Responsibilities

• Set the vision and operating strategy for WGU’s brand elevation, governance, and store/merch functions, in partnership with the Senior Director, and oversee execution across all three workstreams.
• Lead and develop a team of 3–4 direct reports spanning Brand Elevation, Brand Governance/Policy, and the WGU Store/Merch team; set hiring plans, performance standards, and career development paths.
• Drive initiatives that elevate and evolve WGU’s brand identity, partnering with design, content, communications, events and marketing to keep brand expression fresh and aligned to institutional strategy.
• Own brand standards, guidelines, and approval processes to ensure consistent, on-brand execution across the university, including oversight of policy enforcement, brand reviews, and stakeholder education.
• Oversee the WGU Store and merchandise program, including product strategy, vendor relationships, and day-to-day operations.
• Partner with Finance and Operations on budget, inventory, and P&L for the store and merch program.
• Balance protecting brand integrity with giving internal teams the speed and flexibility they need.
• Track brand governance compliance and store/merch performance, and report results to the Senior Director on a recurring cadence.
• Partner with Marketing, Content & Social, PR/Communications, Finance, and Academic leadership so brand governance and merch decisions stay integrated and mission-aligned.
• Stay close to brand, retail, and merchandising trends, and bring a point of view on when and how WGU’s brand should evolve.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in brand management, brand marketing, or a related field.
• 3+ years in a people-management role, including managing a functionally diverse team.
• Demonstrated experience balancing creative/brand strategy with operational governance or compliance-style work.
• Experience overseeing a retail, merchandise, or product line.
• Strong stakeholder management skills; comfortable being both a brand champion and a policy enforcer.
• Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements.

Preferred

• Prior experience in higher education, nonprofit, or another highly regulated/mission-driven brand environment.
• Experience with merchandise/licensing programs.
• Experience presenting to and influencing senior leadership stakeholders on brand strategy.

Benefits

• bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual; flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual; 11 paid holidays; other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.