Director of Marketing and Communications

About the role

The Director of Marketing and Communications at the Knauss School of Business works under the guidance of the Assistant Dean of Marketing and Recruitment to oversee the Knauss School of Business's marketing and communications strategy, leading campaigns and initiatives that enhance awareness and reputation, while ensuring brand alignment and consistency with USD's visual identity, messaging platform and brand.

Responsibilities

• Oversee School-Wide Marketing, Branding and Communications
• Support the Assistant Dean of Marketing and Recruitment in the strategic planning of marketing and communications for the Knauss School of Business and its portfolio of programs.
• Oversee the execution of a comprehensive internal and external marketing, communications and brand strategy and plan designed to support the Knauss School of Business thought leadership initiatives, development and alumni activities, taking into consideration institutional image, message, positioning, mission, goals, priorities and accomplishments of the school.
• Lead a highly functional Knauss School of Business marketing team that supports, manages and oversees collateral development, video production, website development, media relations, website development, etc. for the school's centers and institutes, as well as high-level events, fundraising campaigns, alumni outreach and more.
• Generates and measures the impact of lead generation campaigns, positive media coverage about the Knauss School of Business, rankings, and other marketing and communications tactics that bring visibility and revenue to the Knauss School of Business.
• Collaborate with other members of the University Marketing and Communications team, University Advancement colleagues, and members of the campus community to increase the visibility of Knauss School of Business strategic initiatives, thought leadership, new programs and student/alumni success.
• Affords support for dean communications, fundraising and special campaign materials, donor proposals, centers collateral, and special events programming, including print, video, email, social media, and talking points or scripting.
• Oversee Knauss School of Business PR strategy and measurement along with USD media relations team and external agencies.
• Oversee event marketing coordinators, ensuring effective promotion, consistent brand messaging and elevated event experiences across the school.
• Strategic Events Oversight
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for all marketing and communications related to events, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and brand standards.
• Establish clear event objectives, success metrics, and ROI frameworks tied to brand visibility, audience engagement, and overall marketing impact.
• Supervise and support the Strategic Events Manager and Coordinator by setting priorities, providing guidance, and ensuring accountability for timelines, deliverables, and quality standards.
• Ensure cross-functional coordination with internal stakeholders (e.g., academic units, leadership, communications teams) and external partners to deliver cohesive, high-quality event experiences that reinforce the brand.
• Monitor event execution at a high level, proactively identifying risks, resolving escalated issues, and ensuring events are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Review and analyze event performance data (attendance, engagement, feedback, and brand impact) to inform continuous improvement and future event strategy and, as appropriate, share with internal stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with university policies and procedures, including contracts, vendor management, budgeting, and risk management, in collaboration with the Knauss School Finance and Administration team.
• Champion innovation in event strategy by incorporating emerging trends, technologies, and hybrid/virtual engagement models to enhance reach and effectiveness.
• Represent the marketing and communications function in high-level event planning discussions and serve as an executive presence at key events, reinforcing brand positioning and institutional messaging.
• Department Administration
• Hires, trains, supervises and evaluates department admin and staff members.
• Manages marketing team budget to achieve operational goals, approves expenditures and ensures overall compliance with the budget.
• Identifies and implements cost-saving, budgetary efficiencies.
• Works with Finance and Administration Team on multiple vendor agreements to ensure compliance with university policies.
• In collaboration with the Associate Dean, negotiates vendor contracts as they relate to marketing strategies.
• Provides creative, viable solutions to operational challenges.
• Provides regular updates to internal and external stakeholders on departmental initiatives, efforts and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with preference given to business, marketing or related field
• 5 years of experience in leadership roles in marketing, brand development or related field.

• Preferred Qualifications: Master's degree from an accredited college or university with preference given to business, marketing, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in higher education marketing, branding or related field.

Other duties as assigned

Special Conditions Of Employment

• Must be able to work some evenings and weekends, as well as travel occasionally.

Special Application Instructions

Resume and Cover Letter Required
Click the 'Apply Now' button to complete our online application.
In addition, please upload a cover letter and resume to your application profile for the hiring managers' review.
If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at jobs@sandiego.