Marketing Specialist

**Position Summary**

Reporting to the Associate Manager, Marketing, the Marketing Specialist is a key strategic contributor to the university’s External Relations team.

The Marketing Specialist assists in developing and executing a variety of strategic marketing plans to build the Laurier brand, advance the university’s strategic objectives and protect and uphold it’s reputation. The marketing plans may include market research/insights, media plans, creative development, promotional and communications initiatives - to support the organization’s corporate, recruitment and fundraising purposes. Creating recommendations based on analytics, insights, defined objectives and best practices is important for the role to drive strategic direction.

This Specialist plays a critical role in leading cross-functional teams (including internal teams and external agency/community partners), and leading project management (including developing strategic objectives, timelines, critical paths, project/communication plans, and analyzing and reporting on results). The role also supports with strategizing, writing and editing a variety of complex marketing and communications materials for both the overall institution and the university’s many departments. These may include advertisements, video, social content, print communications, search marketing, etc. for both external and internal stakeholders - including students, alumni, government/community partners, faculty, staff, senior leaders, etc..

**Accountabilities**

**Marketing Strategy & Execution Support**:

- Assist the Associate Marketing Manager with short and long term marketing planning including the development of the marketing strategy and annual marketing plans to build and protect the institution’s brand and reputation
- Support the creation and implementation of key marketing programs and campaigns to build the Laurier brand and achieve critical objectives - including the strategic development and execution of paid media plans, creative ideas and messaging, communications plans, events, and other sub-strategies
- Lead the thinking, planning and execution of specific elements of the plan
- Conduct regular environmental scans, detailing the marketing activities and brand executions of key competitors and winning brands to highlight relevant findings and implications for senior leadership
- Research relevant industry experts, competitors, target audience and users to understand best practices and share with cross-functional teams to help build institutional knowledge
- Support the development of marketing research projects - including defining key performance indicators, and objectives
- Lead special cross-functional projects
- Assist with integrating content strategy and time-specific brand campaigns to drive campaign goals

**Content Planning & Execution**
- Develop critical marketing content for assigned portfolios/projects for all marketing channels and audiences, including digital marketing, promotional campaigns and publications. Develop the thinking and approach, write messaging, work with designers and digital media specialist to create supporting visuals and collaborate with the social media team
- Responsible for prioritizing tasks to ensure key deadlines are met. This includes oversight of marketing and editorial calendars, setting expectations on timelines with key internal and external stakeholders and following up and adjusting if they change.
- Monitor, maintain and refresh marketing editorial calendars for key stakeholders
- Create effective content strategies in accordance with industry methodology and best practises and in partnership with key stakeholders to tell the Laurier story in a compelling way, drive traffic and engagement and build brand awareness
- Conduct strategic content audits and inventories (qualitative and quantitative) to identify current content and future content needs and identifying content gaps. Research industry-related topics, identify stakeholder and audience needs and recommend new executions for highly engaging content while aligning to brand and marketing objectives
- Work closely with Marketing team members (including Creative Services and Digital Asset Specialist) to support the university’s marketing and communications needs - including copywriting and reviewing/proofing (as needed) marketing materials to ensure clarity, accuracy, consistency and brand compliance and to protect the university reputation
- Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, policies and procedures (AODA, CASL etc.)
- Develop standards, processes, and best practices for content creation, distribution, and repurposing
- Responsible for prioritizing tasks to ensure key deadlines are met. This includes oversight of marketing and editorial calendars and project plans, setting expectations on timelines with key stakeholders, while also balancing frequent competing priorities.

**Analytics and Insights**
- Support brand performan