Associate Director of Marketing and Recruitment

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Marketing and Recruitment holds a pivotal role within the College of Engineering and the Engineering Institute for Energy and Petrochemical Industries (EPI) at Lamar University. Reporting directly to the Director of Operations, this position is instrumental in advancing the recruitment and branding efforts of the College. The Associate Director is responsible for developing, maintaining, and evaluating the annual recruitment plan, with a particular focus on attracting top-tier undergraduate students to the COE and EPI. This role also involves nurturing and managing essential partnerships with community-based organizations, high schools, technical centers, 2-year colleges, and businesses to expand the reach of engineering programs. The Associate Director actively engages with various community stakeholders to create activities and programs designed to prepare students for successful college enrollment. The position also plays a vital role in managing the organization of various off and on campus recruitment visits and events. In addition to these external outreach efforts, the Associate Director offers essential student support by professionally corresponding with prospective students, providing guidance on pre-college preparation requirements, and assisting with the application process. Collaboration with the Lamar University Marketing Team is essential to execute impactful marketing campaigns that elevate the visibility and appeal of the COE and EPI. Collaboration with the Lamar University Enrollment Services Team is essential to execute impactful recruitment that elevate the visibility and appeal of the COE and EPI. The Associate Director is responsible for designing, ordering, and distributing marketing materials, maintaining an inventory of branded items for special events, and creating newsletters to keep students and stakeholders informed about engineering developments. The role also includes the management and maintenance of COE webpages, maximizing the use of social media for student and industry spotlights, and fostering a consistent brand image across all materials. Overall, this position plays a critical role in driving recruitment, marketing, and branding initiatives to support the success and growth of the College of Engineering at Lamar University. The Associate Director of Marketing and Recruitment is a dynamic and influential position that shapes the future of engineering education at Lamar University, attracting and retaining top talent in engineering programs and promoting a strong brand presence for the COE and EPI.

Essential Job Functions

• Lead and guide the marketing, recruitment, visits, and events teams, overseeing their respective functions and ensuring cohesive collaboration.
• Develop, maintain, and evaluate comprehensive annual plans for recruitment, visits, and events to attract top-tier students and industry partners to the College of Engineering (COE) and the Engineering Institute for Energy and Petrochemical Industries (EPI).
• Cultivate and manage partnerships with community-based organizations, high schools, technical centers, 2-year colleges, and industry to expand the reach and visibility of COE and EPI through on-campus and off-campus activities.
• Gather, analyze, and leverage data to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment, visit, and event strategies, providing data-driven recommendations for enhancements to meet enrollment and partnership goals.
• Manage budgets for the marketing, recruitment, visits, and events departments, ensuring responsible financial planning and allocation of resources to support departmental goals.
• Collaborate closely with Office of Operations leadership to ensure alignment of departmental activities with institutional objectives, contributing to the overall success of the College of Engineering and Lamar University.
• Oversee staff organizing and promote both on-campus and off-campus recruitment visits, events, and experiences to attract prospective students and industry partners, collaborating with admissions for undergraduate student recruitment.
• Assume responsibility for branding efforts, maintaining a consistent brand image across all marketing materials, communications, and on-campus experiences.
• Oversee that the team is corresponding professionally with prospective students and industry partners, offering guidance and support throughout the application, enrollment, and partnership processes.
• Oversee the creation and dissemination of internal and external communications, including newsletters and marketing publications, to inform stakeholders about engineering developments, initiatives, and achievements.

Minimum and Desired Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in Marketing, Engineering, Higher Education, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field is essential.
• 3 or more years of progressive higher education experience or related marketing/recruiting field.
• 3 or more years of supervisory and leadership skills.
• Official transcripts are required at the time of employment.

Desired Qualifications:

• A master’s degree in Marketing, Engineering, Education, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
• Prior experience in a college recruitment and event environment, demonstrating a familiarity with the details and demands of marketing, student outreach, enrollment, yield, and retention.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing strategic marketing plans to meet recruitment goals and enhance an institution's brand presence.
• Strong data analysis skills with the ability to monitor and report on key performance indicators, utilizing data-driven insights to improve strategies.
• Previous involvement in college marketing showcases the ability to plan, coordinate, and execute various recruitment initiatives related to academic institutions.
• Skill in designing and distributing marketing publications, ensuring high-quality materials in alignment with institutional standards.
• Proficiency and experience in utilizing a range of technologies, which may encompass, but are not limited to, systems like Banner, MyScholarships,
• various social media platforms, event design platforms, purchasing systems, event reservation platforms, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems/Slate, etc.
• Proficiency in advanced technical and computer skills to support administrative functions, including but not limited to the MS Office Suite, with a strong focus on PowerPoint, Excel, and database management. Familiarity with electronic calendar management and various videoconferencing applications like Outlook, Zoom, MS Teams, MS Office, Slate, etc.
• Proficiency in digital marketing, social media management, publication design, and content creation to effectively promote academic programs and institutions.

Supplemental Information

Key Competencies:

• Demonstrates strong supervisory, management, and relationship-building skills.
• Must be able to effectively direct existing, comprehensive enrollment and retention programs, and to develop new ones on his/her own initiative.
• Dependability, creativity, good judgment, professionalism, and dedication to sound principles of student development are paramount among the necessary characteristics for this position.
• Detail-oriented.
• Timely completion of duties.
• Proficient in delivering the highest quality of customer service when engaging with industry leaders, representatives, faculty, staff, and students.
• Possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong editing and proofreading capabilities, and is adept at interacting with staff at all organizational levels.
• Strategic planning/visioning aptitude.
• Understanding and appreciation of engineering.
• Budget management/fundraising background.
• Knowledge of growing role technology plays in the delivery of recruitment, marketing, and event management.

Physical Requirements:

• Lifting and Carrying: The ability to lift and move reams/boxes of paper, tables, decorations, and other supplies, weighing up to 50lbs, as necessary for job tasks.
• Event Setup and Teardown: Must be capable of setting up and tearing down equipment and materials for events, which may involve bending, lifting, and carrying.
• Extended Periods on Feet: This position may require long hours spent standing during events.
• Candidates should be able to stand, walk, and perform job duties for extended periods.
• Walking Campus: Ability to walk around the campus, including participating in visits and camps, which may involve traversing various terrains and buildings.

Job Conditions:

• 8 am – 5 pm Monday-Friday, some early mornings, some evenings, some weekends.
• This is an on-campus position.
• This position requires participation and possibly attendance at all College of Engineering and Engineering Institute for Energy and Petrochemical Industries (EPI) events.