Senior Manager, Category Marketing

Job Description

Covista is seeking a Senior Manager, Category and Product Marketing to drive Walden University marketing efforts for an assigned vertical and its program portfolio (for example, Social Work and the offerings within it, such as the Masters of Social Work), with the goal of growing enrollment in that category.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of go-to-market strategies for the vertical's programs, integrating brand, digital, and enrollment priorities.
• Own the brief-to-activation process: translate campaign briefs into integrated marketing plans, define launch readiness requirements, manage timelines and milestones, and ensure the work lands in market as briefed.
• Develop campaign positioning — how each campaign shows up in the market — within the guardrails of vertical and brand positioning.
• Partner with product management and academic teams to translate program differentiators into marketing messages and campaigns.
• Develop and manage campaign calendars, communication plans, and campaign briefs that define channel roles, activation strategy, and sequencing — what each channel partner needs to execute.
• Lead campaign hindsighting: bring together channel leads and stakeholders to review results, surface what worked and what didn't, and apply learnings to future campaigns.
• Own messaging for the vertical and its programs — the specific language that tells a prospective student why this program at Walden is the right choice.
• Monitor the competitive landscape for the vertical: track competitor programs, positioning, and market activity.
• Use market insight, student and employer demand signals, and enrollment data to inform campaign strategy and messaging decisions.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of marketing activities; deliver actionable insights to improve performance and ROI.
• Collaborate with product, academic leaders, enrollment, and student support within the vertical's pod to align on goals and execution.
• Collaborate with marketing operations to sequence deliverables, manage timelines, and ensure campaign readiness.
• Collaborate with internal creative services and external agency partners to ensure all work meets brand standards and compliance requirements.
• Represent the vertical in quarterly planning, creative reviews, and QBRs, providing strategic input and sharing performance insights.
• May lead and develop one or two marketing team members, depending on the vertical.
• Contribute to the broader marketing team's planning and ways of working.
• Support cross-vertical initiatives that reinforce Walden's brand reputation and commitment to educational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree preferably in marketing or a related field required, Master's Degree MBA preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive marketing experience including product, category, vertical, B2C (category marketing strongly preferred).
• Proven success leading vertical-specific marketing, particularly in regulated or professional program categories.
• Experience developing and managing integrated, multi-channel campaigns from strategy through execution.
• Experience operating in complex, matrixed, or highly regulated environments.
• Background in education, mission-driven organizations or other considered-purchase B2C categories preferred.
• Healthcare or mental health industry experience a plus.