<p>Bookmark this Posting Print Preview | Apply for this Job</p> <p>Announcement</p> <p>Details</p> <p>Open Date 04/27/2026 Requisition Number PRN44853B Job Title Marketing Communications Management Working Title Senior Director, Strategic Marketing and Communications Career Progression Track M00 Track Level M7 - Senior Director FLSA Code Administrative Patient Sensitive Job Code? No Standard Hours per Week 40.00 Full Time or Part Time? Full Time Shift Day Work Schedule Summary</p> <p>Full-time, standard business hours; occasional evening/weekend work as needed</p> <p>VP Area Academic Affairs Department 02404 - SVP Strategic Enrollment Location Campus City Salt Lake City, UT Type of Recruitment Internal to the University Pay Rate Range $175,000 Close Date 05/04/2026 Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time) Job Summary</p> <p>The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications serves as the senior architect and integrator of a unified, lifecycle-based marketing and communications system across Strategic Enrollment and Student Success (SESS). Reporting to the Senior Vice Provost, this role aligns brand, messaging, channel strategy, and communication governance to institutional priorities including enrollment growth, student success, online expansion, and global engagement. The position operates as a portfolio-level integrator across Enrollment Management, Undergraduate Studies, University Connected Learning, and the Office of Global Engagement-eliminating fragmentation, establishing governance, and driving measurable return on marketing investment.</p> <p>Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu</p> <p>Responsibilities</p> <ol> <li>Enterprise Integration and Leadership </li></ol> <ul> <li>Lead development and execution of a unified marketing and communications strategy across SESS </li><li>Integrate recruitment, onboarding, and student success communications into a single operating model </li><li>Advise executive leadership on market positioning, reputational risk, and communication strategy tied to enrollment and student outcomes </li></ul> <ol start="2"> <li>Lifecycle Communication System </li></ol> <ul> <li>Design and implement an end-to-end communication architecture spanning prospect ? enrollment ? persistence ? completion </li><li>Establish and enforce a master communication calendar with defined prioritization and sequencing rules </li><li>Eliminate redundant, conflicting, or low-value communications across units </li></ul> <ol start="3"> <li>Governance and Decision Framework </li></ol> <ul> <li>Operationalize the Student Communications Council (SCC) as the institutional decision body for lifecycle communications </li><li>Define and enforce decision rights for campaign approval, timing, segmentation, and channel use </li><li>Align with University Marketing & Communications (UMC) on brand standards while retaining SESS authority over lifecycle execution </li></ul> <ol start="4"> <li>Market Positioning and Message Discipline </li></ol> <ul> <li>Define and enforce institutional positioning across domestic, online, and international markets </li><li>Ensure consistency in value proposition, voice, and differentiation across SESS-related communications </li><li>Align messaging with pricing, financial aid strategy, and program design realities </li></ul> <ol start="5"> <li>Performance, Attribution, and ROI </li></ol> <ul> <li>Link marketing and communications activity directly to enrollment, yield, retention, and completion outcomes </li><li>Implement multi-touch attribution models across Slate, CRM, web, and student success platforms </li><li>Establish cost-per-enrollment, yield impact, and retention lift metrics to guide resource allocation </li></ul> <ol start="6"> <li>Growth Strategy Execution </li></ol> <ul> <li> <p>Partner with Enrollment Management, UCL, US, and OGE to execute targeted growth strategies:</p> </li><li> <p>Transfer pathways</p> </li><li> <p>Online program expansion</p> </li><li> <p>International recruitment pipelines</p> </li><li> <p>Ensure communication strategies support scalable growth without proportional increases in staffing or cost</p> </li></ul> <ol start="7"> <li>Channel and Technology Strategy </li></ol> <ul> <li> <p>Define and rationalize roles across:</p> </li><li> <p>Slate (admissions funnel)</p> </li><li> <p>CRM capabilities (relationship and case management)</p> </li><li> <p>Navigate (student success interventions)</p> </li><li> <p>SIS and Utah 360/Pathify (student experience layer)</p> </li><li> <p>Eliminate duplicative or conflicting communication pathways across systems</p> </li><li> <p>Guide adoption of scalable, technology-enabled communication infrastructure</p> </li></ul> <ol start="8"> <li>Organizational Design and Operating Model </li></ol> <ul> <li>Design and implement a coordinated or shared services model for SESS marketing and communications </li><li>Identify functions for centralization (campaign execution, lifecycle messaging, analytics) </li><li>Establish clear roles, standards, and accountability mechanisms across distributed units </li><li>Lead phased transition from decentralized execution to governed, performance-driven operations </li></ul> <p>Minimum Qualifications</p> <ul> <li>EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience). </li></ul> <p>Senior Director, Marketing Communications Management: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 14 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 12 years of directly related work experience.</p> <p>Preferences</p> <ul> <li>Senior leadership experience in complex, matrixed organizations with distributed authority and competing priorities </li><li>Demonstrated success linking marketing and communications strategy to measurable revenue, enrollment, or retention outcomes </li><li>Experience building and governing integrated, multi-channel communication ecosystems at scale </li><li>Strong analytical capability, including development of attribution models, dashboards, and performance metrics </li><li>Experience aligning marketing strategy with enterprise systems (CRM, SIS, advising platforms) and data infrastructure </li><li>Familiarity with lifecycle communication models spanning recruitment through student success </li><li>Higher education experience strongly preferred, particularly in enrollment management, student success, or academic program growth contexts </li><li>Experience leading organizational change, including implementation of shared services or centralized governance models </li><li>Ability to operate as an institutional integrator rather than a unit-level executor, with demonstrated influence across academic and administrative domains </li></ul> <p>Type Benefited Staff Special Instructions Summary Additional Information</p> <p>The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems ("URS"). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS' post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.</p> <p>This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.</p> <p>The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.</p> <p>Veterans' preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.</p> <p>Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran's status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.</p> <p>To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator's office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non-Discrimination page.</p> <p>Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu</p> <p>https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/ This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.</p> <p>As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.</p> <p>Posting Specific Questions</p> <p>Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).</p> <ul> <li> <ul> <li>What is your highest level of completed education? </li></ul> </li><li> <p>None</p> </li><li> <p>High School Diploma or Equivalent</p> </li><li> <p>Associate Degree</p> </li><li> <p>Bachelor's Degree</p> </li><li> <p>Master's Degree</p> </li><li> <p>Doctorate Degree</p> </li><li> <ul> <li>How many years of related work experience do you have? </li></ul> </li><li> <p>Less than 2 years</p> </li><li> <p>2 years or more, but less than 4 years</p> </li><li> <p>4 years or more, but less than 6 years</p> </li><li> <p>6 years or more, but less than 8 years</p> </li><li> <p>8 years or more, but less than 10 years</p> </li><li> <p>10 years or more, but less than 12 years</p> </li><li> <p>12 years or more, but less than 14 years</p> </li><li> <p>14 years or more</p> </li><li> <ul> <li>Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? </li></ul> </li><li> <p>Yes</p> </li><li> <p>No</p> </li><li> <ul> <li>Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B status)? </li></ul> </li><li> <p>Yes</p> </li><li> <p>No</p> </li><li> <ul> <li>Are you a current University of Utah employee? If yes, where do you currently work? </li></ul> </li></ul> <p>(Open Ended Question)</p> <p>Applicant Documents</p> <p>Required Documents</p> <ul> <li>Resume </li><li>Cover Letter </li><li>List of References </li></ul> <p>Optional Documents</p>