University of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Digital Learning

The Chief Marketing & Communications Officer (CMCO), Head of Growth provides strategic leadership for marketing, communications, brand management, enrollment growth, and audience engagement for the University of Tennessee's fully online programs. Reporting to the Vice Dean of Digital Learning, this position serves as the lead marketing and communications executive for online programs and collaborates closely with academic colleges, enrollment management, university communications and marketing, and university partners to accelerate awareness, reputation, enrollment, and revenue growth for online and professional education offerings.

The CMCO, Head of Growth establishes the enterprise growth strategy for Digital Learning (DL) and ensures the effective execution of integrated marketing, communications, and enrollment initiatives through organizational leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and measurable performance outcomes.

Responsibilities

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Growth Leadership

The CMCO will lead and continuously refine Digital Learning’s enterprise growth strategy for online programs, aligning expansion decisions with institutional priorities, capacity, market demand, and long-term financial sustainability. The incumbent is expected to build an executive performance framework that integrates marketing, enrollment, student success, and financial KPIs—translating data into actionable recommendations for leadership decisions and resource allocation. Additionally, the CMCO will identify new market and partnership opportunities, learner segments, and program growth areas, and collaborate with academic and university leaders to ensure strategic alignment.

Marketing and Brand Strategy

Serving as chief marketing officer for Vols Online, the CMCO will lead brand positioning, messaging, and market differentiation while setting strategy for integrated campaigns across digital, social, email, web, paid media, content, and emerging channels. The role will leverage AEO/AIO/SEO and analytics to drive awareness and growth, evaluate marketing performance to ensure investments deliver measurable enrollment and learner-success outcomes, and partner with the University Office of Communications and Marketing and academic colleges to maintain UT brand consistency and alignment.

Communications

The CMCO will lead strategic communications for Digital Learning and Vols Online, overseeing conversion, yield, and retention messaging for prospective and current students and partners. The role is expected to develop communications plans for program launches, enrollment campaigns, major initiatives, internal and executive communications, and collaborate with university marketing and communications teams to maximize visibility. The CMCO is responsible for advising leadership on communications strategy, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement.

Leadership and Team Development

Serving as executive leadership of the marketing and communications organization, the CMCO will set strategic priorities, performance expectations, and accountability through subordinate leaders, and foster a collaborative, innovative, continuous‑improvement culture. The CMCO oversees budgets, vendors, and agency partners; partners with technology leadership to align marketing technology investments with integrated processes, data‑driven decisions, and measurable institutional value; and translates complex information into clear priorities and recommendations. The CMCO will ensure responsible resource stewardship by evaluating marketing spend against outcomes and reallocating as needed, while building trusted relationships across Digital Learning, colleges, faculty, and university leadership through transparency and collaboration.

Enrollment and Market Analysis

The incoming CMCO will analyze enrollment, market, financial, and learner performance trends to inform strategy and investment priorities. The position is expected to lead forecasting and performance reporting for growth initiatives, set performance expectations, and evaluate results to recommend where resources should be expanded, reallocated, or discontinued. The CMCO will partner with other Digital Learning leaders to keep strategies aligned with changing learner needs, market conditions, and institutional objectives.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in marketing, communications, enrollment growth, business development, or related functions.

Significant leadership experience within higher education, including demonstrated success navigating shared governance, building consensus among diverse stakeholders, and advancing strategic initiatives through influence rather than direct authority.

Experience leading cross-functional teams and enterprise‑level strategic initiatives.

Demonstrated success developing and executing data‑informed marketing and growth strategies.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

Strong understanding of online higher education markets, learner behavior, and enrollment management practices. Demonstrated commitment to incorporating developing learner, faculty, employer, and partner perspectives through active listening, market awareness, and continuous environmental scanning.

Strong understanding of the current marketing environment, including how to best utilize AEO/AIO/SEO as well as how to integrate traditional and digital strategies.

Knowledge and experience about how to utilize CRM, preferably Salesforce and Slate.

Strong management capabilities and proven experience in managing and developing teams. Demonstrated strategic leadership, planning, change management and process improvement skills. Ability to lead through subordinate leaders by establishing strategic direction, empowering operational decision‑making, and holding teams accountable for organizational outcomes.

Ability to challenge assumptions, be challenged yourself, adapt strategies in response to evidence, and foster a culture that values curiosity, continuous learning and constructive feedback.

Ability to inspire trust and work collegially with all appropriate stakeholders, including competency in influencing a wide range of people at various levels across complex organizational structures to achieve results in a collaborative decision‑making environment.

Skill in communicating complex organizational performance information through concise executive reports, presentations and recommendations that support strategic decision‑making.

Ability to establish measurable performance expectations and hold teams accountable for achieving strategic outcomes, including through effective budget management and resource allocation.

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Master’s degree in marketing, communications, higher education or a related field.

Senior executive leadership experience within a university, online education organization, or comparable educational enterprise.

Experience launching or scaling online academic programs.

Experience leading marketing technology, CRM, customer journey optimization, or enrollment funnel transformation initiatives.

Experience working with professional, continuing, executive, or workforce education programs.

Demonstrated experience supporting online education, digital learning, online program enrollment growth, or related initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

Knowledge of emerging trends in digital learning, artificial intelligence, lifelong learning, and alternative credentials.

Experience leveraging advanced analytics and predictive modeling to drive growth strategies.

Strong understanding of public higher education environments and shared governance structures.

Work Location

Location: Hybrid (2-3 days a week in the office)

Compensation And Benefits

UT market range: MR19

Anticipated hiring range: $210-225K

Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here https://tennessee.edu/about/divisions/finance-admin/hr/compensation/

Find more information on UT Benefits here https://tennessee.edu/about/divisions/finance-admin/hr/payroll-benefits-retirement/

About Digital Learning

Digital Learning at UT, is a university-wide unit charged with advancing UT’s commitment to discovery, creativity, learning, and engagement, specifically for online learners. Using advanced and innovative technologies, Digital Learning at UT provides scalable solutions that enhance the online learning experience and reduce barriers to student access and success, providing a tremendous impact to online learners across the state and the nation. At Digital Learning, we are bold and impactful, transforming the future of online education through innovative thinking and collaborative problem-solving. Join our dynamic and inclusive Digital Learning team where we take pride in teamwork, excellence, and a shared commitment to shaping the future through education and innovation.

University of Tennessee

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Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Digital Learning