Section 1: Position Summary

The Marketing Manager will provide marketing strategy and tactical execution to promote new account adoption and existing account engagement for our many distinct 529 college savings plans. The Marketing Manager will also support Ascensus specific promotional efforts and new business initiatives.

The position will manage all aspects of marketing including planning, budgeting, project management, creation, distribution, and measurement, analysis, and vendor management. External client and internal stakeholder relationship management is also a large part of this role.

The ideal candidate has financial services experience and is a quick learner who can think strategically and operate effectively in a fast paced, deadline driven environment. Exceptional customer service and the ability to work both individually and as part of a cross functional team are crucial. The Marketing Manager must be able to be a primary point of contact for our external clients and internal team, as well as provide strategic value to our various state relationships and internal goals.

Section 2: Job Functions, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead formal client presentations (either in person or via phone) to clients and internal leadership team on key marketing initiatives.
• Work collaboratively to create and revise full-year marketing communications plans including budget allocation recommendation.
• Create annual client analysis and marketing year-in-reviews, including studying the data and drawing conclusions about trends and opportunities from a marketing perspective
• Guide creative marketing agency's execution of the marketing plan tactics within budget parameters.
• Actively solve for departmental processes and standards improvements
• Collaborate with the Director to distribute work among available resources
• Schedule and traffic marketing projects using online management system
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure all edits are properly incorporated and final approvals obtained
• Maintain and manage email production process and vendor relationship, including scheduling with vendor, preparing links documentation, reviewing test files, implementing strategic projects, etc.
• Provide web strategy and facilitate web production process including preparing and submitting scope documents, reviewing changes in staging and production environment.
• Manage invoices and budgets, including opening POs, coding and submitting invoices, tracking client budgets.
• Pull campaign measurement, prepare and provide periodic updates on the progress toward goals and results of marketing efforts to clients.
• Consult with the client regularly on marketing initiatives (ad hoc and weekly meeting participation).
• Be aware and have working knowledge of marketing efforts of other clients, and monitor competitor marketing efforts. Draw upon these examples to demonstrate knowledge and offer additional opportunities and suggestions to your clients in a consultative manner.
• Maintain an excellent working relationship with the Relationship Management team. Work with them collaboratively to meet or exceed client expectations for marketing for their clients. Keep the team informed of all marketing efforts (status of campaigns in development, results of completed campaigns, etc.).
• Understand and uphold the marketing process (approvals, web updates, email development, timelines, etc.).
• Understand and advocate both our corporate and our 529 college savings plan brands
• Collaborate to research and create content for RFP responses and presentations. Participate in production and presentations as necessary.
• Protect, secure, and properly handle all confidential data held by Ascensus to ensure against unauthorized access, improper transmission, and/or unapproved disclosure of information that could result in harm to Ascensus or our clients.
• The I-Client philosophy and the Core Values of People Matter, Quality First and Integrity Always should be visible in your actions on a day to day basis showing your support of our organizational culture

Supervision

• N/A

Section 3: Experience, Skills, Knowledge Requirements

• A minimum of 7 years' experience in financial services/marketing
• Marketing communications and project management expertise
• Strong in managing strategic integrated marketing programs that include multiple components for offline and online use is essential.
• Ability to support materials like client presentations, RFPs, creative briefs, project plans, and cost estimates.
• Ability to handle multiple projects and prioritize to meet deadlines in a fast-paced, client-service driven environment.
• Work with vendors and partners - including advertising agencies, print and other creative resources - to implement marketing communication materials.
• Must be strong in email project management.
• Must be strong in web project management and able to work with web operations and development teams.
• Highly motivated, problem solver, resourceful, with the ability to interact effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Self-starter who will be proactive in managing the details of multiple projects--ability to work independently and drive projects through completion.
• Strong communication skills required to work effectively with internal and external clients and with all levels of management.
• Strong analytical skills with proven ability to demonstrate interpretation capabilities and apply learnings across products and channels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; and strong presentation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a team leader spirit.
• Investment product knowledge preferred; 529 or 401(k) client management experience highly desired.
• Spanish speaker a plus (but not required).

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

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