The Assistant Director of Graduate Enrollment Marketing plays a key role in supporting the execution of Pepperdine University’s enrollment marketing strategy, advancing the institution’s mission to prepare students for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. Reporting to the Director of Enrollment Marketing, this position manages day-to-day marketing operations with a focus on email communications, content development, project coordination, analytics, and creative production. The Assistant Director collaborates with admissions, school-based marketing teams, and the broader Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) division to ensure that marketing initiatives are effective, timely, and mission-aligned.

This position contributes to multiple areas, including managing enrollment-focused email calendars, supporting campaign automation in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, coordinating creative and content projects, and supporting SEO, AI visibility, and website updates. The role also assists with PR efforts, rankings visibility, event promotion, and the development of print and premium materials. Through strong project management, attention to detail, and a collaborative spirit, the Assistant Director ensures that enrollment marketing efforts are executed with excellence, supporting prospective student engagement and institutional growth, ensuring all touchpoints align with Pepperdine’s commitment to excellence, service, and hospitality.

Duties

• Enrollment Email Communications and Calendar Management:
  • Develop and manage ad hoc email calendars to support events, application deadlines, info sessions, and yield campaigns in collaboration with admissions and school marketing teams.
  • Support content creation and deployment in Salesforce Marketing Cloud and assist with journey and automation campaigns. 
• Content Development and Editing:
  • Write and edit blog posts, digital content, and promotional copy for enrollment marketing initiatives.
  • Ensure messaging aligns with institutional voice and supports prospective student engagement.
  • Develop and update web and digital content using SEO and AI-informed best practices.
  • Write clear, keyword-rich, and question-based sections that improve visibility and engagement.
  • Ensure content is accurate, optimized, and aligned with institutional messaging, aligning with the institutional voice and supporting prospective student engagement. 
• Paid Media Creative Development:
  • Plan and coordinate photography, video, and graphic asset production in partnership with the creative team and partners.
  • Ensure timely delivery of high-quality assets that align with campaign objectives and brand guidelines. 
• Performance and Analytics Reporting:
  • Support reporting initiatives to evaluate performance for campaigns.
  • Monitor trends, assess engagement, and provide actionable insights to improve effectiveness.
  • Monitor and document the performance of web pages and search visibility, including keyword rankings, backlinks, and SEO/AI-generated search placements and summaries.
• SEO, AI, and Web Optimization Support:
  • Support search engine optimization efforts by implementing assigned tasks from the SEO team, including metadata updates, on-page structure, internal linking, and strategic content edits.
  • Make web edits to improve page structure, user experience, and visibility in AI-driven search results.
  • Assist with outreach to external organizations and directories to acquire backlinks. Assist with website edits and content updates as needed. 
• Marketing Support:
  • Provide support to marketing teams across schools, including digital marketing, email, and website-specific teams, where additional assistance is needed. 
• Perform other duties as assigned:
  • Contribute to additional projects and responsibilities in support of Integrated Marketing Communications and broader University initiatives. 
• Uphold University Mission Through Work Performed:
  • Contribute to Pepperdine's mission and community through all responsibilities and interpersonal interactions, reflecting a culture of excellence, service, and hospitality. 

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 marketing, communications, business, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of professional experience in enrollment marketing.
• Demonstrated experience working within cross-functional marketing initiatives, preferably in a higher education or mission-driven setting.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate data insights into actionable marketing strategies.
• Deep understanding of marketing funnels, campaign planning, and performance optimization.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong project management and organizational abilities.
• Project management tools, CMS platforms (e.g., Modern Campus), and standard office software such as Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.

Preferred:

• Experience working directly within an admissions or enrollment-focused team.
• Experience in marketing/communications across multiple graduate programs.
• Familiarity with higher education marketing trends and prospective student behavior.
• Knowledge of branding, content strategy, and user experience principles.
• Understanding of search engine marketing, display advertising, and email journey optimization.
• Experience collaborating with CRM and admissions systems to improve lead nurturing and conversion.
• CRM systems (e.g., Slate, Salesforce), marketing automation platforms, Google Analytics, SEO platforms (e.g., SEMrush), Digital advertising platforms, Adobe Creative Cloud

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

Expected Pay Range: $74,000 - $82,000 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.