Brand Director

Job Summary: Senior strategic leader responsible for shaping and executing a brand’s identity and presence across all consumer touchpoints. Leads cross-functional teams to deliver integrated marketing initiatives that build brand equity and drive business impact. Essential Functions: Brand Strategy & Positioning - Develop and implement comprehensive brand strategies to elevate awareness, consideration, and loyalty, aligning with organizational goals. Cross-Channel Campaign Leadership - Own ideation and execution of campaigns across all marketing channels; digital, social, paid media, and experiential channels. Creative & Content Oversight - Lead - the creative direction—ensuring all content adheres to brand tone, visual identity, and messaging standards. Performance-Driven Optimization - Monitor campaign performance using key KPIs; iterate and optimize strategy based on data- driven insights. Team Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement - Manage brand team members; collaborate with internal partners across the University to align brand efforts with organizational priorities. Leadership: Management of the operation of a unit/major function with activities typically coordinated through administrative personnel above the level of first-line supervisors or through persons having mid-to-upper-level management or professional responsibility. Physical Requirements: Job is physically comfortable; individual is normally seated and has discretion about walking, standing, etc. May occasionally lift very lightweight objects. Working Conditions: On-call 24/7 to assist in handling emergencies and crisis communications. Standard working environment with possible minor inconveniences due to occasional noise, crowded working conditions and/or minor heating/cooling or ventilation problems. Near continuous use (>70% of the time) of a video display terminal. Additional Position Information: Education: Requires a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field. MBA or Master’s preferred. Experience: Requires a minimum of 8 years experience in brand management, marketing or agency leadership in consumer driven organizations. Proven experience managing creative and cross-functional teams. Deep knowledge of digital platforms, social media strategies, content marketing, and analytics. Comfortable using data and KPIs to guide decisions and performance optimization. Strong storytelling and presentation skills, with the ability to influence at all organizational levels. Prefer - Experience within in-house and external agencies. Proficiency in CMS platforms, social management tools. Background in complex multi-stakeholder environment. Application Instructions: In order to be considered for this position, please complete the online application and attach your resume. Compensation: The compensation for this position is commensurate with experience. Application Deadline: Review of applicants will begin on January 5, 2026 FLSA Status (exempt/nonexempt): United States of America (Exempt) Union Affiliation (if applicable): For assistance with your application or attachments, please contact the Human Resources representative listed: Cindy Harm Email: charm@uakron.edu ________________________________________________________________________ Background Check Statement The University of Akron is committed to providing a safe environment for all students and employees. The University endeavors to protect the health, welfare and safety of all students, employees and visitors on our campus. As such, all offers of employment with The University of Akron are contingent upon verification of credentials, and satisfactory completion of a criminal background check. Some positions may require additional credit investigation and a pre-employment driving record search. Non-Discrimination Statement The University of Akron is an Equal Education and Employment Institution. View our Non-Discrimination Statement for more information. Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. State of Residence Statement It is the expectation of the University of Akron that all work performed as an employee of the University will be performed in Ohio. The University of Akron empowers our people to flourish by delivering an applied and community-connected educational experience and cultivating research excellence. Leveraging our passion and expertise, we create innovative academic opportunities, support the well-being of our students and employees, and prioritize community embeddedness and engagement to impact lives through transformative experience. Through this focus, UA aspires to be the leader in community-focused higher education. The University of Akron is a lifelong learning partner, recognizing and valuing diverse learning experiences and combining traditional classroom experiences with innovative and robust approaches. As Zips, we prioritize the well-being of our students and employees, cultivate a culture and community where all can flourish, and act as responsible stewards of our resources and infrastructure by leveraging data to differentiate our processes and systems. We leverage our urban campus as a responsive and reliable partner to identify and meet the needs of the region. We intentionally contribute to economic and workforce development and civic life through research, innovation and engagement to provide community-embedded experiential learning opportunities that will enhance the UA experience for all students. We welcome candidates who are passionate about shaping and inspiring the next generation of thinkers, experts, artists and leaders. For more information about The University of Akron or the Akron community please visit our About UA page. The University of Akron offers a competitive total compensation package comprised of a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits for eligible employees including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, and paid leave of absences including time off for illness, vacation, and maternity or paternity leave. In addition, eligible employees and their dependents are provided tuition remission. All staff and eligible non-bargaining unit faculty have the option to request a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA). The University of Akron participates in state retirement systems and offers alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions. Optional investment opportunities are available including deferred compensation programs (403(b) and 457(b)). Please visit our benefits home page for more information.