Associate Director of Performance Marketing

Description About SAIC For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman. About the Department SAIC’s Marketing and Communications team advances the School’s reputation and promotes the value of an art and design education through storytelling, brand stewardship, transparent communications, and collaborative engagement that promotes recruitment and fundraising. Position Summary The Associate Director of Performance Marketing leads the development, execution, optimization, and reporting of integrated digital marketing strategies designed to drive student enrollment and engagement. This role oversees paid media, SEO/SEM, email marketing, digital content strategy, analytics, and conversion-focused marketing initiatives across undergraduate and graduate programs. Responsibilities Develops and executes integrated digital marketing strategies that support undergraduate and graduate enrollment goals. Manages and optimizes paid advertising campaigns across Google Ads, Bing, Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok platforms. Oversees SEO/SEM initiatives to improve website visibility, search rankings, organic traffic, and conversion performance. Designs and implements multi-channel campaigns that maintain consistent institutional branding and messaging. Conducts A/B testing and campaign analysis to improve click-through rates, conversion rates, lead quality, and return on investment. Utilizes analytics and reporting tools to monitor campaign performance and provide actionable insights to leadership and stakeholders. Serves as the primary liaison with external media vendors and agency partners to ensure campaign alignment, budget efficiency, and performance optimization. Collaborates with web, editorial, enrollment, and academic teams to enhance website content, landing pages, and user experience strategies. Develops and manages email marketing campaigns, automated workflows, and lead nurturing strategies to support prospective student engagement. Conducts market research and audience segmentation analysis to identify recruitment opportunities and improve marketing effectiveness. Assists with digital marketing budget planning, forecasting, and allocation to maximize campaign performance and institutional goals. Maintains knowledge of emerging digital marketing trends, technologies, and best practices while ensuring compliance with institutional policies and accessibility standards. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field. Master’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field preferred. Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in digital marketing, performance marketing, or enrollment marketing. Demonstrated experience managing and optimizing multi-channel digital advertising budgets. Experience with marketing automation systems, CRM platforms (such as Slate), and content management systems (CMS). Experience analyzing campaign performance data and presenting actionable insights to leadership. Higher education marketing experience preferred. Strong knowledge of paid search, SEO/SEM, paid social media, email marketing, and conversion-focused digital marketing strategies. Proficiency with marketing analytics platforms, CRM systems, marketing automation tools, and content management systems (CMS). Ability to analyze campaign performance data, interpret metrics, and make strategic, data-driven recommendations. Knowledge of lead generation, acquisition funnels, audience segmentation, and marketing attribution methodologies. Strong project management, organizational, and budget management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills. Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment while adapting to changing priorities and emerging digital marketing trends. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support recruitment events, campaign launches, or institutional priorities. Compensation & Benefits Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package: Hiring Range : $65,000 - $78,069 The expected hiring range is an estimated amount for positions based on the grade. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, qualifications and other job-related reasons. Benefits PTO Overview Job Classification: Exempt Employment Category: Full time staff Grade Level: 8 If you are accessing this listing from a third party, not all links to salary and benefits information may work. Please visit our career page at saic/ artic.edu/employment for complete information Application Instructions Please submit your resume and cover letter to be considered for this position. Accessibility If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page: Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants Equal Opportunity Statement The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at [email protected] .