The director of marketing for CMU’s Innovation and Online unit leads integrated and comprehensive marketing efforts to increase market share and drive prospective student engagement, application growth, and enrollment for CMU’s online degree programs. This role is responsible for developing, managing, and executing a strategic, data-informed marketing strategy in collaboration with university partners; in particular, University Marketing and Communications, with the ultimate goal of achieving enrollment growth targets for online programs. This individual will work in partnership with University Marketing and Communication on all aspects of the marketing lifecycle, from brand positioning and lead generation to conversion and student retention for CMU Online. The director will lead a team of marketing professionals, manage budgets, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure the marketing strategy aligns with the broader institutional goals, brand standards, and institutional brand positioning.

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related business field.
Five years of progressively responsible experience in marketing.
Demonstrated experience managing and optimizing a budget across multiple teams and goals.
Demonstrated experience managing vendor relationships and working across multiple channels and audiences.
Demonstrated understanding of funnel-based marketing and conversion-focused content strategy.
In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience with digital marketing platforms, marketing automation (e.g., CRMs like Slate), analytics tools, and web content management systems (CMS).
Demonstrated collaborative mindset, with a proven ability to be a creative, and analytical thinker who can adapt quickly to evolving market trends.
Familiarity with email drip campaigns, lead nurturing workflows, and campaign reporting metrics.
Demonstrated understanding and ability to use market research, competitive analysis, and consumer trends to identify new opportunities.
Knowledge in managing digital presence, including website content strategy, SEO/SEM, paid and organic search, social media platforms, and email marketing campaigns.
Demonstrated understanding of integrated marketing strategies and approaches that leverage and maximize paid digital spend.
Deep understanding of marketing analytics and campaign optimization.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Master’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications, or a related field.
Seven years of progressive experience in marketing, with at least five years in a leadership role focused on enrollment or digital education marketing.
Experience in higher education and/or the online learning industry.
Proven track record of developing and executing successful, data-driven marketing campaigns that drive enrollment or sales growth.
Exceptional leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and guide a team of marketing professionals.

Develops and implements multi-year strategic marketing plans to increase market share and enrollment in CMU Online programs.
Collaborates regularly with University Communications to ensure strategic alignment and brand consistency across all marketing activities.
Guides all digital marketing efforts, including paid search (PPC), search engine optimization (SEO), paid social media campaigns, and email marketing. This includes optimizing campaign performance to maximize ROI.
Manages media partner relationships and works to ensure strategic alignment persists through each execution.
Serves as the main point of contact between media vendor(s) and University Communications to avoid advertisement collision, self-competition, and otherwise mitigate additional factors that could otherwise negatively affect ROI.
Collaborates with CMU Online stakeholders to integrate marketing efforts that support student success from inquiry to graduation.
Collaborates with key university partners to define enrollment targets, analyze market trends and identify opportunities for additional marketing.
Designs and implements innovative marketing campaigns that target prospective online learners, ensuring a consistent and compelling brand message across various digital channels.
Utilizes market research and data analysis to identify key audiences and develop strategies to engage via marketing, both direct and indirect.
Utilizes analytics tools to track and measure the performance of all marketing channels and campaigns. This includes generating regular reports for executive leadership and program directors, providing actionable insights to optimize strategies and enrollment outcomes.
Oversees the creation of high-quality, engaging, and informative content that showcases the CMU Online programs and supports the decision-making process of prospective students.
Collaborates with academic departments, faculty, and enrollment teams to gather insights and develop program-specific marketing materials that resonate with target audiences.
Promotes partnerships with external organizations, influencers, and industry experts to enhance the university’s credibility and visibility in the online education space.
Collaborates with a team of marketing professionals, providing mentorship and guidance and fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
Sets clear goals, manages performance, and ensures the team’s efforts are aligned with the CMU Online enrollment objectives.
Manages the marketing budget for online enrollment, allocating resources effectively to maximize ROI and achieve enrollment targets.
Ensures consistent messaging, brand voice, and visual identity across all online platforms and marketing materials.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others in our teams. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve leadership abilities and demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMU’s culture of excellence.

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.

You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit letters of recommendation. If you wish to include recommendation letter(s) that are not required, please utilize the Recommendation Letters upload field.

Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

*This position is available in Mt. Pleasant, Troy, Grand Rapids, or Traverse City. The work location is negotiable based on candidate preference; the accompanying salary offer will be determined based on candidate’s work location.

CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

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CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:

Phone: 989-774-3253
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: titleix@cmich.edu