Marketing Director

UC Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara (CA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 188,000; Full time

Job summary

UC Santa Barbara’s Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) seeks a Director of Marketing to lead strategy, brand management, and multi‑channel campaigns that drive enrollment growth and ROI. Reporting to the COO, the role oversees market research, budgets, staff, media relations, content creation, and analytics, with cross‑department collaboration and external vendor partnerships.

The Director will guide marketing automation, website optimization, and CMS governance, while aligning outreach

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in related or equivalent experience/training.
• 4-6 years professional experience in marketing, communications, media relations, or digital publications.
• 4-6 years experience managing budgets, prioritizing projects, and meeting production deadlines.
• Experience recruiting, supervising, evaluating, and mentoring staff or contractors.

Responsibilities

• Lead PaCE marketing strategy and implementation across channels.
• Oversee market research, budgets, staff and vendors, and media relations.
• Direct content creation, analytics, and brand management to optimize ROI.
• Collaborate with leadership and program managers to align marketing with PaCE goals.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in related field or equivalent experience/training

Master's Degree in related area or equivalent experience/training

Job description

Position Number:

41271900

Payroll Title:

MARKETING SUPV 2 (007554)

Job Code:

007554

Job Open Date:

9/28/26

Application Review Begins:

10/13/26

Department Code (Name):

UNEX (UNEX)

Percentage of Time:

100

Union Code (Name):

99-Non-Represented (PPSM)

Employee Class (Appointment Type):

Staff: Career

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Classified Indicator Description (Personnel Program):

MSP

Salary Grade:

Grade 24

Pay Rate/Range:

The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $100,100 - $139,600/year. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full salary range for this position is $100,100 to $187,500/year.

Work Location:

Kerr-2160

Working Days and Hours:

M-F 8am-5pm

Benefits Eligibility:

Full Benefits

Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, if applicable:

In person during the probationary period; eligible for hybrid upon successful completion of the probationary period

Department Marketing Statement:

UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education, previously known as UCSB Extension, is an agile, self-supported UCSB Department offering professional courses and certificate programs to over 3000 students per year. We provide coursework on essential skills and expertise to compete in today's job market to all local and non-local students and professionals, as well as corporate training and executive education. Our Open University program provides a gateway to the wealth of UCSB courses to all community members. Our International Programs enable visiting scholars and professionals from all over the world to experience the outstanding research and instruction at our top-rated University.

Benefits of Belonging:

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC

Brief Summary of Job Duties:

As the Director of Marketing at UCSB Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE), they lead marketing strategy, brand management, and multi-channel promotional campaigns to drive enrollment growth and maximize ROI across all programs. Under the general supervision of the PaCE Chief Operating Officer and in close collaboration with leadership, they oversee market research, manage program marketing budgets, and direct staff, student employees, and media specialists. In addition, they serve as the primary media relations contact, manage content creation across digital and print platforms, and leverage advanced analytics to continuously evaluate campaign performance. Additionally, the Director of Marketing expands PaCE's market reach by aligning outreach strategies with program managers, managing vendor relationships, and representing the division at regional and national forums. In collaboration with the AI and Automation Engineer, they manage marketing automation and website optimization, overseeing site architecture, user experience, SEO, digital brand consistency, and analytics integration to improve conversion rates. When needed, they also partner with other UC Extension programs on systemwide communication initiatives and strategic special projects.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in related and / or equivalent experience / training
• 4-6 years professional experience in marketing, communications, media relations, or digital publications
• 4-6 years experience managing budgets, prioritizing projects, and meeting production deadlines.
• Experience recruiting, supervising, evaluating, and mentoring staff or contractors.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in related are and / or equivalent experience / training
• 1-3 years experience working in higher education
• 1-3 years experience deploying AI, automation tools, and automated systems to scale marketing campaigns
• 1-3 years of direct project or program management experience within higher education or a continuing education division.
• Advanced knowledge of marketing principles, multi-channel promotional strategies, market research, SEO, AIO, and advanced analytics to optimize conversion rates and ROI.
• Advanced written, visual, and interpersonal communication skills with strong political acumen. Advanced analytical, research, and organizational skills.
• Ability to design and execute multi-channel marketing plans, manage website architecture and SEO, leverage analytics and CRM platforms to track ROI, and collaborate effectively with organizational leadership.
• Ability to establish CMS governance, enforce brand consistency, and maintain digital accessibility standards.
• Knowledge of UCSB, UC Extension systemwide goals, and the mission, programs, and target audiences of Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE).

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Satisfactory criminal history background check
• UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

65% Marketing Department Management and Supervision

Under the general supervision of the Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) Chief Operating Officer, and in strict collaboration with the PaCE Associate Dean and the Director of International Programs, the Director of Marketing is responsible for PaCE's marketing strategy and implementation. Specifically, the incumbent:

• Works closely with the Associate Dean and the Director of International Programs to determine program priorities, enrollment performance, and other marketing needs to develop an appropriate marketing plan.
• Sets annual marketing budgets for programs, in consultation with the COO and in alignment with the PaCE's mission and strategic plan.
• Develops and enforces marketing policies and procedures for programs, in consultation with the Associate Dean. Makes recommendations for the changes necessary to improve marketing positioning and promotion of our programs
• Oversees marketing research and conducts customer focus groups as needed.
• Assesses past marketing performance and ROI to best use marketing channels, and researches new channels as well as innovative marketing approaches
• Hires, trains, directs, evaluates, and mentors staff, including a Marketing Manager, Webmaster, and student employees. Hires contract workers as needed.
• Assigns and prioritizes work. Reconciles and approves time cards. Monitors program operational and student assistant budgets, approves procurement requisitions, and submits requests for extraordinary budgetary allocations to the Leadership Team.
• Develops and executes print, digital, and video marketing campaigns to promote PaCE programs, increase brand awareness, and reach new markets and audiences.
• Writes, edits, and adapts content for various formats (e-mail, social media, website, digital signage) and audiences. Supervises production schedules for all campaigns and publications, ensuring deadlines are met.
• Supervises student, staff, and third-party media specialists, and is ultimately responsible for the quality of media production, including video, photography sessions, podcasts, and more.
• Serves as primary contact for all media inquiries to the PaCE, produces, manages, and submits press releases, and manages all media relations.
• Supervises the deployment of advanced analytics to report on marketing progress and ROI, informing future campaign and budget needs. Regularly presents findings to the Leadership Team and Program Offices.
• Advises PaCE Leadership, Programs, and all customer-facing units on brand management.

20% PaCE Awareness and Market Reach

A primary responsibility of the incumbent is to expand PaCE Marketing's footprint throughout and beyond our service area, and all other target markets, in alignment with specific Program needs and PaCE's strategic plan. For this purpose, the incumbent:

• Works with Customer Support, Outreach, and Program Managers to develop and support outreach and PaCE sales strategies.
• Works with Program Managers to support program-specific marketing and social media strategies.
• Works with third‑party vendors, marketing agencies, and other external organizations to expand the marketing unit's capabilities.
• Represents PaCE at local, regional, and national business gatherings, conferences, and forums, as required by PaCE's marketing strategy.
• Assists the Director of Business Development in creating briefs and supervising the production of marketing materials, leave‑begins, and other required materials.
• Works with the AI and Automation Engineer to continuously develop and deploy advanced marketing automation campaigns, supervising content and strategy, ROI measurements, and analytics. Analyzes data and reports conclusions, formulating strategies for the PaCE leadership and specific Program Offices.

15% Website look and feel, content, and voice

The Director of Marketing leads the strategic planning and ongoing optimization of the PaCE digital presence to support enrollment growth, audience engagement, accessibility, and institutional branding goals. Specifically, the incumbent:

• Oversees website information architecture, navigation strategy, and user journey optimization to improve prospective student conversion, retention, and overall user experience.
• Directs the PaCE webmaster, third‑party UX experts, and designers to redesign the PaCE website periodically.
• Oversees integration of website systems with CRM, marketing automation, analytics, and third‑party platforms to support lead generation, enrollment marketing, and reporting initiatives.
• Directs implementation of search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing best practices, including technical SEO, metadata strategy, keyword optimization, and content discoverability.
• Supervises the webmaster in optimizing the site taxonomy, implementing site standardization, accessibility, and conformity with UCSB requirements.
• Audits and updates PaCE web content, and advises all PaCE web content editors on policies, best practices, and procedures for web content writing and refresh. Supervises implementation and maintenance of CMS governance, workflow standards, quality assurance protocols, and digital brand consistency across all PaCE web properties.
• Works with the AI and Automation Engineer to establish and monitor key website performance indicators (KPIs), including traffic, engagement, conversion rates, and user behavior analytics, using data to inform continuous improvement initiatives.
• Supervises usage analytics to continuously refine and improve website design, functionality, and user experience.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy:

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccinations Programs.

As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals* must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to‑Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt‑Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information, please visit University of California Policy on Vaccinations - https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy

*Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

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