Director of Brand and Activation

• Location New York, NY, 10038,United States
• Base Pay $ - $ / Year
• Job Category FT Staff
• Employee Type FT Exempt Staff

Description

The Director of Brand Experience and Activation leads the development and execution of a university-wide strategy that brings Pace University's brand to life through meaningful and engaging experiences. The role strengthens the University's reputation, supports enrollment and engagement goals, and fosters affinity among students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, partners, and the broader community. Working collaboratively across University Relations and with academic and administrative units, the Director enhances audience experiences through events, campus environments, student engagement, and community partnerships.

The position also oversees brand activations, experiential marketing initiatives, and strategic partnerships that increase visibility, deepen engagement, and create opportunities for institutional growth and revenue.

• Develop and lead a university-wide brand experience and activation strategy aligned with Pace's institutional priorities, brand platform, and annual goals, ensuring consistent brand experiences across physical, digital, cultural, and interpersonal touchpoints.
• Identify and enhance the key moments that shape how prospective students, students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, partners, and community members experience and connect with the University, fostering trust, engagement, loyalty, and pride.
• Establish and maintain brand experience standards, governance, frameworks, and guidelines that ensure consistent application of the Pace brand across events, programs, environments, partnerships, sponsor ships, and audience interactions.
• Advise schools, colleges, departments, and administrative units on brand experience strategy, evaluate major initiatives for strategic alignment and audience impact, and identify opportunities to strengthen the University's brand presence.
• Lead the planning and execution of high-impact brand activations, experiential marketing campaigns, signature events, installations, and engagement initiatives that increase visibility, participation, and emotional connection with the Pace brand.
• Collaborate with marketing, communications, creative services, enrollment, alumni relations, development, student affairs, academic units, and other partners to deliver integrated brand experiences and measure their effectiveness.
• Develop and implement a strategic partnership and sponsorship program by identifying, cultivating, and activating relationships with corporate, civic, cultural, nonprofit, media, and community organizations that advance institutional priorities and enhance the University's visibility.
• Create partnership strategies, sponsorship packages, and activation plans that generate meaningful value, strengthen community relationships, expand programming, support student experiences, and create revenue opportunities while maintaining alignment with Pace's mission and brand standards.
• Partner with Facilities, Campus Planning, Student Affairs, and other stakeholders to strengthen the Pace experience through branded environments, signage, way finding, public spaces, and placemaking initiatives that reflect the University's identity across all campuses.
• Evaluate the student journey from recruitment through alumni engagement to identify opportunities for stronger brand connection, enhanced engagement, and the development of traditions, signature experiences, and shared moments that build belonging and school pride.
• Develop and strengthen partnerships with community organizations, employers, cultural institutions, civic leaders, and nonprofit organizations to increase Pace's visibility, relevance, and impact throughout New York City, Westchester, and surrounding communities.
• Partner with Human Resources, University leadership, and Internal Communications to integrate the Pace brand into employee onboarding, engagement, recognition, training, and culture-building initiatives that strengthen internal brand alignment and advocacy.
• Monitor emerging trends and best practices in brand experience, experiential marketing, audience engagement, higher education, placemaking, partnerships, and sponsor ships to inform strategy and continuous improvement.
• Develop annual operating plans, budgets, timelines, implementation strategies, and performance metrics for brand experience initiatives, using qualitative and quantitative data to measure engagement, reputation,…