Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

Drexel University; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 119,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law seeks an Executive Director of Marketing and Communications to set the vision and lead an integrated program across branding, recruitment, and reputation building.

This senior role partners with Admissions, Career Strategies, and University Marketing to align strategies for JD, LLM, MLS, and undergrad programs. The role leads a marketing and communications team, oversees budget and technology investments, and translates scholarship and student

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field.
• Minimum of 8 years in communications and marketing, with 3+ years in a management role.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills with ability to translate complex content.
• Experience planning and executing integrated communications, including digital marketing.
• Strong project management and ability to lead diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Experience with CRM platforms (Slate, Salesforce) and marketing analytics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead marketing and communications strategic plan with KPIs.
• Oversee brand voice, creative strategy, and website/digital presence.
• Own editorial and content strategy across digital and print platforms.
• Build and lead a high-performing team and manage annual budget.
• Lead recruitment marketing and enrollment strategies across programs.
• Collaborate with central offices and senior leadership on communications.

Skills

Writing skills

Editing skills

Integrated marketing

Leadership

CRM platforms

Digital analytics

Project management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing/Comm

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Slate

Salesforce

Marketing automation

Job description

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Marketing and Communications is a senior strategic leader who sets the vision and leads execution of an integrated marketing and communications program for the Thomas R. Kline School of Law. Reporting to the Dean, the Executive Director unifies brand, recruitment, and reputation‑building efforts to elevate the Law School’s visibility and impact, regionally and nationally, among prospective students, faculty, alumni, the legal profession, and the public.

In partnership with Admissions, Experiential Learning, Career Strategies, faculty, the Dean's Office, University Marketing & Communications, and Institutional Advancement, the Executive Director designs strategies that support enrollment across the JD, LLM, MLS, and undergraduate programs and advance the Law School's reputation for scholarship, experiential learning, bar passage, and graduate employment.

The Executive Director leads the marketing and communications team - including the Director of Communications & Digital Strategy and Creative Director - serving as the Law School’s brand and content strategist and owning the department’s budget and technology investments. A central responsibility is identifying and telling the stories that distinguish the Law School: the Executive Director is a skilled, hands‑on writer and editor who can translate scholarship, student and alumni achievement, and institutional priorities into compelling content for varied audiences. Writing will be an important responsibility of the Executive Director. The successful candidate is an experienced leader and a creative, outcome‑driven strategist who thrives in a fast‑paced academic environment, bringing intellectual curiosity, sound judgment, and a data‑informed approach to continuous improvement. This position is hybrid, requiring the Executive Director to report to work in the office 4 days a week, and permitting remote work 1 day a week.

Essential Functions

• Strategic Leadership & Vision:
  • Develop and lead execution of the Law School’s marketing and communications strategic plan, establishing performance goals and KPIs that guide resource allocation and continuous improvement.
  • Support achievement of annual enrollment, alumni engagement, and reputation goals through coordinated marketing strategies that build visibility, reputation, and rankings, internally and externally.
• Brand & Creative Strategy:
  • Serve as the Law School’s brand and creative strategist, setting brand voice, visual identity, and creative direction, and advancing a differentiated brand narrative that highlights faculty scholarship, experiential and clinical programs, and student and alumni outcomes.
  • Oversee website strategy, information architecture, and digital content plans, ensuring the Law School’s digital presence is cohesive and on‑brand.
• Content Strategy & Production:
  • Own editorial and content strategy and standards across the Law School’s digital and print platforms, including admissions, recruitment, and alumni communications.
  • Identify and produce the stories, publications, viewbooks, and annual reports that advance the Law School’s reputation; determine staffing and resourcing needs for content production.
• Team Building & Operational Management:
  • Build and lead a collaborative, high‑performing team, defining roles and responsibilities and supporting staff onboarding and professional development.
  • Develop, manage, and monitor the annual marketing and communications budget. Establish spending priorities, and evaluate return on investment, vendor relationships, and contracts.
  • Maintain strong relationships with University Marketing & Communications and other central offices, advising Law School leadership on University brand platforms and policies.
• Recruitment Marketing & Enrollment Support:
  • In partnership with relevant Law School stakeholders and enrollment management vendors, lead performance‑based recruitment marketing and yield strategy across all Law School programs.
  • Oversee digital advertising, paid search, CRM automation, and social media targeting, coordinating on SEO and organic web performance.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Reputation Building:
  • Strengthen the Law School’s visibility and reputation among alumni, donors, the bench and bar, legal employers, rankings bodies, and academic peers, serving as primary liaison to the University’s communications team on earned media opportunities.
  • Collaborate with Institutional Advancement on alumni engagement campaigns, and lead and coordinate crisis, strategic, and executive communications with the Dean, senior leadership, and University Marketing & Communications.
  • Other duties as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience. or the equivalent combination of education and work experience (Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information).
• Minimum of 8 years of communications and marketing experience, including at least 3 years in a management‑level role.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, able to translate complex content into clear, compelling messages.
• Proven experience planning and executing integrated communications strategies, including digital marketing, across web, social, and print channels.
• Strong project management skills and a track record of engaging diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Experience with CRM platforms (e.g., Slate, Salesforce), digital analytics, and marketing automation tools, and a demonstrated ability to connect performance metrics to outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, or a related field.
• Experience in higher education marketing, ideally within a law school or other professional/graduate program.
• Knowledge of the legal education marketplace and experience in enrollment marketing.
• Documented success leading significant communications and marketing initiatives, with expertise in brand strategy and paid advertising.

Physical Demands

• Typically sitting at a desk/table
• Typically standing, walking

Location

• Hybrid/Flexible Work Arrangement

Additional Information

This position is classified as Exempt, grade O. Compensation for this grade ranges from $119,470.00 - $179,200.00 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position will vary based on the successful candidate's qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel's compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel's Benefits Brochure.

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