Marketing Strategist, Undergraduate Education - Smeal College of Business

The Penn State Smeal College of Business recently launched our direct admit pathway-Smeal Direct-and with it, a new need to build an undergraduate enrollment marketing engine. We're hiring a Marketing Strategist to lead integrated marketing and communications efforts that support the full undergraduate student lifecycle, from prospective students exploring Smeal Direct through current students engaging in academic, co-curricular, and career development opportunities.

The role will strengthen enrollment, engagement, retention, and student success by delivering targeted marketing strategies that advance Undergraduate Education priorities.

This role does not duplicate central recruitment; it deepens it. You will architect complementary, high-conversion strategies that target prospective business students, telling the specific Smeal story to drive Smeal Direct applications and maximize yield. You will serve as the bridge between the University's broad recruitment machine and the College's specific enrollment goals, ensuring Smeal captures talented and motivated students.

• Develop data-driven marketing and communications plans that align with and extend the University Undergraduate Admissions Office (UAO) strategy while supporting broader Undergraduate Education goals across recruitment, engagement, and student success.
• Define the unique value proposition for the Smeal undergraduate experience; craft positioning and messaging that distinguishes Smeal within the broader Penn State ecosystem and resonates with prospective and current students.
• Analyze audience data and student insights to identify opportunities for targeted communications throughout the undergraduate student lifecycle, from prospect to graduate.
• Manage the Smeal undergraduate marketing budget to support enrollment, engagement, and student success priorities, focusing resources on high-impact channels and initiatives.

• Architect and execute enrollment and yield campaigns designed to move prospective students through the decision-making process, from awareness and inquiry to application, admission, and enrollment.
• Develop audience journeys and messaging strategies that complement central communications while delivering deeper content focused on Smeal academics, student outcomes, experiential learning opportunities, and career preparation.
• Define content requirements and messaging strategy for landing pages, video, advertising, digital experiences, and other marketing assets that adhere to University brand standards while highlighting Smeal's distinct strengths.
• Partner with the Undergraduate Education office to promote recruitment initiatives and events, including Spend a Summer Day, Accepted Student Programs, and other enrollment-focused activities in coordination with central admissions.

• Develop marketing and communications strategies that support current undergraduate students by promoting academic opportunities, experiential learning, leadership programs, career resources, global experiences, student organizations, and key milestones throughout the student journey.
• Partner with Undergraduate Education leadership, academic advisers, and student-facing units to communicate programs, services, resources, deadlines, and opportunities that contribute to student success.
• Design integrated campaigns that increase awareness, participation, and engagement in undergraduate programs, events, and initiatives.
• Identify and elevate student stories, achievements, and outcomes that strengthen both student engagement and prospective student recruitment efforts.
• Support communications related to orientation, transition programs, student retention, and other strategic Undergraduate Education priorities.

• Establish and monitor KPIs that measure the effectiveness of undergraduate marketing and communications efforts across enrollment, engagement, participation, and student success objectives.
• Analyze performance data to determine which campaigns, channels, and communications contribute most effectively to recruitment, yield, engagement, and program participation.
• Conduct testing and optimization of messaging, content, and user experiences to improve results while maintaining alignment with University standards and the broader student experience.

• Serve as the primary marketing liaison to the…