Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy, Penn GSE - University of Pennsylvania

University Overview


The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.




Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.




The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.








Posted Job Title

Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy, Penn GSE





Job Profile Title

Director, Marketing





Job Description Summary

The Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy is a key leader within Penn GSE’s newly formed Marketing and Communications Team, responsible for developing and implementing strategies to elevate the school’s brand, market its distinctive programs, and produce rich and engaging creative products for diverse audiences. Reporting to the inaugural Vice Dean of Marketing and Communications, the Director leads the office’s Marketing and Brand Strategy Group, supervising a team of four that partners closely with Admissions, Development & Alumni Relations, and academic programs throughout the school. The Director leads the group responsible for branding, marketing, graphic design, social media, photography, videography, and the GSE website. The Director coordinates closely with the Executive Director of Communications.





Job Description


Job Responsibilities



+ Brand Strategy Formulation and Implementation. Under the direction of the Vice Dean of Marketing and Communications, develop a school-wide strategic branding and marketing plan. Drawing on research and insight to anticipate future trends, guides the school’s creative messaging. Leverage cutting-edge media, art, and design strategies to accomplish the brand strategy. Analyze market information to inform new, relevant, and useful messages and branding for GSE. Create, develop, and maintain a social media strategy and use metrics to evaluate the success of social media campaigns.


+ Admissions Marketing. In partnership with the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, develop and lead the group responsible for executing an admissions marketing strategy. Set and manage execution on a plan to provide marketing support to Penn GSE’s 30+ traditional and executive-format programs to ensure that all programs are receiving adequate service and that their needs are being met. Regularly evaluate effectiveness of admissions marketing strategy.


+ Team Leadership. Supervise, set goals for and with, develop, and empower a team of four staff, comprising a Digital Communications Specialist, two Assistant Directors of Admissions Marketing, and a Content Writer.


+ Brand Standards Management. Develop, maintain, and enforce brand standards and best practices for the use of graphic design, social media, photography, videography and the GSE website. Protect Penn and Penn GSE trademarks and brand integrity. Act as the first point of contact for the guidelines, partnering with stakeholders across the school to establish awareness, buy-in, and compliance. Ensure the school’s compliance with Penn's brand standards.


+ Vendor Relations. Establish and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with external vendors and partners, including marketing agencies, web development firms, and creative services providers. Select vendors strategically based on quality, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with Penn GSE’s values and standards. Negotiate contracts, oversee project timelines, and ensure deliverables meet or exceed expectations. Conduct regular performance reviews and adapt strategies as necessary to optimize vendor contributions to the school's marketing and communications objectives.


+ Website Management. Lead development, execution, and continuous improvement of the school's website as a core marketing and communication platform. Ensure the website accurately reflects Penn GSE’s brand identity, values, and educational offerings. Collaborate with IT and content creators to enhance user experience, optimize for search engines, and implement new features that meet the evolving needs of prospective and current students. Monitor web analytics to drive content and layout improvements, increase engagement, and achieve marketing objectives. Serve as a key liaison for all website-related projects and initiatives, ensuring alignment with the school's strategic goals and compliance with accessibility standards.


+ Additional duties as assigned





Qualifications



+ Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, graphic design, marketing, communications, visual design, media, technology, or journalism and a minimum of five years’ experience in a related field, preferably in a leadership or management role or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. This position requires a deep understanding of project management, design, brand development, and marketing tools, technologies, policies, and best practices. The ideal candidate possesses a track record of developing and implementing impactful, creative approaches within marketing, ideally in a higher education setting. They will also possess exceptional communication skills, strong team leadership skills, and a deeply collaborative work style.





*All applicants must submit a cover letter.*




Anticipated salary range: $90,000 - $100,000




Penn GSE actively seeks and welcomes people of color, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, persons with disabilities, and people at intersections of these identities, to apply.






Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





Department / School

Graduate School of Education





Pay Range

$61,046.00 - $100,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.










Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.




Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.




University Benefits

+ Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

+ Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

+ Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

+ Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

+ Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

+ Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

+ Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

+ University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

+ Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

+ Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

+ Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

+ Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.




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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay



The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.