The Director of Marketing for Pepperdine’s Seaver College reports to the Senior Director of Client Relations and serves as the primary communications, brand, and growth leader, acting as a strategic partner to the Dean, faculty, and school leadership. This essential role is the dedicated co-architect of high-quality, data-informed strategies that ensure the college’s objectives align seamlessly with the university’s brand, mission, and long-term vision.

The Director is accountable for the integrated planning and execution of all marketing and communications efforts across three key areas: School Marketing (collaborating with centralized enrollment marketing, web, communications, and creative teams to drive applications and funnel development through print, digital, social, web, and other channels); Profile-Raising (strengthening the school’s brand through PR, rankings, and multimedia content); and Advancement and Alumni Engagement (supporting the relevant advancement/ alumni engagement leaders in the college as well as the centralized alumni communications team).

As the central point of contact for Seaver, the Director manages all constituent support requests, utilizing research and analysis to improve strategies and ensure the timely delivery of strategic and tactical support. This role is crucial in reinforcing the university’s Christ-centered commitment in external and internal communications.

Duties

• School Marketing:
  • Participate in all marketing and associated outcomes for programs, including websites, communications, social media, and digital marketing.
  • Work in close collaboration with the Director of Undergraduate Enrollment Marketing to align school-level initiatives with centralized strategies and performance goals. 
• Brand Marketing and Profile-Raising:
  • Lead efforts to strengthen the school's brand identity and elevate its profile across key audiences by developing and executing strategies that include public relations, organic social media, ranking improvement/publication plans, print, video, multimedia, and event promotion. 
• Advancement and Alumni:
  • Maintain regular and ongoing interaction with the centralized advancement and alumni relations teams, sharing accountability for measurable results directly tied to efforts. This includes writing annual plans, developing and executing communications, creating marketing and outreach materials, setting goals, reporting on measurable outcomes, and documenting work and results regularly. 
• Constituent Support:
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for school leadership and constituents, including the dean, committees, program chairs, faculty, staff, and admissions.
  • The Director is solely responsible for directly receiving, managing, and fulfilling all requests, ensuring the timely delivery of marketing and communications support for both enrollment-specific initiatives, internal/external communications, and any other school-related priorities.
  • In partnership with senior school and departmental leadership, the Director also serves as a co-architect of high-quality, data-informed growth strategies that align school-level objectives with broader university plans and commitments. This includes advising leaders on strategic marketing opportunities, helping shape integrated campaigns and messaging that advance institutional goals, and ensuring that all communications reinforce the university's brand, mission, and long-term vision. - 
• Data, Research, and Analysis:
  • Work closely with IMC teams to ideate, create, and monitor reports on the effectiveness of marketing and communications efforts.
  • Analyze data and utilize insights to improve strategies and prepare synthesized presentations regularly. 
• Budgeting:
  • Field funding requests from school constituents and develop ideas that may require budget resources.
  • Present enrollment-related requests directly to the Executive Director of Enrollment Marketing and Digital Strategy and non-enrollment-related requests to the Director's direct supervisor.
  • The Director must work through the proper channels, follow established processes, and obtain written approval before carrying out any budget-related activity, as they do not hold authority over budgets or spending.
• Uphold University mission through work performed. 
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in writing, marketing, business, communications, or related field.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Proven ability to create and customize content for a variety of channels;
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams to meet shared objectives;
• Ability to work independently & pro-actively, handle multiple requests/projects simultaneously, and thrive in a fast-paced environment;
• Quick learner.
• Computer proficient in database management, word processing, project management, writing, and editing skills.
• Ability to effectively produce in a highly autonomous position.
• Ability to delicately manage the input of multiple perspectives into one final product.
• Ability to articulate the Pepperdine brand and a strong commitment to Pepperdine’s Christian mission.
• Detail orientation.
• Proficient in Microsoft suite, Google Analytics, G Suite, Salesforce, PeopleSoft, OmniUpdate, and Mac.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in marketing, business, communications, or related field preferred.
• Five years of experience in marketing leadership.
• Experience within a higher education marketing, recruitment, advancement, or enrollment office preferred.
• Supervisory capabilities, expert knowledge in higher education and marketing trends, ability to analyze and demonstrate returns on investment.
• Proficient in Adobe Suite (e.g. Photoshop, Illustrator}, and survey software.

This is a Restricted, Exempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $93,000 - $105,000 per year 

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Pepperdine is committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.

Pepperdine is religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It is the purpose of Pepperdine to pursue the very highest employment and academic standards within a context that celebrates and extends the spiritual and ethical ideals of the Christian faith. While students, faculty, and staff represent many religious backgrounds, Pepperdine is permitted under applicable law and reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists who support Pepperdine's Christian mission.

Qualified individuals should be able to show respect for workplace differences, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Individuals will be required to disclose any criminal convictions on a designated form after receiving a conditional offer of employment; failure to disclose accurate information may result in withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.