Executive Director of Brand, Marketing and Creative Strategy

Position Number:

500657

Full Time or Part Time:

Full Time

Anticipated Recruitment Range:

$93,242 - $125,000

Position Type:

Non-Faculty

Job Category:

Non-Faculty Professional

Organizational Unit Overview:

University Communication translates ECUs message into strategic and compelling communication and campaigns through the university web site, news releases, its official social media, East magazine, storytelling, production of promotional videos and video news stories along with infographics, creation and development of promotional brochures, and annual reports. The purpose is to provide strategic communication and marketing guidance and support to increase the knowledge, understanding, appreciation and support of the University and its work with broad and varied constituencies, from prospective students to identified thought leaders to prospective donors.

Through ECU News Services, University Communications performs media relations, public affairs, internal communication, and strategic communication work on behalf of the university and reports and disseminates information about events, activities, research, policies, individuals and alumni of the University, both through the media, videos, ecu.edu, the university website and through owned publications and other forums.

Through Creative Services, University Communications works with all university departments to conceptualize, design, develop, and produce written, audio-visual, digital and print projects to brand, communicate, and market their messages to appropriate audiences. Creative Services also provides strategic marketing advice for the university, including performing advertising buys for the university.

Job Duties:

The Executive Director of Brand, Marketing and Creative Strategy serves as East Carolina Universitys senior executive leader responsible for stewarding and advancing the universitys institutional brand, marketing, and creative strategy as an enterprise-wide asset.

Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer/Director of University Communications and with a dotted-line relationship to the Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, the position provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for brand and marketing communications across the university.

This role ensures that ECU presents a clear, compelling and aligned identity to its audiences while enabling effective collaboration across a complex institution. The Executive Director will direct integrated brand strategy, oversee all university-wide marketing initiatives, and drive campaigns that advance ECUs enrollment goals, academic reputation and institutional priorities. The position leads the marketing, branding and creative services units, ensuring cohesive and high-impact communication across the ECU enterprise.

The position is accountable for establishing shared direction, decision-making clarity, and performance expectations - balancing institutional coherence with unit-level needs and innovation.

The Executive Director of Brand, Marketing and Creative Strategy plays a critical role in strengthening ECUs institutional alignment, visibility, and effectiveness. By establishing clear strategy, governance, and leadership for brand and marketing, this role enables the university to move from fragmented activity to coordinated institutional performance-supporting ECUs mission, growth, and long-term success.

Institutional Brand Strategy & Stewardship

• Serve as ECUs chief steward of the institutional brand, ensuring clarity, consistency, and credibility across all audiences and channels.
• Lead the development, articulation, and ongoing evolution of ECUs brand positioning, narrative framework, and value proposition.
• Ensure the brand reflects ECUs mission, vision, academic strengths, research enterprise, and community impact.
• Guide the strategic application of the brand across recruitment, reputation-building, research visibility, advancement, and public engagement.

Marketing Strategy and Enrollment Alignment

• Provide executive oversight and strategic direction for central marketing functions, which may include:
  • Brand and creative services
  • Strategic marketing and campaigns
  • Marketing initiatives that drive awareness, engagement and conversion throughout the enrollment funnel.
• Establish enterprise-wide priorities that guide both central and distributed marketing activity.
• Apply market research, analytics, and audience insights to optimize messaging, targeting, and channel strategy.
• Ensure coordination across functions to reduce duplication, fragmentation, and inefficiencies.

Creative and Campaign Oversight

• Provide strategic direction regarding brand and creative university-centric vision in producing high-quality, audience-centered assets, campaigns, and visual identity systems.
• Oversee development of integrated marketing campaigns that elevate ECUs brand, support enrollment objectives, and reinforce institutional priorities.
• Ensure brand standards are upheld and evolve in response to emerging trends and strategic needs.

Partnership with Enrollment, Advancement & Academic Leadership

• Serve as a strategic partner to enrollment management, advancement, academic leadership, research, and health sciences.
• Ensure brand alignment across recruitment, retention, reputation, philanthropy, and research materials.
• Advise senior leadership on market positioning and emerging trends affecting ECUs visibility and competitiveness.
• Support institutional initiatives through integrated messaging and coordinated go-to-market strategies.

Team Leadership & Organizational Capability

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing brand, marketing and creative services organization.
• Define clear roles, expectations, and career pathways for staff across central and distributed teams.
• Build institutional capability in modern marketing practices, including audience insight, digital optimization, and performance measurement.
• Foster a collaborative culture that values shared accountability and continuous improvement.

Measurement, Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and monitor metrics that connect brand and marketing efforts to institutional priorities and outcomes.
• Use data and insight to inform prioritization, resource allocation, and strategic decision-making.
• Promote a culture of learning, experimentation, and accountability across the marketing ecosystem.

Collaboration & Institutional Integration

• Work closely with the CCO as a key member of the University Communications leadership team.
• Collaborate with senior university leadership to align marketing strategy with institutional goals, including enrollment, reputation management, and community impact.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the senior leaders on brand and marketing matters.

Contingent upon availability of funds.

Minimum Education/Experience:

• Advanced degree with 6 years of relevant experience, or Bachelors degree with 8 years of relevant experience.
• Minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in marketing, brand strategy, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-level brand or marketing functions within complex organizations.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in decentralized or matrixed environments.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence, align, and lead across multiple stakeholder groups.

All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation:

None

Preferred Experience, Skills, Training/Education:

• Experience in higher education, academic health systems, or similarly complex public institutions.
• Familiarity with enrollment marketing, reputation management, and stakeholder communications.
• Experience designing governance models, operating frameworks, or enterprise-wide standards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through organizational change.