Senior Brand Manager, Degree Programs

The University of Michigan; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

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.

Skills

Brand management

Campaign strategy

Integrated marketing campaigns

Email marketing

Digital advertising

Creative briefs

Design tools proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing or related field

Tools

Canva

Adobe Express

Adobe Creative Suite

Element451

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Slate

HubSpot

Job description

Job Summary

UMCI's Enrollment and Global Partnerships team is new and growing, and this role is one of its founding positions. As UMCI's degree portfolio expands, the team will grow based on program needs, so the scope of this role will evolve and be shared over time. The Brand Manager, Degree Programs, leads brand strategy and recruitment marketing for UMCI's graduate degree programs, working both at the program level and across the portfolio. You will develop targeted campaigns that bring each program's distinct value proposition to its specific audiences, while also building a cohesive portfolio strategy that positions UMCI's degree offerings together, identifies shared audiences and cross-program opportunities, and generates qualified inquiries that support application and enrollment goals across current and new programs as they launch.

You will collaborate daily with the Director of Enrollment and Global Partnerships and the Associate Director of Recruitment to shape recruitment marketing strategy, plan campaigns, and create content, partnering especially closely with the Director on strategy. As part of the Enrollment and Global Partnerships team, you will share a commitment to every stage of the funnel and to reaching enrollment goals together. You will also serve as a peer partner to UMCI's Marketing and Communications team, which leads Center-level awareness, the UMCI brand, the UMCI website, and Center social media. Building on that awareness, you will lead targeted, program-focused campaigns that turn interest into inquiries and applicants, co-planning with Marketing and Communications and coordinating content and timing. As UMCI is in a startup phase, this is a hands‑on role that combines strategy with direct execution. You will report the Director of Enrollment and Global Partnerships.

The position may work remotely but must live within reasonable commuting distance to the UMCI office in Detroit, Michigan for occasional events, campaign launches, staff meetings or training.

The salary range for this position is $110,000-$120,000

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain that authorization throughout employment.

Brand Strategy and Recruitment Marketing (30%)

• 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 that support application goals, and adapt plans throughout the year based on performance.

• Develop go-to-market plans for new degree programs as they are approved.

Campaign and Content Management (40%)

• Lead end-to-end planning and execution of both program-specific and portfolio-wide campaigns across email, digital advertising, print, and event promotion, from scoping through post-campaign evaluation.
• Build and manage automated prospect communication journeys that nurture inquiries toward application, complementing the personalized advising and application support led by the Associate Director of Recruitment.
• Create and maintain recruitment collateral (e.g., program one-pagers, presentations, FAQs, webpages, email content, videos, and student and alumni stories), writing copy and content directly, shaping messaging, and producing materials using templates and design tools where possible.
• Partner with outside vendors, agencies, and freelance creative partners as needed, on more complex creative work, providing clear creative direction and briefs that add strategic value to the final materials.
• Provide and maintain degree program and recruitment event content for the UMCI website in partnership with UMCI Marketing and Communications and U-M schools and colleges.
• 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 (15%)

• Serve as the marketing point of contact for partner degree program staff, aligning their goals with recruitment and brand priorities.
• Partner with UMCI degree program staff and faculty to source stories and content throughout the year, including student and alumni voices, capstone projects, faculty work, events, and other program highlights that bring the student experience to life for prospective students.
• Serve as the recruitment marketing lead and peer partner to UMCI Marketing and Communications, co-planning campaigns and content calendars and coordinating on brand standards, channels, timing, and website and social media content.
• Partner with UMCI Marketing and Communications to connect Center-level awareness with program-specific recruitment, sharing data on lead volume and quality so awareness efforts generate qualified inquiries that move into the recruitment pipeline.

Funnel Analytics and Budget Management (15%)

• Own top-of-funnel and campaign reporting across programs and the portfolio, tracking inquiry volume, sources, and quality and campaign performance (e.g., reach, engagement, inquiries generated, and cost per inquiry) against enrollment goals, maintaining regular dashboards in the CRM or similar tool.
• Partner with the Associate Director of Recruitment, who owns pipeline reporting from event registration and inquiry conversion through application submission, to maintain a shared view of the full recruitment funnel for the Director of Enrollment and Global Partnerships.
• Flag gaps early, recommend adjustments to campaigns, and share insights with the Associate Director of Recruitment to inform outreach and advising.
• Develop and manage marketing budgets for assigned programs and campaigns, subject to approval by the Director of Enrollment and Global Partnerships, monitoring expenditures, optimizing spend for return on investment, and elevating variances to the Director.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8+ 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).
  

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
  

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes .

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.The review and selection process maybegin as early as the eighth day after posting.Thisopening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.