Head of Digital Marketing & Analytics, External Affairs

Boston University; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition remission for employees and 0?

Retirement contributions

Health and dental coverage

Paid time off

Job summary

Boston University’s External Affairs division seeks an Executive Director of Digital Marketing to build and lead BU’s new digital marketing infrastructure and analytics backbone from the ground up. Reporting to the AVP, the role defines strategy across colleges and units, aligns investment with ROI, and leads a high‑performing, hybrid team through evolving AI and marketing tech.

This senior leader will partner with Institutional Research, IS&T, and vendors to drive cross‑university standards and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, advertising, business, analytics, or related field.
• 8+ years of progressive digital marketing leadership experience, including budget and vendor/agency management.
• Experience overseeing SEO, digital advertising, and marketing analytics functions.
• Proven success building or scaling marketing analytics, reporting, or dashboard infrastructure.
• Track record of leading, developing, and retaining high-performing marketing teams.
• Strong vendor and agency management experience, including contract and performance oversight.
• Excellent relationship-building, influence, and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to build trust and drive alignment across a large, decentralized, matrixed organization.
• Current knowledge of digital marketing trends, including practical applications of AI in marketing.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain BU's digital marketing infrastructure.
• Define and champion best practices in SEO, digital advertising, marketing technology, and channel strategy across BU.
• Tie digital marketing investment to institutional goals such as enrollment, persistence, and fundraising, and to demonstrable return on investment.
• Analytics, Reporting & Insights: Build an internal analytics dashboard for External Affairs with real-time visibility.
• Design and lead a university-wide data, reporting, and insights structure to reduce silos.
• Partner with Institutional Research, IS&T, and unit stakeholders on metrics, data governance, and reporting schedules.
• Translate complex data into clear, actionable insight for senior leadership and unit partners.
• Serve as day-to-day strategic partner to BU's colleges, schools, and units on digital marketing and vendor relationships.

Skills

Digital marketing leadership

SEO

Marketing analytics

Dashboard infrastructure

Vendor management

Team leadership

Relationship building

AI in marketing

Marketing technology

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Business, Analytics

Job description

Boston University’s External Affairs division seeks an Executive Director of Digital Marketing to build and lead BU’s new digital marketing infrastructure and analytics backbone from the ground up. Reporting to the AVP, the role defines strategy across colleges and units, aligns investment with ROI, and leads a high‑performing, hybrid team through evolving AI and marketing tech.

This senior leader will partner with Institutional Research, IS&T, and vendors to drive cross‑university standards and