Brand Lead — Graduate Programs & Campaigns

The University of Michigan

Detroit (MI)

Hybrid

USD 110,000 - 120,000

Full time

3 days ago

Be an early applicant

A complete application in a minute

Tailored resume and cover letter, ready to send.

Get past ATS filters

Job summary

University of Michigan’s UMCI is growing, and the Brand Manager, Degree Programs, will lead strategy and recruitment marketing for graduate programs. The role operates in a startup-like environment, collaborating with senior leaders to shape portfolio positioning and audience-specific campaigns.

You will manage end-to-end campaigns, content creation, and cross-brand coordination to drive inquiries and applications while aligning with enrollment goals and program launches in Detroit-adjacent work

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field.
8+ years of experience in marketing, brand management, or campaign strategy in a competitive environment.
Proven ability to lead integrated marketing campaigns from planning through execution and analysis.
Experience with email marketing and digital advertising platforms.
Experience directing creative work, including writing creative briefs and partnering with designers, agencies, or creative teams.
Working proficiency with design and content tools (e.g., Canva, Adobe Express, or Adobe Creative Suite) to produce materials independently.
Experience with CRM-based marketing automation (e.g., Element451, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Slate, HubSpot).

Responsibilities

Develop and present a portfolio-level marketing strategy for UMCI's degree programs, including overarching positioning, shared messaging, and how programs are presented together to prospective students and partners.
Develop targeted, program-specific marketing strategies for each degree program, including audience segmentation, value propositions, positioning, and messaging frameworks in collaboration with U-M schools and colleges.
Identify shared audiences and cross-program opportunities, and recommend how to balance marketing investment and priorities across the portfolio based on enrollment goals and program needs.
Conduct market and competitor research and audience insight work to inform program positioning and recruitment priorities.
Set annual recruitment marketing plans at the start of each cycle, translating enrollment goals into measurable inquiry targets and campaigns.
Develop go-to-market plans for new degree programs as they are approved.
Lead end-to-end planning and execution of both program-specific and portfolio-wide campaigns across email, digital advertising, print, and event promotion.
Build and manage automated prospect communication journeys that nurture inquiries toward application.
Create and maintain recruitment collateral (e.g., program one-pagers, presentations, FAQs, webpages, email content, videos, and student and alumni stories).
Partner with outside vendors, agencies, and freelance creative partners, providing clear creative direction and briefs.
Provide and maintain degree program and recruitment event content for the UMCI website.
Coordinate with partner U-M schools and colleges on co-branded program materials and campaigns.
Manage project timelines and deliverables so work is on time, on brand, and on budget.
Cross-functional collaboration to align goals with recruitment and brand priorities.
Source stories and content from program staff and faculty (students, alumni, capstone projects, faculty work, events).
Lead and coordinate with UMCI Marketing and Communications on campaigns and content calendars.
Share data on lead volume and quality to connect awareness with inquiries and enrollment.
Own top-of-funnel and campaign reporting across programs and the portfolio.
Monitor expenditures and optimize spend for ROI.