Director of Strategic Account Management and Media

Director of Strategic Account Management and Media 

Enterprise Marketing and Communications

Position purpose and general responsibilities: 

The Director of Strategic Account Management and Media is responsible for contributing to VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications (EMC) strategic marketing expertise and leading the account management and paid media teams. This position reports to the Associate Vice President of Brand Marketing and collaborates with cross-functional teams across the VCU enterprise to develop, implement, and execute innovative marketing strategies, message programs, and media plans that support university priorities and deliver successful/measurable results. The Director of Strategic Account Management and Media serves as a proactive champion for advancing the VCU brand by focusing on increasing new student applications, improving enrollment, growing national brand prominence, and supporting the creation of breakthrough content that shapes favorable brand perceptions for VCU. 

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s generous benefits package that includes: competitive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, Virginia Retirement System (VRS), professional development & certifications, tuition waiver, parental leave, caregiving leave and community service leave. Learn more about VCU’s benefits here.

Core Responsibilities: 

Strategy

Leads the development and execution of strategic marketing plans that align with university objectives, target audience insights and emerging trends. 

Duties

• Manage primary and secondary research efforts to ensure marketing insights are strategic and actionable with the outcome of identifying marketing opportunities that are driven by consumer behavior insights.
• Lead and facilitate discussions with creative teams to develop compelling advertising concepts and materials. 
• Write strategic and inspiring creative briefs informed by research/audience insights. 
• Review creative to ensure strategic alignment with the creative brief and that brand mandates are met. 
• Consult with internal and external university partners, providing thought leadership that focuses on elevating brand awareness and perceptions. 

Account Management

Leads, manages, and mentors the account management team with responsibility for executing content tactics through effective and flawless project management with a focus on successfully achieving university objectives. 

Duties

• Provide leadership, mentorship, and direction to the account management team, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. Instills industry best practices for the team's organizational structure, responsibilities, and processes. 
• Work collaboratively with creative, photography, video, digital, content/social, operations/finance, events, and other EMC teams to meet the goals and objectives of division priorities. 
• Oversee the brand marketing budget; collaborate with finance staff to ensure the team follows finance and procurement guidelines.

Tactical Execution

Responsible for delivering project assignments on time and budget.

Duties

• Oversee and implement successful processes, including project planning and scheduling, production, budget management, and procurement purchasing on behalf of the brand marketing team. 

Media Planning

Oversee media strategy, planning, and buying with an external media partner(s) to ensure strategic media thought leadership and innovative channel approaches that help EMC meet and exceed its marketing KPIs. 

Duties

• Lead the Associate Media Director and external media partner(s) in the creation of strategically and tactically sound media plans and tactics that deliver positive results. 
• Monitor and analyze paid media campaign performance metrics, KPIs, and ROI to assess effectiveness while continually identifying opportunities for optimization and improvement. 
• Responsible for monthly reporting that monitors, evaluates, and optimizes campaign performance. 

Minimum qualifications and experience. 

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field. 
• Seasoned marketing professional with a minimum of eight years in strategic planning, account management, and client services roles within an advertising agency and/or client-side marketing department.
• Knowledgeable and proficient with leading media strategy and planning efforts. Conversant with traditional and emerging media channels and understanding how effective media plans/tactics impact successful marketing efforts.
• Experience with leading and supervising a high-performing team.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing successful marketing strategies and advertising campaigns that drive positive business results.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and empower team members to achieve their goals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts to a variety of audiences. 
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making and campaign optimization.
• Comfortable leading content development for traditional and non-traditional media channels.
• Proficiency with digital marketing tools and platforms, possessing a keen understanding of current trends and best practices in digital marketing and communications. 
• Adaptable and resilient, with the capacity to thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. 
• A strong collaborator with demonstrated experience working in and fostering successful outcomes among a variety of stakeholders, diverse faculty, and staff. 

Preferred qualifications and experience. 

• Ten years experience preferred in strategic planning, account management, and client services roles within an advertising agency and/or client-side marketing department.

Salary Range: $100,000 - $110,000

To apply: https://vcu.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/5681?c=vcu

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or disability. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.