(On-site) Executive Director for Enrollment Marketing & Communications - Enrollment Management

The Department of Marketing and Communications within the Division of Enrollment Management at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for an Executive Director for Enrollment Marketing and Communications.

About the Opportunity

The Executive Director of Enrollment Communications and Marketing is a visionary leader responsible for advancing the university's brand and presence. Reporting to the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Executive Director will oversee marketing communications for prospective audiences from the point of interest through onboarding and sustain communications for specified areas of the student lifecycle.

This role leads the development and execution of a comprehensive, data-driven communications and marketing strategy tailored to meet enrollment goals and university objectives.

The Executive Director presides over the deployment of messaging across all platforms and stages from prospect to enrollee, and coordinates process-related communications for currently enrolled students. As a key member of the Enrollment Management division, the candidate serves as a trusted advisor on market trends, competitive positioning, and strategic planning.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership & Brand Alignment

• Develop and implement a comprehensive communication plan for prospective student audiences that is aligned with enrollment goals and the university's mission.
• Serve as the intermediary between Enrollment Management and Strategic Marketing and Communications divisions to ensure brand standards are consistently applied and effectively utilized across all communication channels.
• Fulfill the role of subject matter expert for areas related to recruitment marketing, transactional messaging, and brand integration.
• Consistently share analytics, outcomes, and translate market research with Enrollment Management peers and executive leadership.
• Establish segmentation and personalization for messaging to include prospective undergraduate, graduate, and online while supporting lifecycle messaging for continuing students.
• Optimize academic and student life messaging related to prospective student audiences and recruitment by working cross-functionally with the academic colleges and student life departments.
• Counsel system campuses to ensure consistently across university messaging and brand when related to recruitment messaging.

Recruitment Marketing and Prospective Student Engagement

• Establish a recruitment marketing plan that aligns with student search strategy and impacts lead generation and nurturing for segmented audiences such as freshman, transfer, international, online, graduate, and dual enrollment.
• Develop and execute transactional messaging that supports students through the application funnel and enrollment steps.
• Oversee the creative direction and execution of a multi-channel recruitment campaign that utilizes a variety of mediums to strengthen interest and increase enrollment.
• Optimize CRM and marketing automation platforms (e.g., Slate) to enhance communication flows and personalized student journeys.
• Monitor funnel performance and adjust campaign tactics to improve application volume, yield, and melt prevention.
• Shape the development of enrollment storytelling and highlight brand, academic excellence, outcomes, and student experience.
• Gain an understanding of prospective student search platforms and third-party agreements; deliver and approve content related to university profiles and external marketing campaigns to ensure brand alignment and strategy.

Continuing Student Communications and Operational Messaging

• Establish a communication strategy for process-related messaging in support of a one-stop model that encompasses financial aid, cost, billing, and payment information for new and continuing students.
• Ensure communication streams for continuing students meet timeline and content standards to safeguard clear and concise information.
• Develop retention marketing strategies while cross-functioning with academic and business units, with key partnerships from the Office of the Provost and Office of the University Registrar.
• Support onboarding and transition communications that foster engagement and persistence.

Data-Driven Strategy & Performance Management

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for enrollment communications campaigns and preview analytics regularly for peers and executive leadership.
• Utilize market research, audience insights, and A/B testing to continuously refine messaging and improve return on marketing investment.
• Align communication strategies with CRM capabilities, predictive modeling efforts, and enrollment forecasting processes.
• Utilize Institutional Reporting and external data analytics via vendor agreements to support analytics, strategic changes, and maximize operational effectiveness.

Team Leadership & Cross-Campus Collaboration

• Provide strategic leadership, supervision, and professional development for directors and staff across recruitment marketing and student lifecycle communications teams
• Foster a collaborative, innovative, and student-centered team culture
• Serve as a key partner to academic colleges, student success units, and administrative offices to coordinate enrollment initiatives
• Lead cross-functional projects that require coordination across communications, admissions, financial aid, and technology teams

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Higher Education Administration, or a related field.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of progressive leadership experience in enrollment marketing, communications, or strategic enrollment management.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Demonstrated success leading integrated marketing campaigns that support enrollment growth and student success outcomes.
• Experience managing professional staff, coaching and mentoring new staff, managing complex organizational changes, and investing in professional development.
• Expertise in CRM platforms, marketing automation, and digital analytics; preference given to those with Slate experience.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree.
• Experience leading communications strategy for centralized student services or one-stop models.
• Familiarity with predictive enrollment analytics and lifecycle communication strategy.
• Experience supporting brand alignment initiatives in institutions with prominent athletics or national visibility

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.