiatives of Campus Dining and Shops (CDS) and Three Pillars Catering while operating within approved budget parameters.
• Creates and implements integrated marketing campaigns designed to increase participation in meal plans, drive retail dining sales, increase catering revenue, and strengthen customer engagement.
• Partners with dining operations leadership to develop unit-specific marketing and communication plans that support operational objectives, new initiatives, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth.
• Provides strategic leadership for merchandising, branding, advertising, communications, media relations, public relations, and promotional activities for all Campus Dining and Shops operations, ensuring compliance with University at Buffalo, SUNY, and FSA policies, procedures, and brand standards.
• Plans, conducts, and analyzes market research, customer surveys, focus groups, industry trends, and consumer data to identify opportunities for new programs, menu promotions, branding initiatives, and customer experience improvements.
• Develops and implements innovative branding, merchandising, advertising, and promotional campaigns that enhance the visibility and reputation of Campus Dining and Shops and Three Pillars Catering.
• Oversees all digital marketing efforts, including website content, email marketing, digital signage, mobile applications, online ordering platforms, and social media channels, ensuring content is timely, accurate, engaging, and aligned with organizational branding.
• Utilizes data analytics, reporting systems, and performance metrics to evaluate marketing effectiveness, measure return on investment (ROI), monitor customer engagement, and make data-driven recommendations for continuous improvement. This includes oversight of the company wide secret shopper program and annual NACUFS Survey.
• Provides leadership, supervision, coaching, and performance management for the marketing team, including professional staff, interns, and student employees. Establishes priorities, assigns work, monitors progress, and supports professional development.
• Collaborates with dining operations, culinary teams, retail managers, catering, student affairs, university departments, and external partners to plan and execute inclusive promotional events, grand openings, special events, and campus-wide marketing initiatives.
• Serves as the primary marketing resource for management by providing expertise in branding, promotional planning, merchandising, facility enhancements, menu trends, signage, customer communications, and event planning.
• Directs the design, production, and distribution of marketing materials including print publications, promotional merchandise, digital content, photography, video, and other communication resources.
• Coordinates marketing support for divisional departments by developing promotional materials, communications, and publications that effectively communicate departmental initiatives and organizational priorities.
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with university departments, student organizations, vendors, media representatives, community partners, and campus committees to strengthen awareness and engagement with Campus Dining and Shops programs and services.
• Represents Campus Dining and Shops and Three Pillars Catering on university committees, advisory groups, recruitment events, and community events, serving as the organization's marketing and communications representative.
• Develops and administers the department's operating budget, monitors expenditures, evaluates vendor contracts, and ensures responsible stewardship of marketing resources.
• Establishes project timelines and priorities while directing and monitoring the work of marketing staff to ensure projects are completed accurately, on schedule, and within budget.
• Ensures consistency of the Campus Dining and Shops and Three Pillars Catering brand across all customer touchpoints, publications, digital platforms, signage, advertising, and promotional materials.
• Stays current with higher education marketing trends, digital technologies, consumer behavior, food service industry innovations, and emerging marketing practices to continually improve departmental effectiveness.
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned in support of the mission and objectives of Campus Dining and Shops and Three Pillars Catering.

Education and Training

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, Public Relations, Advertising, Hospitality Management, or a closely related field. A master's degree is preferred.

Desired Qualifications
• Five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, brand management, or advertising, including supervisory or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic marketing plans, managing multiple concurrent projects, administering budgets, and evaluating marketing effectiveness through analytics and performance metrics.
• Experience in higher education, collegiate dining, hospitality, retail food service, or auxiliary services marketing is preferred.
• Experience with meal plan marketing, consumer research, branding, merchandising, digital marketing, social media strategy, graphic design oversight, event marketing, and promotional campaign development.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and evaluating professional staff, interns, and student employees.
• Knowledge of higher education branding standards, accessibility requirements, copyright and trademark considerations, and SUNY and University at Buffalo communications policies and procedures.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, public relations, presentation, and project management skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize, design, implement, and assess comprehensive marketing and communications programs while managing multiple priorities within established budget parameters.
• Strong understanding of customer-focused marketing principles and consumer behavior, preferably within food service, retail, hospitality, or a college or university environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience with digital marketing platforms, website content management systems, social media management tools, graphic design software, desktop publishing applications, and marketing analytics tools.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities, and collaborate effectively with multiple internal and external stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, as needed to support special events, promotional activities, and organizational initiatives.

Work Environment
• Work is performed primarily in a professional office environment with frequent travel throughout Campus Dining and Shops facilities, retail dining locations, catering venues, and university campus locations.
• Position requires regular interaction with employees, students, faculty, staff, vendors, community partners, and members of the public in both office and operational food service environments.
• Frequent use of standard office equipment, including computers, printers, telephones, and audiovisual equipment.
• Requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, and occasionally lift or move materials weighing up to 25 pounds, including marketing displays, promotional materials, signage, and event supplies.
• Requires the ability to travel between multiple campus locations and occasionally attend off-site meetings, conferences, and professional development events.
• Must be available to work a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events, as necessary to support marketing campaigns, catering functions, grand openings, student engagement activities, and other organizational initiatives.
• Position requires the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet established deadlines, adapt to changing priorities, and work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• May be exposed to kitchen, retail dining, warehouse, and event environments that include varying temperatures, noise levels, and food preparation activities while supporting operational and promotional initiatives.

Physical and Mental Demands

Physical Demands

• Ability to remain stationary for extended periods while performing computer-based work, attending meetings, and participating in virtual conferences.
• Ability to frequently move throughout office, dining, catering, warehouse, and campus facilities to support marketing initiatives, promotional events, and operational needs.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through virtual communication platforms.
• Ability to operate a computer and other standard office equipment, including keyboards, monitors, printers, audiovisual equipment, and mobile devices.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, or move materials weighing up to 25 pounds, including marketing displays, signage, promotional materials, event supplies, and presentation equipment.
• Ability to set up and dismantle promotional displays and event materials, which may require bending, stooping, reaching, kneeling, and climbing a step stool or ladder as needed.

Mental Demands

• Ability to think strategically and creatively while developing and implementing comprehensive marketing and communication plans.
• Ability to analyze complex data, interpret market research, evaluate marketing performance metrics, and make informed, data-driven decisions.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize competing demands, and consistently meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and make independent decisions consistent with organizational policies and objectives.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including employees, students, university leadership, vendors, media representatives, and community partners.
• Ability to supervise, coach, and develop staff while fostering collaboration and maintaining productive working relationships across multiple departments.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, respond effectively to unexpected situations, and maintain professionalism under pressure.
• Ability to maintain sustained concentration, attention to detail, and accuracy while managing budgets, contracts, communications, publications, and multiple concurrent marketing initiatives.

Licensure/Certification

None Required

Travel

May need to attend conferences and special events.

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