Associate Vice President, Brand Experience at The Ohio State University

Associate Vice President, Brand Experience at The Ohio State University

Job Type
Full-time
Posting Date
June 28, 2019
Location of Position

Columbus, OH

Company Summary

For 144 years, The Ohio State University's campus in Columbus has been the stage for academic achievement and a laboratory for innovation. It's where friendships are forged. It's where rivalries and revelry are born.

The university's main campus is one of America's largest and most comprehensive. As Ohio's best and one of the nation's top-20 public universities, Ohio State is further recognized by a top-rated academic medical center and a premier cancer hospital and research center. As a land-grant university, Ohio State has a physical presence throughout the state, with campuses and research centers located around Ohio.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Ohio State University is looking for a disciplined marketer and influential leader to serve as an Associate Vice President, Brand Experience to join the executive leadership team of University Marketing.

About University Marketing

University Marketing exists to advance the relevance, resonance and distinctiveness of Ohio State’s brand by leveraging disciplined and modern marketing practices that measurably grow and deepen audience perceptions, including their understanding of and preference for Ohio State. University Marketing partners with colleges and units across campus and with members of the greater Ohio State community to continuously develop and enhance the Ohio State brand while advancing the university’s strategic goals. 

Position Overview

Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and in partnership with peers, the Associate Vice President of Brand Experience will work closely with the CMO in evolving the enterprise-level marketing vision and championing a progressive approach to creating the experiences our brand aspires to provide for audiences in a digital world. The role will be rooted in an audience-centric, data-driven approach with an empathetic understanding of the audience’s current and emerging environment and ecosystem, their priorities, motivators and pain points. The focus will be on how to most effectively create and optimize experiences for our numerous audiences as well as guide approaches for implementing and adhering to best practice methodologies and cross-departmental collaborations.

Experience in comprehensive digital strategy and planning and executing audience experiences will be essential to success. This role will provide strategic leadership to a talented group of people who have responsibility for translating brand strategy into creative, content and channel strategies; working centrally and consultatively across the enterprise to bring the brand to life across channels and mediums to create compelling, optimized, omnichannel, audience experiences. This role works with the Marketing Strategy team, the Marketing Enablement team and the broader community of marketing professionals to define what experience is needed and what problem it will solve; choice it will inspire; or loyalty it will engender. This individual will create and steward a holistic vision for the integration needed to deliver these experiences. The ideal candidate will be competent as:

  • A sophisticated thought leader who is able to leverage their knowledge and experience to add to the discourse and direction of marketing at the University.
  • A disciplined marketer, both in practices and processes, with a strong background in creating omni-channel brand experiences and digital marketing strategy and execution.
  • A tested leader with experience in complex organizations/environments.
  • An experienced team builder with a proven ability to think holistically about team development
  • A change agent with the ability to see and create momentum toward a vision in a way that is discerning about and sensitive to the cultural and political landscape.
  • A relationship developer who is able to develop strong partnerships at many levels across the University.
  • A solutions-oriented leader that can coach not only the people, but the function of University Marketing

Position highlights include opportunities to impact the following areas:

Brand Experience Development

Harness creative expression to craft and execute a differentiating brand experience. Partnering with strategy lead and others across the enterprise to implement the strategic brand framework and architecture, enabling the organization to engage key audiences in a compelling and unified way.  Supervising the translation and execution of Ohio State’s brand experience with consideration for the marketing communication’s ecosystem for multiple audiences across the institution.

Digital Marketing Strategy Planning and Execution

Create and oversee the execution of plans to meet the objectives of Digital Marketing strategy. Lead cross-functional teams in developing and evolving ideas to bring together brand goals, business objectives and audience needs. Work with analytics team to understand performance and other audience measures that can be fed back into strategy and/or used for strategy or channel optimization. Working closely and collaboratively with the Marketing Enablement lead to grow omni-channel capabilities, develop and test new capabilities and construct test and learn strategies that can be leveraged across the institution with our many different audiences.

Efficiency and Effectiveness of Marketing across the Institution

Strengthen the community of marketers and align communities of marketing practice across the University. Maximize sharing and community-owned governance to support everyone meeting or exceeding their goals. Identify new opportunities for the community to grow and learn from each other in all of the sub-functional areas including marketing automation, email marketing strategy and distribution, content strategy and development, social media strategy and execution, SEM and SEO, editorial strategy and production and creative strategy and execution including graphic and digital design, motion design and video production; interactive design; and photography.

Culture Champion

Serve as a senior leader of the university’s marketing team. Guide team forward through ambiguity, creating positive momentum and encouraging team input. Grow modern marketing professionals by cultivating thinkers, encouraging smart risks and setting clear expectations and engaging the broader community.

Position Environment

Performance Objectives

  1. During the first 30 days:
    1. Understand the Advancement and University Marketing organizations, the culture and establish broad context for The Ohio State University.
    2. Visit departments and colleges/units across the university prioritizing leadership relationships within Advancement, Enrollment Services and University Communications to build enduring partnerships and understand key goals and objectives.
    3. Understand and align on University Marketing’s mission and goals.
    4. Establish appropriate meetings and relationships to understand the team, roles and responsibilities.
    5. Establish strong working relationships and partnerships with the University Marketing Executive Leadership team.
    6. Invest time in understanding the new brand work being led by the Marketing Strategy team
    7. Lean-in on efforts to bring the Ohio State brand experience to life
  1. During the first 60 days:
    1. Begin formulating recommendations on Experience Strategy development and larger team practices.
    2. Develop a deep understanding of the business, structure, operations, and roles across University Marketing key stakeholder groups.
    3. Understand existing communications vehicles and cultural norms.
    4. Assess strengths and expertise of the University Marketing team as well as key partners in colleges and units.
    5. Begin conversations to operationalize an experience team – connecting dots and understanding barriers and opportunities.
  1. During the first 90 days:
    1. Formulate perspectives, recommendations, and plans to address strategic and operational gaps related to experience development.
    2. Actively weigh-in on organizational direction and approaches.
    3. Provide the Vice President of Marketing & Chief Marketing Officer with thoughtful perspectives and recommendations on modern marketing practice and approaches related to experience development
    4. Formulate opportunities to extract, disseminate and consult with colleges and units on digital marketing and experience management best practices
    5. Establish short- and long-term goals and a 3-5 year roadmap for experience management and team development, including dependencies.
Position Requirements

A bachelor’s degree and considerable demonstrated success in a progressively responsible leadership capacity with a marketing organization are required.  Successful candidates will have strategic and long-range planning experience, considerable experience collaborating and building relationships with internal and external constituents, and proven experience with the translation of brand strategy into effective brand experience development and management within complex organizations.  Extensive experience creating and managing operational and marketing/communications initiatives targeted to motivate constituencies of a complex organization and demonstrated command of modern marketing practices, strategies and tactics – including digital marketing – are essential.

A Master’s degree, experience in higher education, and experience leading teams in a matrix organization are all nice to have, but not required.

Required Experience
Apply Here

About Ohio State’s Office of Advancement

The Ohio State University recently concluded the most successful fundraising effort in its history, with contributions from what is believed to be the most donors ever to a higher education campaign. The But for Ohio State Campaign raised over $3 billion from more than 750,000 donors, shattering the goal of $2.5 billion. Ohio State is now months away from the public kickoff of the next campaign which coincides with the celebration of the university’s 150th birthday. Pillars of the next campaign are Student Success; Discovery and Vibrant Communities.

All members of Advancement are part of creating an inclusive culture that inspires an exceptionally diverse and talented team and are measured on their adherence to the following core competencies:  leadership, continuous improvement, teamwork and collaboration, and communication/interpersonal effectiveness.

You Need To Know

The Ohio State University is looking to make an investment in an experienced, innovative professional who will evolve marketing opportunities for the institution and therefore the salary for this position is negotiable.  Aside from the unparalleled benefits of working for The Ohio State University and working in the diverse, smart, safe, fun and growing city of Columbus, Ohio, this opportunity will provide exceptional rewards that arise from working for a land grant institution where you will truly feel the impact of your work. Learn more here:  https://hr.osu.edu/careers/.

Closing Statement

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status.

Please visit www.advancement.osu.edu to find out more about University Advancement.

Questions may be directed to Steph Mizer, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition and Management, Chief Diversity Officer at mizer.43@osu.edu.