Assoc VP, Marketing

About the position

Reporting to the Vice President for Public Affairs, Communication and Marketing, the Associate Vice President of Marketing leads the development and execution of an integrated, institution-wide marketing strategy designed to strengthen Auburn's reputation, increase its visibility and enhance its position in the higher education market, while remaining aligned with the university's mission and goals. The Associate Vice President provides leadership for the division in the absence of the Vice President, ensuring continuity of operations and decision-making authority when delegated.

Responsibilities

• Leads the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of Auburn University's comprehensive marketing and positioning strategy.
• In close coordination with the Marketing and Creative Services Director, works to ensure excellence with the marketing, graphic design, and creative services teams in the execution and alignment with university priorities.
• Directs institutional positioning management and ensures visual identity standards are upheld across all university communications and marketing efforts.
• Provides strategic counsel to senior leadership on market positioning and initiatives, visibility and impact strategy, and audience engagement strategies.
• Collaborates with units across campus to develop tailored marketing strategies that reinforce the university's mission and support institutional goals.
• Guides the development of targeted campaigns informed by market research, analytics, and audience segmentation.
• Builds a culture of collaboration and creativity among marketing professionals across campus while fostering innovation and continuous improvement.
• Utilizes data and performance metrics to evaluate campaign effectiveness and drive data-informed decisions.
• Manages the university's marketing budget and resources with efficiency and transparency.
• Represents Auburn's marketing leadership at university-wide committees, external events, and national professional conferences.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field.
• 15 years of experience in marketing, digital marketing or strategy, or related, with at least 5 years in a leadership role directing teams and leading strategic marketing initiatives.
• Skilled in managing large-scale positioning strategies.
• Demonstrated leadership in a large, complex organization with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to build consensus, foster collaboration, and lead cross-functional teams through influence.
• Ability to advise senior leadership and contribute to strategic planning, leveraging marketing expertise to influence executive-level decision-making.
• Advanced knowledge in developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns in complex, mission driven organizations.
• Strong understanding of digital strategy, creative services, messaging architecture, and multichannel marketing.
• Expertise in audience segmentation, digital advertising, and content-driven marketing.
• Knowledge in managing marketing transformation efforts.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• High degree of emotional intelligence, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Proven commitment to integrity, innovation, and measurable impact in marketing leadership.
• Advanced knowledge of digital marketing tools and creative production workflows.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, inform strategic decisions, and evaluate marketing performance.

Nice-to-haves

• Masters Degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field.
• Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP).
• Professional Certified Marketer-AMA (PCM).

Benefits

• Generous benefits.
• Educational opportunities.
• Culture of support and work/life balance.