Senior Director of University Marketing and Digital Strategies

About the role

The Director of University Marketing is a key leadership role within Communications & Marketing, responsible for developing and driving integrated marketing strategies that elevate the UC Santa Cruz brand, expand its audience reach, and support the university's enrollment and institutional goals.

Responsibilities

• Develops and oversees a comprehensive strategic marketing plan that advances UCSC's brand visibility, institutional reputation, enrollment goals and philanthropic initiatives;
• Serves as the central marketing thought leader for Communications & Marketing and University Advancement, helping leadership prioritize, resource, and evaluate marketing efforts;
• Establishes and monitors key performance indicators across channels; uses data and analytics to guide strategy and optimize campaign performance;
• Stays current on higher education marketing trends, digital platform shifts, and best practices, bringing fresh thinking to the team on a consistent basis;
• Leads a team that includes a creative director (who manages a video production team), a manager of social media and digital engagement, and a digital marketing manager;
• Provides clear direction, mentorship, and professional development support to direct reports;
• Fosters a collaborative, high-performing team culture;
• Maintains strong coordination across the team to ensure creative output is strategically aligned, on-brand, and on-schedule;
• Serve as an engaged, contributing leader who participates actively in the work;
• Leads development of integrated marketing campaigns from concept to execution, working across video, social media, email, digital advertising, and web channels;
• Collaborate with the creative director to ensure creative work reflects strategic intent and brand standards;
• Partner with the digital marketing manager to ensure email campaigns are properly scheduled, reviewed, and optimized for deliverability and engagement;
• Oversees campaign timelines and budgets, balancing competing priorities with clear communication to stakeholders;
• Champions UCSC's brand identity across all marketing touchpoints, ensuring consistency and quality in tone, design, and messaging;
• Collaborate with campus partners, colleges, departments, and student-facing units to provide marketing guidance and support;
• Represent Communications & Marketing and University Advancement in cross-divisional committees, working groups, systemwide meetings, and external forums as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training;
• Thorough knowledge of current and emerging digital marketing trends and best practices, including new and emerging strategies and technologies;
• Excellent skills in strategic planning, effectively organizing resources, engaging stakeholders, and setting and establishing priorities;
• Excellent skills in managing staff including selection, training, evaluating and mentoring staff at all levels, including skills to take disciplinary action as necessary;
• Excellent interpersonal communication and political acumen to effectively work with internal customers and external constituencies;
• Excellent market research, analytical thinking, and problem recognition, avoidance and resolution skills;
• Excellent skills to produce results and achieve predetermined goals within budget and time constraints;
• Strong knowledge of applicable University policies and state and federal laws regarding copyright and other licensing issues.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training;
• Thorough knowledge of the campus/system, including its achievements, mission, goals, vision, infrastructure, products and services;
• Thorough knowledge of current and emerging digital marketing trends and best practices, including new and emerging strategies and technologies;
• Excellent skills in strategic planning, effectively organizing resources, engaging stakeholders, and setting and establishing priorities;
• Excellent skills in managing staff including selection, training, evaluating and mentoring staff at all levels, including skills to take disciplinary action as necessary;
• Excellent interpersonal communication and political acumen to effectively work with internal customers and external constituencies;
• Excellent market research, analytical thinking, and problem recognition, avoidance and resolution skills;
• Excellent skills to produce results and achieve predetermined goals within budget and time constraints;
• Strong knowledge of applicable University policies and state and federal laws regarding copyright and other licensing issues.

Skills

• Strategic planning;
• Resource management;
• Stakeholder engagement;
• Data analysis;
• Brand alignment;
• Campaign development;
• Team leadership;
• Marketing strategy;
• Content creation;
• Project management;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leadership;
• Problem-solving;
• Collaboration;
• Brand consistency;
• Market research;
• Analytics;
• Video production;
• Social media;
• Email campaigns;
• Digital advertising;
• Web channels;
• Brand standards;
• Onboarding;
• Training;
• Evaluation;
• Mentoring;
• Disciplinary action;
• Collaborative culture;
• Communication skills;
• Leaders