Responsibilities

• Marketing Strategy & Leadership: Develops and oversees a comprehensive strategic marketing plan that advances UCSC's brand visibility, institutional reputation, enrollment goals and philanthropic initiatives; serves as the central marketing thought leader for Communications & Marketing and University Advancement, helping leadership prioritize, resource, and evaluate marketing efforts; establishes and monitors key performance indicators across channels; uses data and analytics to guide strategy and optimize campaign performance; and stays current on higher education marketing trends, digital platform shifts, and best practices, bringing fresh thinking to the team on a consistent basis.
• Team Leadership & Management: Leads a team that includes a creative director (who manages a video production team), a manager of social media and digital engagement, and a digital marketing manager; provides clear direction, mentorship, and professional development support to direct reports; fosters a collaborative, high-performing team culture; maintains strong coordination across the team to ensure creative output is strategically aligned, on-brand, and on-schedule; and serve as an engaged, contributing leader who participates actively in the work.
• Campaign Development & Execution: Leads development of integrated marketing campaigns from concept to execution, working across video, social media, email, digital advertising, and web channels; collaborate with the creative director to ensure creative work reflects strategic intent and brand standards; partner with the digital marketing manager to ensure email campaigns are properly scheduled, reviewed, and optimized for deliverability and engagement; and oversees campaign timelines and budgets, balancing competing priorities with clear communication to stakeholders.
• Brand & Communications Alignment: Champions UCSC's brand identity across all marketing touchpoints, ensuring consistency and quality in tone, design, and messaging; collaborate with campus partners, colleges, departments, and student-facing units to provide marketing guidance and support; represent Communications & Marketing and University Advancement in cross-divisional committees, working groups, systemwide meetings, and external forums as needed.