The Brand Manager owns end-to-end CEPS marketing strategy and execution to drive enrollment growth. Leveraging data analytics, creative development, and cross-functional leadership, this role transforms market insights into impactful storytelling that elevate brand equity and convert prospective students throughout the recruitment funnel.
Essential Functions:
Portfolio Strategy & Market Positioning
- Strategic Growth: Develop brand strategies designed to increase regional, national, and global reach for the CEPS programs
- Value Proposition Leadership: Identify and articulate compelling institutional differentiators.
Market Insights & Audience Segmentation
- Target Market Analysis: Utilize demographic data and institutional research to identify high-yield target markets and emerging opportunities for regional and national recruitment.
- Audience Segmentation: Define and build distinct audience personas across diverse applicant pipelines.
Creative & Campaign Development
- Integrated Multi-Channel Campaigns: Manage integrated marketing initiatives from brief writing, planning to launch, utilizing digital media, (SEM), paid social, targeted email nurturing, website/SEO content and targeted collateral.
- Asset Quality & Alignment: Review and refine all copy, visuals, and multimedia content to ensure UA institutional brand guidelines while maximizing effectiveness & efficiency.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Stakeholder Integration: Serve as the point of contact connecting central UBO resources, external agencies, creative, college stakeholders, admissions, and other university stakeholders to advance CEPS.
Campaign Performance & Data Optimization
- •Accountability & KPI Tracking: Establish, monitor, and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to track campaign efficacy, pipeline conversion rates, and audience engagement.
- Fiscal & Analytical Stewardship: Measure marketing return on investment (ROI) and provide data-driven recommendations to optimize budget allocations and improve future campaign performance.
Education:
Requires a relevant Bachelor’s degree.
Licenses/Certifications/Requirements:
None.
Experience:
Requires a minimum of 5 years of progressive professional experience in brand management, product marketing, or performance marketing; 7 years preferred. Experience required in the following:
- Campaign Lifecycle Success: Documented success managing complex, multi-channel marketing campaigns from market research and creative briefing through to post-launch evaluation.
- Analytical Competency: Proven capability to leverage data analytics platforms, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and audience data to optimize marketing strategy.
- Communication Skills: Superb verbal, written, and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex, technical features into consumer-facing benefits.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Familiarity with marketing trends, competitive factors, and audience behaviors within technical, scientific, or highly specialized programmatic fields.
Compensation: The compensation for this position is commensurate with experience.
Application Instructions: In order to be considered for this position, please complete the online application and attach your resume.
Application Deadline: For fullest consideration, apply by August 6, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
FLSA Status (exempt/nonexempt):
Union Affiliation (if applicable):
For assistance with your application or attachments, please contact the Human Resources representative listed:
Shawna HarrisEmail:
________________________________________________________________________
Background Check StatementThe University of Akron is committed to providing a safe environment for all students and employees. The University endeavors to protect the health, welfare and safety of all students, employees and visitors on our campus. As such, all offers of employment with The University of Akron are contingent upon verification of credentials, and satisfactory completion of a criminal background check. Some positions may require additional credit investigation and a pre-employment driving record search.
Non-Discrimination StatementThe University of Akron is an Equal Education and Employment Institution. View our Non-Discrimination Statement for more information. Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.
State of Residence StatementIt is the expectation of the University of Akron that all work performed as an employee of the University will be performed in Ohio.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field
- Minimum 5 years progressive experience in brand management, product marketing, or performance marketing
- Documented success managing complex, multi-channel marketing campaigns from research through post-launch evaluation
- Proven ability to leverage data analytics platforms, CRM systems, and audience data to optimize marketing strategy
- Superb verbal, written, and presentation skills with ability to translate technical features into consumer-facing benefits
- Experience with SEM, paid social, targeted email nurturing, website/SEO content and collateral development
- 7 years of experience (preferred)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Familiarity with marketing trends and audience behaviors within technical or specialized programmatic fields
What We Do
The University of Akron is a public research university in Ohio that offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with a strong focus on STEM fields and polymer research.
