Senior Director, Marketing

The Office of USC Communications is seeking an innovative, strategic, and results-driven leader to serve as Senior Director, Marketing. This leadership role is responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of comprehensive marketing strategies that elevate the university's reputation, strengthen audience engagement, and support institutional priorities.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, University Marketing, the Senior Director will oversee day-to-day marketing, creative services, and web operations, lead high-performing teams, manage budgets, and cultivate impactful relationships with key stakeholders, corporate partners, and external audiences. The ideal candidate combines strategic vision with operational excellence and possesses deep expertise in integrated marketing, brand strategy, digital communications, advertising, media buying, and organizational leadership.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape and advance the marketing vision of a dynamic and mission-driven institution. The Senior Director, Marketing, will play a critical role in strengthening institutional visibility, engagement, and reputation through impactful storytelling, strategic communications, and innovative marketing initiatives.

The university fosters a collaborative and inclusive culture where employees are empowered to contribute ideas, lead with creativity, and make a meaningful impact.

This position will be fully onsite at the University Park Campus, 5 days a week.

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Leading the development and execution of strategic marketing plans for the university, school, or division.

• Overseeing integrated marketing campaigns across digital, print, social media, web, advertising, influencer, and emerging platforms.

• Shaping institutional brand positioning, audience segmentation, journey mapping, and audience cultivation, acquisition, nurturing, conversion strategies.

• Directing the design, production, and implementation of marketing materials, campaign assets, web, and social content.

• Leveraging new technologies including AI to develop and drive innovative social media strategies, web, and digital engagement initiatives.

• Managing the recruitment, training, supervision, and professional development of marketing staff and leadership teams.

• Establishing departmental priorities, conduct performance evaluations, and oversee staff accountability and growth.

• Leading the planning, administration, and oversight of assigned budgets and financial resources.

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with media outlets, corporate partners, government stakeholders, and professional organizations.

• Serving as a university marketing subject matter expert both internally and externally, educating stakeholders, and establishing KPIs and dashboards.

• Overseeing external vendors, agencies, and contractors to ensure quality, consistency, and strategic alignment.

• Participating in institutional strategic planning and organizational initiatives.

Perform other related duties as assigned. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations or a related field

• Seven (7) years of professional experience in marketing

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership or management experience

• Strong knowledge of digital marketing, social media, internet marketing, blogs, influencer marketing, and web analytics

• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills

• Expertise in marketing strategy, advertising, and brand management

• Strong leadership, organizational, analytical, and creative problem-solving abilities

• Experience managing budgets, personnel, and multiple concurrent projects

• Ability to build meaningful relationships with internal and external stakeholders and to build bridges across teams, departments, schools and the university

• Experience overseeing design and production of print and digital publications

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, social listening software, AI editing tools, and database management tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ years of combined professional marketing experience

• Proven success in leading marketing campaigns, filling the funnel through cultivation, acquisition, nurturing and conversion

• Track record of successful use of data and analytics to define audiences through segmentation, development of personas, journey mapping, and the user experience to deliver the desired call-to-action outcomes

• Demonstrated strategic thinking, innovative marketing, and collaborative leadership

Required Documents and Additional Information

Resume and cover letter required (may be submitted as one attachment). Additionally, please submit a portfolio or examples of marketing campaigns and communications work.

The annual base salary range for this position is $213,000-$217,295. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer alignment, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

To support faculty and staff well-being, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of benefits and perks to help protect their and their dependents' health, wealth, and future. These benefits are available as part of the overall compensation and total rewards package.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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