Extended Campuses - Northern Arizona University

NAU IN THE NEWS

Competency-Based Education Gaining Traction in Arizona
North Arizona University launches Online Competency-Based Degrees

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Extended Campuses Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is a member of the company’s executive leadership team and reports directly to the Senior VP of Extended Campuses. Working directly with the SVP, and other senior executives, the CMO will (1) provide leadership, coordination, and oversight of the strategic planning and execution of marketing, advertising, recruitment, enrollment, and retention functions of Extended Campuses in an increasingly competitive environment, and (2) develop and execute plans and budgets to increase the level of enrollments, including Personalized Learning programs, for Extended Campuses while simultaneously maintaining recruitment, retention, and student success technology.

THE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1899, Northern Arizona University has a student population of over 27,000 at its main campus in Flagstaff and at over 30 sites across the state.

Committed to a diverse and civil working and learning environment, NAU has earned a solid reputation as a university with all the features of a large institution but with a personal touch, with a faculty and staff dedicated to each student’s success. All faculty members are expected to promote student learning and help students achieve academic outcomes.

While its emphasis is undergraduate education, NAU offer a wide range of graduate programs and research. The institution has carefully integrated on-campus education with distance learning, forming seamless avenues for students to earn degrees.

The Extended Campuses of Northern Arizona University makes a high-quality college education more accessible and affordable for people everywhere through its network of statewide campuses, low tuition, and innovative online degree and class options.

NAU-Extended Campuses is dedicated to helping busy people advance personally and professionally by providing a truly transformative educational experience.

Its Mission Statement is to provide expanded options to students with high quality university programs and excellent service in their local communities and through technology.

Programs Offered

NAU Extended Campuses offers the following programs, most popular fully online programs are listed:

• Bachelor (bachelor of business administration and bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis public agency management.)
• Master (M.Ed. in Educational Leadership; Master of Administration; M.Ed. in Elementary Education)
• Doctoral degrees
• Certificates
• Personalized Learning: online, self-paced, competency-based

The school has 37 community campus locations around the state as well as 88 online programs and 75 traditional classroom-based programs.

Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Read on

THE POSITION

Reporting the Senior Vice President for Extended Campuses, the successful candidate will have overall responsibility for the formulation of strategy, as well as the development and implementation of an integrated marketing and recruitment plan to grow online and non-traditional student enrollments. In addition to focusing on the recruitment of new students, the plan will also include developing and implementing an effective retention and student success program. The Chief Marketing Officer will collaborate to provide the vision, energy, managerial and entrepreneurial acumen, command of recruitment technology and leadership abilities necessary for the development of a high-quality, evidence-based enrollment and retention program.

S/he will oversee a team of student services and marketing staff and be responsible for all elements of the successful integration of the enrollment process, including setting the organization’s student acquisition strategies, execution, and analysis of all lead-generating marketing campaigns, and achieving a high level of student matriculation and retention.

Specific responsibilities include the following:

• Create a “plan of action” – a template or process that can be followed for all marketing and enrollment programs, and a strategy summary for each online marketing and enrollment campaign
• Facilitate seamless execution between the marketing and admissions departments
• Develop short- and long-term acquisition, enrollment, and retention management plans, establish objectives and develop strategies in support of those plans; facilitate implementation of strategies; and monitor progress toward goals with a data-driven approach ensuring multi-cultural relevancy
• Identify new markets for undergraduate and graduate professional studies, domestically and internationally. Emphasis is placed on collaboration with faculty and staff in order to provide innovative and effective programs and services for all non-traditional students.
• Manage a staff of 100 to achieve expected lead generation, enrollment, and retention results for the college’s programs
• Develop budget practices and procedures that allow Extended Campuses to meet its administrative obligations and maintain a balanced budget
• Hire outstanding performers and build a gold standard enrollment organization
• Implement effective management strategies with employees in such areas as on-going professional development, mentoring, and customer service excellence
• Conceptualize, develop, and implement online marketing programs geared to students with the ability to prove ROI in terms of converting leads into enrolled students and for retained students
• Compare results of current campaigns to previous campaigns and track term-over-term results; constantly leverage success with one campaign to build the next
• Increase site traffic through marketing opportunities and strategic partnerships, optimization (SEO and media), and affiliate programs
• Direct the strategic development of website design to integrate the latest technologies, deliver consistent brand image, reach a targeted demographic, and improve market position of the college
• Ensure legal and ethical compliance with applicable federal and state educational law and guidelines

THE CAREER OPPORTUNITY

To an experienced executive with relevant higher education experience, this opportunity offers several attractive features:

• Join a small executive team and have “a seat at the table” as the college charts its future
• Drive enrollment growth through the introduction of innovative methods
• Work in a fast-growth, high-paced environment with a track record of success
• Manage a department that currently numbers 100, and to develop executive skills that open up future career opportunities
• Live in either of two attractive cities, each with its own distinctive life style and culture—Phoenix or Flagstaff.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is currently Chief Marketing Officer or VP of Marketing and/or Enrollment Management for a bundled service provider, college, or university with a record of outstanding enrollment growth and student retention.

Less optimally, the individual could be in charge of customer conversion and retention for (1) some other complex, consumer-focused, intangible service such as financial services, travel, health care, or insurances, or (2) for a for-profit or private school, especially if combined with significant previous experience for a commercial B2C company.

S/he should have demonstrated experience in researching and segmenting markets, then creating direct-marketing and enrollment campaigns that not only acquire students but also generate continuous revenues from each student (or other consumer) through retention programs and high-quality service.

Critical to a candidate’s background is a thorough understanding of the process and metrics of acquiring and keeping customers (ideally students) online. This means in-depth knowledge and a stellar track record in marketing research, online marketing, product management, and CRM software application.

Key Competencies –

• Proven ability to grow enrollment rapidly
• Experience in setting up the complete process to recruit and graduate students
• Ability to build and manage a large geographically-distributed workforce
• Proven success in working with academics (deans, chairs and individual faculty) and campus administrative departments (admissions, financial aid, etc.)
• Capability to negotiate and work with service providers
• Ability to assess the market for specific degrees and price them to be competitive
• Dedication to ensuring highest productivity standards and holding staff responsible
• Skill in using data for business intelligence purposes
• Help to meet all accreditation, US Department Education and other regulatory bodies requirements, rules and regulations

Specifically, this individual has:

• Been successful in marketing online education to non-traditional students, including adults, and managing the entire enrollment process from lead generation to retention
• A deep understanding of the latest approaches to lead/inquiry generation, including online marketing, data mining, lead scoring, web optimization, and trademark protection
• Strong system and process thinking – the ability to optimize, streamline (especially for students), and improve the student life cycle experience from inquiry through registration to retention
• A data-driven bias toward goal setting, tracking, and accountability
• The ability to train and inspire a diverse team to set and meet aggressive enrollment goals, while fostering teamwork and being a champion for change
• Deep knowledge of the non-traditional or adult student market
• Experience in aggressively growing an organization with an entrepreneurial sensibility
• Experience in market research and the ability to identify opportunities for new and/or revised programs
• A forward-thinking mindset, with a demonstrated ability to assess risks and benefits of innovative enrollment strategies across a broad range of market segments (traditional, non-traditional, military, corporate, international, and others)
• The ability to understand and leverage admissions, financial aid, marketing, advising, faculty interaction, research, and student affairs to coordinate an integrated recruitment and retention process and culture throughout the division
• Strong financial and budgeting skills
• Leadership conductive to working effectively with diverse populations and a commitment to affirmative action, inclusion and diversity
• A commitment to collaboration and shared governance and the ability to facilitate institutional change

A college degree is required; an MBA or education degree is preferred

Culturally and temperamentally, the ideal candidate is a team player who believes that individual success flows from the overall success of the organization.

This involves a range of personal attributes – flexibility, creativity, and adaptability; a great work ethic; leadership with minimal supervision; an ability to analyze and evaluate one’s own (and other’s) performance and to develop plans to improve performance; excellent presentation skills; willingness to take responsibility for both success and failure – a thick skin; self-confidence and a positive attitude about self, company, and marketplace; consistent, effective prospecting skills – knowing how to reach decisions; effective listening and questioning; sincerity, trust, believability and warmth; a sense of humor; and a strong desire for success.

COMPENSATION

Compensation will include salary and bonus in line with the individual’s experience and with her or his peers at NAU. NAU offers full benefits including a great Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan with low copays and monthly premiums mostly paid by the university. There is a tuition benefit for dependents and significant others including NAU, Arizona State University and University of Arizona.

TRAVEL

Travel is unlikely to be more than 5% excluding travel between Flagstaff and Phoenix.

CONTACT

Resume should be sent as a Word document to Ralph Protsik and April Sarraille, and also posted on the BSG website, www.bsgtv.com. No phone calls please.