Associate Director of Performance Marketing

Associate Director of Performance Marketing

Requisition Number: ASSOC
002905

• Posted :
  August 6, 2026
• Full-Time
• Hybrid

Showing 1 location

Lakeview Building
-SAIC
116 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60603, USA

Lakeview Building
-SAIC
116 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60603, USA

For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities.

SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.

About the Department

SAIC’s Marketing and Communications team advances the School’s reputation and promotes the value of an art and design education through storytelling, brand stewardship, transparent communications, and collaborative engagement that promotes recruitment and fundraising.

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Performance Marketing leads the development, execution, optimization, and reporting of integrated digital marketing strategies designed to drive student enrollment and engagement. This role oversees paid media, SEO/SEM, email marketing, digital content strategy, analytics, and conversion-focused marketing initiatives across undergraduate and graduate programs.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes integrated digital marketing strategies that support undergraduate and graduate enrollment goals.
• Manages and optimizes paid advertising campaigns across Google Ads, Bing, Meta, Linked In, You Tube, and Tik Tok platforms.
• Oversees SEO/SEM initiatives to improve website visibility, search rankings, organic traffic, and conversion performance.
• Designs and implements multi-channel campaigns that maintain consistent institutional branding and messaging.
• Conducts A/B testing and campaign analysis to improve click-through rates, conversion rates, lead quality, and return on investment.
• Utilizes analytics and reporting tools to monitor campaign performance and provide actionable insights to leadership and stakeholders.
• Serves as the primary liaison with external media vendors and agency partners to ensure campaign alignment, budget efficiency, and performance optimization.
• Collaborates with web, editorial, enrollment, and academic teams to enhance website content, landing pages, and user experience strategies.
• Develops and manages email marketing campaigns, automated workflows, and lead nurturing strategies to support prospective student engagement.
• Conducts market research and audience segmentation analysis to identify recruitment opportunities and improve marketing effectiveness.
• Assists with digital marketing budget planning, forecasting, and allocation to maximize campaign performance and institutional goals.
• Maintains knowledge of emerging digital marketing trends, technologies, and best practices while ensuring compliance with institutional policies and accessibility standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field. Master’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in digital marketing, performance marketing, or enrollment marketing.
• Demonstrated experience managing and optimizing multi-channel digital advertising budgets.
• Experience with marketing automation systems, CRM platforms (such as Slate), and content management systems (CMS).
• Experience analyzing campaign performance data and presenting actionable insights to leadership.
• Strong knowledge of paid search, SEO/SEM, paid social media, email marketing,…