Senior Director of Brand & Growth Strategy

Job Summary:

The Senior Director of Brand and Growth Strategist serves as Lancaster Bible College's senior leader for brand strategy, institutional growth, and audience engagement, responsible for shaping and strengthening the college's identity, reputation, and market influence across all audiences. This role drives enterprise growth through integrated marketing, communications, and enrollment strategies that expand awareness, deepen regional impact, and position LBC to "own its extended backyard." Using data science, audience intelligence, and market insights, the Director leads initiatives that strengthen student attraction, elevate institutional reputation, and advance mission-centered storytelling that connects with prospective students, families, alumni, churches, employers, donors, and the broader community.

The Senior Director of Brand and Growth Strategist provides strategic oversight for all marketing and communications operations including brand management, digital strategy, creative services, advertising, social media, communications, website strategy, and enrollment marketing alignment. This leader champions organizational change management and builds integrated student and constituent experiences by aligning marketing efforts with retention, advancement, alumni engagement, employer reputation, workforce trends, and long-term institutional priorities. The role fosters a collaborative, innovative, and mission-aligned culture while ensuring marketing and communications efforts consistently reflect the values, identity, and vision of Lancaster Bible College.

Emergency Designation: Essential

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff.
• Oversees the daily workflow of the department.
• Provides constructive and timely performance evaluations.

Physical Requirements:

Examples:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Personal Qualities:

• Expertise in customer experience (CX) and student journey strategy, ensuring seamless and engaging experiences from prospective student awareness through alumni engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-wide growth strategies that align marketing, enrollment, retention, advancement, employer reputation, and workforce trends to strengthen institutional impact.
• Strong understanding of brand architecture, institutional positioning, and market differentiation within higher education and mission-driven organizations.
• Skilled in using market intelligence, audience insights, predictive analytics, and data-informed decision making to guide strategy, improve performance, and identify growth opportunities.
• Proven leadership in innovation and digital transformation, including AI integration, marketing technology (MarTech), emerging platforms, automation, and digital engagement strategies.
• Ability to develop integrated marketing ecosystems that optimize enrollment funnels, strengthen engagement, improve conversion, and influence student retention outcomes.
• Experience leading organizational change management efforts with the ability to build alignment, influence cross-campus collaboration, and strengthen institutional culture.
• Exceptional executive communication and storytelling skills with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling, and mission-aligned messaging.
• Strong accountability mindset with experience establishing KPIs, measuring ROI, tracking campaign effectiveness, and driving measurable institutional growth outcomes.
• Deep understanding of human-centered brand strategy, including student psychology, emotional storytelling, community-building, and brand trust development.
• Proven ability to inspire teams, foster collaboration, cultivate innovation, and create a culture of accountability, creativity, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates emotional intelligence, professionalism, humility, adaptability, and a deep commitment to Christian higher education and the mission of Lancaster Bible College.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred
• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive leadership experience in marketing, communications, branding, or enrollment marketing
• Higher education marketing experience strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience leading integrated marketing strategies and managing high performing teams
• Experience overseeing brand development, digital marketing strategy, enrollment campaigns, and agency/vendor partnerships

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Proven ability to lead institution wide marketing and communications strategies that drive measurable growth and brand strength
• Deep familiarity with SEO/SEM, CRM automation, enrollment marketing funnels, analytics platforms, and digital advertising strategy
• Strong understanding of branding, storytelling, audience development, and market positioning
• Exceptional project management, leadership, collaboration, and organizational skills
• Ability to analyze data and market trends to guide strategic decision making
• Strong understanding of traditional undergraduate student recruitment and student attraction strategies
• Ability to oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously while maintaining strategic focus and operational excellence
• A Christ centered leader committed to the mission, values, and vision of Lancaster Bible College

Duties/Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership & Brand Development

• Lead and oversee the institution's comprehensive marketing and communications strategy in alignment with enrollment and institutional priorities
• Strengthen and expand LBC's overall brand awareness, brand consistency, market positioning, and institutional visibility
• Develop strategies designed to increase market penetration and help LBC "own its extended backyard" through regional recruitment visibility and audience expansion
• Ensure institutional messaging consistently reflects the mission, values, and distinctives of Lancaster Bible College
• Serve as the chief steward of institutional brand identity and communications strategy

2. Traditional Undergraduate Attraction & Enrollment Marketing

• Lead marketing initiatives specifically focused on increasing traditional undergraduate inquiries, applications, campus visits, deposits, and enrollment growth
• Develop targeted student attraction campaigns that connect with prospective students and families across key geographic markets
• Partner closely with Admissions and Enrollment leadership to align marketing efforts with recruitment goals and funnel progression
• Strengthen awareness and engagement efforts through digital marketing, storytelling, events promotion, social media, video, and regional campaign execution

3. Department Leadership & Team Oversight

• Provide leadership, vision, accountability, and operational oversight for the entire Marketing & Communications department
• Directly supervise the Director of Online Marketing and other assigned staff members
• Build and maintain a high performing, collaborative, mission aligned team culture
• Manage external agencies, creative partners, freelancers, and marketing vendors
• Establish clear goals, priorities, workflows, and performance expectations for departmental success

4. Integrated Marketing & Communications Strategy

• Oversee institutional advertising, creative services, website strategy, social media, content development, public relations, communications, and digital engagement efforts
• Ensure integrated campaign alignment across traditional undergraduate, online, graduate, seminary, athletics, advancement, and institutional initiatives
• Lead the development of compelling storytelling and content strategies that strengthen audience connection and institutional perception
• Provide visionary creative direction for institutional campaigns, enrollment initiatives, digital assets, and communications materials

5. Digital Strategy & Performance Marketing

• Oversee institutional digital marketing strategy including SEO, paid advertising, social media, email marketing, web strategy, analytics, and audience engagement
• Utilize data and market insights to evaluate campaign effectiveness, improve ROI, and strengthen recruitment outcomes
• Support ongoing optimization of digital user experience and enrollment funnel progression
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement within the institution's digital presence and audience engagement strategy

6. Budget & Strategic Investment Oversight

• Steward the institutional marketing and communications budget with a focus on effectiveness, growth, and measurable impact
• Lead strategic investment planning related to advertising, recruitment campaigns, brand development, and audience expansion
• Evaluate campaign ROI, vendor effectiveness, and market performance to guide resource allocation decisions
• Ensure marketing investments align with institutional priorities, mission fit, student attraction, and long term brand strength