"Assistant Director of Enrollment Marketing and Communications"

Job Details

The Assistant Director of Enrollment Marketing and Communications is responsible for developing, executing, and assessing, strategic enrollment marketing processes and campaigns for all Gardner-Webb University programs that serve students regionally, nationally, and globally. The Assistant Director of Enrollment Marketing and Communications reports to the Vice President for Enrollment, and works with the admission teams (traditional, degree completion, and graduate), staff, faculty, students, and both on and off-campus constituents.

ESSENTIAL DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MANAGE AND OVERSEE THE ENROLLMENT MARKETING OFFICE IN PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide leadership and strategic marketing direction in the development of marketing and outreach plans, policies, procedures, programs, and systems to support and achieve enrollment goals.
• Strong understanding of market research, data interpretation and use of analytics to make marketing decisions.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of enrollment marketing and communications best practices including developing long-term strategies and plans to increase leads and conversions throughout the enrollment cycle.
• Work with admission teams to develop and implement an enrollment communication plan that encompasses all relevant audiences (including prospective students, parents, guidance counselors, and other influential groups).
• Evaluate, recommend, and direct the work of outside creative service and other firms who design and implement enrollment-marketing programs.
• Assist in the development of communication strategies for a variety of market segments that address prospective students, program and enrollment inquiries, application processes, and pre-enrollment phases of the GWU admissions process.
• Collaborate with all campus constituents in order to effectively market GWU to prospective students and the community at large, including communication distribution channels, college websites, social media, marketing, and public information.
• Collaborate with senior academic and administrative staff to successfully launch new programs, including marketplace positioning and launch/awareness building strategies, as well as contributing to competitive intelligence, working with market research vendors as appropriate, and assisting with program launch budgets.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with lead-generation and third party vendors.
• Work in collaboration with the Office of University Communications and Marketing to develop creative concepts that address marketing challenges and reinforce the Gardner-Webb University brand.
• Assure that projects are delivered on time and on budget.
• Collaborate with the university’s Web Communications department to assist in the management of the Enrollment division web presence by making necessary updates, changes, and applying best practices or adaptations based on customer feedback and competitive analyses.
• Identify marketing innovations and technology to effectively communicate to prospective students.
• Serves on University committees as appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned by the Vice-President for Enrollment Management.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Assistant Director of Enrollment Marketing and Communications supervises the Enrollment Marketing Specialist, Graduate Assistant, and two student recruitment ambassadors.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE:

• BA/BS in related occupational field of study.
• Minimum of 4 years professional marketing experience, preferably at an institution of higher education

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Experience with project management and budget management in a deadline driven environment.
• A demonstrated ability to multi-task and finish projects on time.
• Possess a basic knowledge of enrollment management.
• Experience in working with CRM or customer/students databases as an end-user.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to work effectively with a variety of professional, support, and student staff members in a highly effective and collaborative manner.
• Solid understanding of digital strategy (PPC, SEO), social media and video content marketing and current communication trends.
• Excellent organizational abilities, attention to detail, initiative, and independence.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite programs.
• Basic knowledge of design, photography, production, and printing processes.
• Possesses exceptionally strong writing, editing, proofreading, and creative thinking skills.
• High self-confidence and poise essential to position function.

Physical Requirements:

Individual must have the ability and be licensed to operate a motor vehicle. Must be able to lift and transport up to 50 pounds.

Gardner-Webb University (gardner-webb.edu) is a coeducational, residential, private, historically Baptist, Christian institution, located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina with easy access to Charlotte, Asheville, and Greenville-Spartanburg. The University offers 80+ undergraduate and graduate degree programs to approximately 3,000 students. GWU is a Carnegie-classified Doctoral/Professional University. In 2023, Gardner-Webb was home to students from 93 counties in North Carolina, 44 US states, and 43 foreign countries. GWU is a NCAA Division I institution with 22 athletic teams and 460 student-athletes.