About the position
This role is an on-campus, in-person position. This position is responsible for planning and implementing promotional activities for Continuing and Professional Education's (SMU CAPE) noncredit programs to reach various and differentiated target audiences. They develop and execute annual strategic communication and marketing plans, to build brand awareness and to support lead generation of prospective students for CAPE's full course portfolio. This position determines appropriate channels for written, visual, video and other content and ensures adherence to SMU brand standards. They inform annual budgeting exercises by forecasting and monitoring marketing expenses and by sharing data analyzing return on investment. The Marketing Specialist manages projects with external creative and program partners and serves as the primary contact for CAPE with those vendors as well as the university's central marketing and communications department.
Responsibilities
- Create and update CAPE's annual content calendar and omni-channel delivery plan to promote programs, courses and initiatives.
- Communicate with internal, external and vendor stakeholders concerning deadlines, logistics and deliverables.
- Align content delivery with course intakes, industry events (such as conferences, association meetings, etc.), and other outreach.
- Serve as CAPE liaison for promotional and program partners, including Online Program Management (OPM) providers and agencies, for planning and execution of marketing campaigns.
- Identify, contract, coordinate and evaluate work with creative vendors, such as copywriters and editors, designers, photographers and videographers and others.
- Develop compelling content for various platforms, including newsletters, blogs, landing pages, social media, flyers and reports to engage with various stakeholders.
- Maintain and update the SMU Global, Online and Continuing Education website.
- Ensure content on all channels, including that produced by vendors and partners, meets SMU brand standards, editorial prescriptions, and technical requirements plus best practices for the higher/continuing education field.
- Promote CAPE, SMU Global, Online & Continuing Education and the Moody School at events, webinars, open houses and professional meetings.
- Build relationships with community organizations, alumni, industry advisors and professional networks.
- Identify and maintain metrics to track activities and identify successful marketing and communications tactics.
- Compile and distribute recurring reports to stakeholders.
- Provide additional administrative, tactical, design, copyediting and other assistance as needed to support CAPE, SMU Global, Online & Continuing Education and the Moody School.
Requirements
- A bachelor's degree is required.
- A master's degree is preferred.
- A degree in marketing, communications, advertising or public relations is preferred.
- A minimum of three (3) years of experience is required, five (5) years is preferred.
- Proven and demonstrated experience creating digital content is required, including writing and editing posts for various platforms.
- Experience developing, planning, managing and executing projects related to marketing, communications and outreach strategic initiatives is required.
- Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
- Strong written communication skills.
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions.
- Strong organizational, planning and time management skills.
- Knowledge of higher education, adult education, and/or continuing and professional education programs strongly preferred.
- Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Asana or similar project management platform, Salesforce and related software (such as Pardot), HTML, SEO platforms and Google Analytics.
Benefits
- Broad, competitive array of health and related benefits.
- Traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans.
- Wide range of wellness programs.
- Array of retirement programs.
- Access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.
