Senior Executive Director, Campaign Content and Creative

MARKETING SPEC 5 (000469)

UCPath Position ID: 41210542

Position Description History/Status

Approved Date:

11/13/2025 7:58:09 PM

Date Last Edited:

11/13/2025 7:58:06 PM

Last Action Effective Date:

Organization Details

Business Unit (Location):

LACMP

Organization Code:

6300O

Organization:

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Division Code:

6310D

Division:

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIV

Department:

404500 - DEVELOPMENT

Position Details

UCPath Position Number:

41210542

Position Description ID

246512

UC Payroll Title:

MARKETING SPEC 5 (000469)

Personnel Program

Management and Senior Professional (MSP)

Salary Grade:

Grade 26

Job Code FLSA:

Exempt

Union Code (Collective Bargaining Unit):

99: Non-Represented (PPSM)

Employee Relations Code:

C: Supervisor - Not Confidential

Employee Class (Appt Type):

2 - Staff: Career

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

1

SUPERVISION

UCPath Reports to Position Number:

40036987

Reports to Payroll Title:

Fundraising Manager 4

UCPath Department Head Position Number:

40037218

Department Head Payroll Title:

VC Dev and Univ Relations

GENERAL DIRECTION - Indicates that the incumbent receives guidance in terms of broad goals and overall objectives and is responsible for establishing the methods to attain them. Generally the incumbent is in charge of an area of work, and typically formulates policy for this area but does not necessarily have final authority for approving policy.

4018

Writer/Editor 4

1.0

7552

Marketing Spec 3

1.0

4017

Writer/Editor 3

1.0

POSITION SUMMARY

UCLA is preparing for its next comprehensive philanthropic campaign—an effort that will span approximately five years, following the historic success of the $5.49 billion Centennial Campaign that concluded in December 2019. As we shift toward a new era of donor engagement, storytelling, and impact-driven fundraising, The Senior Executive Director, Campaign Content and Creative will play a critical role in elevating both campaign-specific and ongoing donor communications at one of the nation's top fundraising institutions.

As UCLA's senior-most leader in development marketing and communications, you will have responsibility for both campaign-related efforts and ongoing philanthropic communications. You will serve as the university's principal campaign marketing and communications architect, and will oversee evergreen storytelling and engagement initiatives that elevate donor experience, support major gift activity, and advance philanthropic priorities year-round.

Strategic Leadership Across Campaign & Evergreen Communications

1. Develop and lead integrated communications strategies that advance the university’s next philanthropic campaign and ongoing development priorities —including transformational gift messaging, stewardship, and constituent engagement.

2. Collaborate closely with colleagues across External Affairs and campus units to drive aligned storytelling with major philanthropic opportunities.

3. Build and maintain the overarching campaign message architecture and visual identity in collaboration with, internal stakeholders and in partnership with a creative agency that the Senior Executive Director will manage.

20%

4. Provide counsel to External Affairs leadership, including the Vice Chancellor and AVCs, on all campaign-related communications, as well as serve as a primary partner in the planning and coordination of transformation and principal gift announcements with key stakeholders.

5. Lead integrated philanthropy communications across owned and partner channels (newsroom stories, web, email, social, executive remarks, collateral. Surface story ideas and prepare briefs; partner with Strategic Communications on external press activity.

6. For philanthropy-related media needs, help provide message architecture, talking points and subject matter context; ensure alignment of the philanthropy narrative.

0%

7. Serve as a lead philanthropic strategist and liaison to the Office of Media Relations for philanthropy-related story development and external inquiries, supporting narrative and coordination when press releases are warranted.

8. Develop and manage operational budget for program activities, measure program strengths/weaknesses.

9. Direct market research to evaluate constituent needs, identify trends, opportunities and challenges in the industry; identify, and recommend opportunities to senior leadership and implement best practices.

10. Monitor effectiveness and ROI of advertising/promotional efforts to determine future program strategies.

11. Participate in senior management meetings to establish and monitor short- and long-range positioning goals for UCLA Development.

0%

Team Building & Management

1. Build and mature the Campaign Content & Creative (CCC) function and team. Realize a newly defined structure, hire, develop, manage and evaluate performance, and retain talent. Establish operating rhythms that enable consistent, high-quality output.

2. Recruit and develop a high-performing, multidisciplinary team (writing, design, digital content creation, and project management); evolve roles and accountabilities as campaign planning progresses and implement working norms and workflows that scale.

3. Establish core operating systems (intake, prioritization, service line agreements, quality standards) so CCC team delivers reliably and efficiently.

20%

4. Develop tiered models of support to meet the varying needs of both highly independent units and under-resourced partners across the institution.

0%

Cross Campus Collaboration & Integration

1. Serve as the connective tissue between central campaign strategy and unit-level execution, fostering effective working relationships and a culture of shared purpose with communications professionals across schools, centers, and institutes.

2. Strategically navigate partnerships across Development, Alumni Affairs, the Office of Strategic Communications, university leadership, and elsewhere to integrate storytelling and ensure consistent campaign messaging university-wide.

3. Lead a “Campaign Communications Working Group” and help cultivate a culture of shared purpose and collaboration.

4. Manage External Affairs’ messaging strategy for reputational and crisis communications, in close partnership with EA Leadership and the Office of Strategic Communications.

20%

Digital Engagement & Data Informed Marketing

1. Champion a digital-first approach to donor engagement—overseeing campaign websites and storytelling platforms, email journeys, social content, and paid media opportunities – and staying at the forefront of technologies (e.g., AI) and resources that improve reach and efficiency.

2. Collaborate with key partners to personalize donor experiences through segmentation, automation, and cross-channel storytelling. Evaluate and incorporate storytelling and stewardship platforms (e.g., Philanthropy Forward, ThankView) to drive personalized engagement and highlight donor impact.

3. Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate communications impact, donor behavior, and content effectiveness across channels.

15%

Creative Production & Content Strategy

1. Provide active guidance on intake of new requests – reviewing, confirming priorities, approving or redirecting, bringing in outside help when needed, etc.

2. Oversee production of scalable, modular content that supports case-making, stewardship, solicitation, and engagement.

3. Lead strategy for campaign storytelling across formats—video, email, digital experiences, and print.

4. Guide development of materials such as toolkits, unit-level case statements, launch assets, donor-facing websites, and proposal templates.

15%

External Partnerships & Vendor Oversight

1. Serve as the strategic relationship lead for agency partners supporting campaign branding and communications, ensuring alignment with priorities, guiding high-level direction, and coordinating with day-to-day project leads across the team.

2. Ensure continuity of institutional knowledge, quality control, and effective creative execution—especially across multi-year engagements.

3. Evaluate and onboard new vendors as needed to address gaps in creative production, digital strategy, or media buying.

4. Maintain a freelance bench of experienced writers, designers, and other specialists who can be activated when internal capacity must surge or where skill gaps exist.

5. Maintain close working relationships with all external partners/contracted vendors.

10%

•

Performs other duties as assigned.

•

Complies with all policies and standards.

•

Complies with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Principles of Community.

•

This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's Degree

in marketing, communications or related field.

Preferred

15+ years of progressively responsible experience managing programs in development marketing, brand strategy, or campaign communications—preferably in higher education or mission-driven institutions.

Required

Prior experience with and ability to identify and apply current and emerging marketing trends and practices, preferably in the advancement field,

including new and emerging strategies and technologies—such as AI-powered tools—to improve team effectiveness, donor engagement, and communications outcomes.

Required

Strong experience managing staff with demonstrated leadership abilities that foster learning and excellence among team members;

supervisory skills to recruit, train, organize, direct, guide, motivate, monitor and evaluate staff to produce high quality work; skill to take corrective action as required.

Required

Experienced in navigating matrixed environments— diplomatic with exceptional ability to motivate, manage and influence

without formal authority, align diverse teams around shared goals, and build coalitions across central and unit-based stakeholders.

Required

Experience with and strong understanding of constituent management systems and platforms (e.g., Blackbaud CRM and Salesforce Marketing Cloud) and their impact in fundraising and donor engagement.

Required

Advanced ability to conceive, implement and evaluate strategic programs to achieve established goals.

Required

Highly developed managerial and leadership skills with demonstrated ability to independently lead integrated functional teams, ideally in a decentralized, complex organization.

Required

Deep understanding of campaign planning cycles and the role of storytelling, stewardship, and donor engagement in philanthropy.

Required

Demonstrated ability to use strategies and tools to move public opinion, encourage stakeholder involvement and support, increase donor support and establish brand preference and choice.

Required

Skilled in project management, resource prioritization, and managing high-volume creative output across platforms.

Required

Fluency in digital marketing and constituent relationship management to guide content strategy and measurement, including audience segmentation, performance analysis, and marketing automation.

Required

Ability to handle information with sensitivity, discretion and solid judgment.

Required

Exceptional written, verbal communication and interpersonal skills; political acumen to communicate and collaborate with a wide variety of professionals.

Required

Highly advanced research, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Required

Advanced knowledge of UCLA, including its achievements, mission, goals, vision, infrastructure, products and services.

Required

Ability to lead with empathy, build trust across functions and disciplines.

Required

Comfortable managing ambiguity while driving toward clarity and execution. Knowledge of the role of public universities in driving societal impact.

Required

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Ability to travel as needed.

Ability to work evenings and/or weekends as needed.

Required

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, MENTAL (PEM) REQUIREMENTS

Environment and Work Location Information

Environment Type:

Non-Clinical Setting

Location Setting:

Non-University Setting(s)

Location:

Wilshire Glendon Offices

Standing/Walking

X

Sitting

X

Bending/Stooping

X

Squatting/Kneeling

X

Climbing

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 0-25 lbs

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 26-50 lbs

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull over 50 lbs

X

Physical requirements other

X

Chemicals, dust, gases, or fumes

X

Loud noise levels

X

Marked changes in humidity or temperature

X

Microwave/Radiation

X

Operating motor vehicles and/or equipment

X

Exposures other

X

Sustained attention and concentration

X

X

Complex problem solving/reasoning

X

X

Ability to organize & prioritize

X

X

Communication skills

X

X

Numerical Skills

X

X

Mental demands other

X

X

Classification 3:  Position in which exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues is not part of the position description. The normal routine task involves no exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues and the employee can decline to perform tasks which involve a perceived risk without retribution.