Executive Director of Marketing & Branding at William & Mary

At William & Mary, we convene great hearts and minds to meet the most pressing needs of our time. As such, the university aspires to attract and retain exceptional students, faculty and staff who keep W&M at the forefront of teaching, learning and research. University Marketing emphasizes three core areas — enrollment, advancement and institutional reputation — to enhance William & Mary’s standing as a top institution of higher learning in the U.S. and around the globe. Through its work to strengthen brand perception, student recruitment, alumni engagement and fundraising, University Marketing advances William & Mary’s distinctive excellence, raises its profile worldwide and secures its financial foundation — creating meaningful connections and wide-ranging impact for all times coming.

                                                                   Mission Statement, University Marketing

THE POSITION
The Executive Director of Marketing & Branding is a strategic leader on the University Marketing team at William & Mary. University Marketing includes all William & Mary efforts to develop and execute marketing programs and campaigns that increase brand identity, perception and awareness across three core areas — enrollment, advancement, and institutional reputation. William & Mary’s ability to flourish and advance as a preeminent university depends largely on the ability to drive competitive application and enrollment metrics, ensure long-term financial sustainability, and raise W&M’s profile on a national and global scale.

The Executive Director of Marketing & Branding reports to the university’s Chief Marketing Officer/Associate Vice President for University Marketing. They currently oversee three supervisors while leading a division of more than 15 staff responsible for the strategic planning, leadership and execution of the digital marketing, research and analytics, multimedia and creative teams’ efforts to develop and sustain a comprehensive brand and marketing strategy for William & Mary. The data driven and highly collaborative Executive Director is actively involved in the leadership and management of the teams’ content development and strategic planning. They are integrally involved in building marketing and brand initiatives in concert with key partners within University Marketing and across campus, including the offices of Admission, the Provost, University Advancement and University Communications.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The successful Executive Director of Marketing & Branding will be a proactive member of a talented and creative University Marketing team that includes responsibilities for Marketing & Branding, Strategic Events, Strategic Communications and Project Management. The successful Executive Director will demonstrate commitment to William & Mary’s mission as well as a curious nature and interest in lifelong learning. Specifically, the essential duties and responsibilities for the Executive Director for Marketing & Branding are as follows:

Marketing Planning and Execution

• Oversee the strategic planning and execution of University Marketing’s digital strategy, research and analytics, multimedia and creative team’s efforts to create and sustain a comprehensive brand and marketing strategy for William & Mary, strengthening W&M’s brand perception and marketing efforts in three key areas: enrollment, advancement and institutional reputation.
• Develop and implement a strategic plan for the university’s integrated marketing program that is innovative, progressive, data-informed and proactive, that extends across all media and vehicles, both nationally and internationally, in ways that appropriately support the strategic plan and reflect the goals and mission of the university.
• Build consensus across teams through collaboration with colleagues in Strategic Communications, Marketing Communications and University Communications to develop strategic brand messaging that advances the university’s brand strategy, content strategy and marketing priorities.
• Continually evaluate the effectiveness of brand and marketing strategies and vehicles, monitor progress toward goals for all marketing activities, and adapt and refine as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Execute and distribute content in today’s digital landscape, effectively and efficiently utilizing digital marketing software (Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Google Ads, Google Search Console, SEMRush, etc.), marketing analytics tools (Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager), statistical analysis and data reporting tools (Microsoft 365, Looker Studio), Adobe Creative Suite, project management software (ClickUp, Teamwork), content management systems (CMS) (Hannon Hill’s Cascade), customer relationship management systems (CRM) (Blackbaud and Slate).
• Review, edit, and approve the university’s strategic marketing plans, marketing content, and marketing assets (including web, print, digital, audio, and video) and ensure quality control, content appropriateness, tone, mission integration, brand platform alignment, and that target objectives are considered.
• Lead the development of marketing presentations and pitches for executive leadership.
• Assist in the generation and management of annual marketing and communications budgets.

Strategic Leadership 

• Motivate, direct and enhance the performance, aptitudes, abilities and capabilities of the entire marketing staff with a thoughtful and strategic approach to strengthen W&M brand perception and marketing efforts in three key areas: enrollment, advancement and institutional reputation.
• Be actively involved in the leadership and management of the digital strategy, research & analytics, multimedia and creative teams’ strategic planning and content development.
• Work closely with the project management team to prioritize work, meet deadlines and provide excellent customer service to all constituents.
• Work closely with University Marketing colleagues on the Strategic Events and Strategic Communications teams to strengthen W&M brand perception and marketing efforts.
• Encourage and facilitate collaboration and innovation in all teams.
• Elevate the quality of marketing and communications produced.
• Provide clear direction and feedback to ensure objectives are achieved.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Work in coordination with University Marketing partners, including University Communications, University Advancement, the Provost’s Office and Admission to ensure coordination and consistency in all work.
• Manage a portfolio of external partners, serving as the primary contact, ensuring an integrated marketing strategy with timely delivery, goals and metrics.
• Establish, coordinate and maintain solid, communicative and consistent working relationships with all stakeholders and partners across campus.
• Work closely with University Communications to lead the coordination and development of email, digital advertising, social media and web strategies across the university.

Brand Management & Research

• Serve as the university’s senior brand architect and steward, ensuring that all campaigns and creative are of the highest quality and consistent with the brand identity, and working with unit-based communicators to incorporate the essence of the brand – verbal and visual – across the campus.
• Develop strategies based on market research and analytics to elevate and solidify W&M’s reputation; attract and retain best-fit students, faculty, and staff; increase engagement among alumni, friends, and donors; support fundraising activities and revenue generation streams; provide credibility for new offerings and programs; create differentiation; shape the university’s messaging around its recognized strengths and forward-looking vision; improve institutional efficiency by supporting an internal culture of evidence-based planning and decision-making; and position the university optimally.

Performance Management

• Plan and coordinate professional development for team members, enhancing their abilities and providing opportunities for growth and increased job satisfaction.
• Leverage the team’s talents and skills to maximize effectiveness of work product.
• Establish clear, well communicated expectations and context that relate to holistic goals and objectives of the department or unit.
• Provide staff with frequent, constructive feedback, including interim evaluations as appropriate.
• Ensure that staff have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to accomplish goals.
• Complete evaluations and Employee Work Plans (EWPs) by established deadlines with proper documentation.
• Address and document performance issues as they occur.
• Review and communicate safety issues to assure a safe and healthy workplace and a reduction in work related absences.

Abilities and Characteristics
It is expected that the Executive Director of Marketing & Branding will hold a Bachelor’s degree in advertising, business, communications, marketing or a related field; or comparable education and experience. The chosen candidate should possess at least five years’ experience leading a marketing team, ideally in higher education, with expertise in enrollment, digital and/or brand marketing strategies with an integrated approach across the university. An advanced degree is preferred. In addition, the successful candidate will also possess many of the following abilities and characteristics:

• Demonstrated ability to create opportunities for all team members as the leader of a team, with a commitment to engaging people and perspectives collaboratively in all areas, including staffing and programming as well as experience developing talented team members as professionals.
• Experience leading an integrated marketing team across a complex organization.
• Demonstrated creativity, invention, imagination, originality and talent in branding, digital marketing, strategic marketing and brand messaging with the ability to foster creativity in others, build consensus among colleagues and effectively present to university leadership and advisory and governing boards.
• Expertise in a variety of integrated marketing and communication mediums with the ability to plan, manage, produce and direct comprehensive strategies that incorporate print, digital and video communication to lead brand and brand messaging.
• Experience developing and deploying inbound marketing tactics.
• Experience overseeing qualitative and quantitative market research and analysis and utilizing findings to inform marketing and brand strategies.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to identify short- and long-range goals and contribute to effective and measurable outcomes.
• Effective leadership skills with the ability to manage and directly supervise director-level staff and influence and collaborate with people and departments in a complex environment.
• Efficiency, flexibility and initiative in work style, especially while managing multiple, competing priorities under deadline constraints. Willingness and ability to adapt to changes and/or upgrades in office procedures and systems.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the proven ability to foster strong relationships and work effectively with internal/external constituencies while exercising diplomacy and tact in all interactions.
• Ability to collaborate across campus to develop and implement effective integrated marketing and brand strategy.
• An in-depth understanding of best practices in content development and delivery.
• Experience with developing and implementing digital strategies such as A/B testing, segmentation, search engine optimization and marketing, organic and paid advertising, variable data and curated content development.
• Hands-on experience creating, executing and distributing content in today’s digital landscape, including experience with digital marketing automation and analytics software, experience using marketing and communications analytics and analysis tools, statistical analysis or modeling techniques using Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, project management software, content management systems (CMS), and customer relationship management systems (CRM).
• Expertise or experience in media buying for ad placement, broadcast, online, etc.
• Proven skills in developing brand platforms, journey maps and audience segmentation strategies with the ability to create, interpret and implement content and marketing strategies for holistic, integrated marketing campaigns.
• Expertise using design thinking principles and how to operationalize them.

WILLIAM & MARY
William & Mary is the first institution of higher learning in America to become a university. While its original plans date back to 1618, W&M was officially chartered in 1693, and it founded the nation’s first law school in 1779. W&M has been called the Alma Mater of the Nation because of its close ties to America’s founding fathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Tyler and James Monroe. It is a premiere public research university famous for its rigorous liberal arts and sciences curriculum and dedicated, engaged professors. W&M students are nothing short of exceptional; they’re scholars, athletes, changemakers, musicians, world travelers, and generous volunteers. The W&M campus is a masterwork of preservation and innovation. Strategic planning advances William & Mary’s educational vision, mission, and values by addressing our most pressing challenges and by seizing our most promising opportunities. Vision 2026 outlines a five-year plan to expand W&M’s reach, educate for impact and evolve to excel, building on a two-year generative planning process that engaged the entire university community.

Academics
Building on more than 300 years of innovation and excellence, W&M transcends the boundaries between research and teaching, teaching and learning, learning and living. As a “Public Ivy” — one of only eight in the nation — W&M offers a world-class education at an exceptional value. W&M is an academic powerhouse. Its undergraduate, graduate and online students know they’ll work hard, and that their uncommon efforts will be personally, academically and professionally rewarding. Academic life at W&M takes place across divisions of Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Law, Coastal & Marine Science, and Computing, Data Sciences & Physics. W&M students are some of the smartest in the world and are passionate about serving others. W&M professors are teachers, scholars and research mentors, the cornerstone of a thriving intellectual community that produces experienced, engaged and successful graduates.

Diversity at W&M
William & Mary is home to a vibrant and inclusive community of individuals with different backgrounds, talents and skills. We engage diverse perspectives and seek wisdom in bridging differences. As an institution, we are committed to Inclusive Excellence and have adopted means for the cohesive, coherent and collaborative integration of diversity, inclusion and equity into our organizational pursuit of excellence. From classroom discussions and study abroad experiences, to equitable and transparent recruitment, hiring and promotion processes, inclusive excellence is our focus. This work is not aligned with a single office, but the shared responsibility of all. Building on our core value of belonging, we create a welcoming and caring community that embraces diverse people and perspectives. We treat one another with mutual respect, recognizing and upholding each person’s inherent dignity and worth.

Leadership ~ Katherine A. Rowe, President
President Katherine A. Rowe became William & Mary’s 28th President on July 1, 2018, and was inaugurated on February 8, 2019. A recognized leader, teacher, scholar and entrepreneur, Rowe is a passionate advocate for the relevance of the liberal arts and their critical intersections with technology and research. She is deeply interested in design thinking and innovation within the liberal arts and the digital humanities. Her areas of research and scholarship include Shakespeare, Milton, Spenser, media history, and Medieval and Renaissance drama.

Prior to joining W&M, Rowe held a number of leadership positions in higher education. From 2014 to 2018, she was Provost, Dean of the Faculty, and Sophia Smith Professor of English Language & Literature at Smith College in Massachusetts. She also served as Interim Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity with a focus on campus engagement and inclusion.

Location
Williamsburg, Virginia, is a wonderful place to live. It is approximately 150 miles south of Washington, D.C. and is located midway between Richmond and Norfolk on Interstate 64. Williamsburg offers the ideal setting for a modern, collegiate atmosphere. Adjacent to the campus is Colonial Williamsburg, which along with Jamestown and Yorktown comprise the Historic Triangle. Interpreters work at all three sites to teach visitors about the beginnings of representative government and cultural diversity in North America. Duke of Gloucester Street (“DoG Street” to students) connects William & Mary to Colonial Williamsburg and forms a preferred corridor for student joggers.

Other nearby attractions include outlet stores, local breweries and distilleries, an arts district, Busch Gardens amusement park — which offers a special William & Mary day in October — and High Street, Midtown Row and New Town, which offer convenient access to restaurants, shopping and movie theaters. Next to campus, at the corner of Prince George Street and Richmond Road, are a popular cluster of delis, pubs and taverns. Tourists flock to Williamsburg every summer, but W&M students and staff have the run of the place during less humid months.

Compensation and Benefits
Compensation for the position is expected to be competitive and is based on the skills and experience of the selected candidate; consult with the NES search team for insights. William & Mary offers our employees a full array of benefits including retirement, health insurance with options for expanded dental and vision along with group and optional life insurance with coverage for spouse and children, flexible spending accounts, and an EAP (Employee Assistance Program). W&M employees enjoy additional university benefits such as educational assistance, professional development, wellness benefits, and a robust holiday schedule. All employees have access to fitness facilities on campus. Staff members also have access to the university libraries, and much more.

TO APPLY
To arrange for a confidential conversation or to nominate someone for this position, please contact Laura Robinson (laura.robinson@nessearches.com) or Mary Napier (mary.napier@nessearches.com). To apply, send 1) a resume, 2) a detailed letter of interest regarding your interest in the position of Executive Director of Marketing & Branding at William & Mary, and 3) contact information for five professional references by email to: wm@nessearches.com. The search will remain open until the position is filled; for best consideration, submit materials by January 28, 2025. The expected start date will be in the spring of 2025. All applications and nominations will be considered confidential, and notice will be given before references are contacted.

William & Mary values diversity and invites applications from underrepresented groups who will enrich the research, teaching and service missions of the university. The university is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.