Senior Director, Strategy & Creative

Title: Senior Director, Strategy & Creative

Position Type: Fulltime Staff

Search Type: External - minimum 7 days

Department: 30R003 - Student Success, Outreach & Opportunity

Division: 5R0000 - Student Success, Engage & Opportunity

Position Location: Richmond Campus

Driver Classification: Non-Driver

FLSA: Exempt

Schedule Type: Full Time (37.5 hrs per week or more)

Additional Schedule Details: May require occasional evening or weekend work for enrollment events or major digital campaigns.

Posted Salary Grade: Exempt - G26

Retirement: KTRS

Contact Person: Brandi Stocker

The Senior Director of Strategy & Creative provides senior-level strategic and operational leadership for the Office of Marketing & Communications' integrated marketing strategy, content development, and creative production functions. Reporting to the Executive Director, Marketing Strategy, this position leads the Strategy & Creative team — which combines marketing strategy, content, design, video, photography, and digital experience into a single integrated function.

The Senior Director is responsible for the development and execution of EKU's institutional marketing campaigns, brand creative strategy, and cross‑channel messaging, ensuring all output is strategically aligned, creatively excellent, and measurably effective.

Education: Minimum Education:
Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, or a related field required. Master's degree strongly preferred. Experience may be substituted for specific degree requirements but not educational level.

Experience: Minimum Experience: Eight to ten years of progressive experience in marketing strategy, brand management, or integrated marketing leadership, with at least three to four years in a senior leadership role. Experience in higher education, complex institutional environments, or agency leadership strongly preferred. Demonstrated success leading large, integrated marketing campaigns and managing creative teams.

• 35% - Sets the strategic direction for EKU's institutional marketing campaigns across all channels — enrollment, brand, academic programs, major initiatives, and institutional identity. Leads development of integrated marketing plans that align with institutional enrollment goals, brand strategy, and communications priorities. Oversees the team's analytical and optimization approach, ensuring campaigns are data‑driven, measurable, and continuously improved. Manages agency relationships, media planning partners, and major vendor contracts in coordination with the Executive Director/VP.
  
  - (Essential)
• 30% - Provides senior creative direction for EKU's brand campaigns, institutional identity, and all major creative outputs. Partners with the Brand Management & Project Operations team to ensure brand standards are maintained and evolved with intention. Champions the brand framework, ensuring it is expressed authentically and powerfully across every channel and audience. Oversees the production of signature creative work including brand campaigns, the EKU Magazine, Annual Report, and major institutional communications.
  
  - (Essential)
• 20% - Directly supervises the Associate Director of Digital Experience & Creative and senior strategy/content staff; provides mentorship, performance management, and professional development oversight. Builds and sustains a high‑performing, collaborative team culture within the Strategy & Creative function. Manages team structure, staffing needs, and resource allocation in alignment with institutional priorities.
  
  - (Essential)
• 10% - Serves as a senior institutional partner to Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, Student Success, and other divisions requiring marketing and communications support. Collaborates closely with the VP/CMO, VP-Level Hub, and Executive & Strategic Communications on major institutional campaigns and announcements. Represents the Office of Marketing & Communications in executive‑level and cross‑divisional planning discussions.
  
  - (Essential)
• 5% - Establishes and maintains team‑wide workflows, quality standards, and production processes. Performs other duties as assigned - (Marginal)

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Institutional

Yes

Eastern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts or any employment policy or practice.

Offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check.