Performance Marketing Campaign Manager

Performance Marketing Campaign Manager Job Description

This is a 12 month position

Location: This position is located on the UMN Crookston campus in Crookston, MN, with some hybrid (1 remote day/week) flexibility.
Pay Range: $65,000-75,000, depending on education/qualifications/experience
Time Appointment: 100% Appointment
Position Type: P&A Staff
Job Code: 9703DM - M&C Pro 3-Digital Mktg

The Marketing Campaign Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and optimizing paid and organic digital campaigns that drive awareness, engagement, qualified lead generation, and enrollment growth.

This role partners closely with marketing and communications leadership, admissions, and creative teams to align strategy, budgets, messaging, and performance goals across display, social media, paid search, and digital acquisition channels. The ideal candidate is a performance marketer with deep expertise in paid media strategy, audience targeting, campaign optimization, and marketing analytics. This individual will be responsible for maximizing advertising effectiveness and return on investment across multiple digital channels by making data-driven decisions related to targeting, bidding strategies, budget allocation, creative performance, and conversion optimization.

Key Responsibilities

Digital Lead Generation & Campaign Execution

• Manage the full campaign lifecycle including audience targeting, budgeting, creative coordination, launch, optimization, and reporting
• Plan, execute, and optimize digital lead generation campaigns across display, paid social, SEM and other marketing channels
• Develop audience segmentation strategies using demographic, behavioral, geographic, interest-based, and first-party data
• Continuously evaluate campaign performance and reallocate budgets to maximize lead quality, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS)
• Drive traffic to websites and landing pages to increase qualified leads
• Build and optimize lead generation funnels from ad engagement through inquiry, application, and enrollment conversion
• Identify opportunities to improve campaign efficiency through testing, automation, and platform optimization features

Paid Media Management (Search, Display, & Social)

• Manage and optimize paid search campaigns including keyword strategy, bidding, ad copy development, and landing page alignment
• Execute and optimize display, search based display, and retargeting display campaigns focused on website traffic, lead generation, and conversions
• Execute and optimize paid social campaigns (Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and other relevant platforms) focused on lead generation and brand growth
• Monitor and optimize campaign performance using key metrics including cost-per-lead (CPL), cost-per-acquisition (CPA), click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, return on ad spend (ROAS), and overall marketing ROI.
• Create, test, and refresh ad creative, messaging, and targeting parameters to improve performance and engagement
• Own digital advertising budget allocation across channels and campaigns, making strategic adjustments based on performance data and enrollment priorities
• Leverage advanced platform capabilities including audience modeling, lookalike audiences, retargeting, conversion tracking, automated bidding strategies, and attribution reporting
• Stay current on emerging digital advertising trends, platform updates, privacy regulations, and targeting capabilities to maintain & enhance campaign effectiveness

Analytics, Reporting & Performance Optimization

• Develop, maintain, and validate campaign tracking, conversion events, UTM frameworks, and reporting infrastructure to ensure accurate performance measurement and attribution
• Monitor and analyze digital marketing performance using Google Analytics, Looker Studio, Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads Manager and other platform insights
• Compile market insights including competitor activity, audience behavior, and digital benchmarks
• Develop dashboards and reporting frameworks that connect campaign performance to lead generation and enrollment outcomes
• Analyze attribution data to identify the most effective channels, audiences, creative assets, and campaign strategies
• Utilize data to make strategic recommendations regarding budget allocation, audience targeting, channel mix, and future campaign investments

Success in This Role

• Maximizes the effectiveness of digital advertising budgets through ongoing optimization and strategic decision-making
• Improves lead quality and conversion rates through sophisticated audience targeting and campaign refinement
• Uses data and analytics to identify opportunities and solve performance challenges
• Continuously tests and improves creative, messaging, audience segments, and channel strategies
• Connects marketing performance to measurable enrollment and organizational outcomes

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field
• 4+ years of experience managing and optimizing multi-channel digital advertising campaigns with measurable lead generation and conversion goals
• Hands-on experience with Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads Manager and social media management tools
• Demonstrated expertise in audience segmentation, targeting strategy, retargeting, lookalike modeling, and digital audience development
• Strong understanding of attribution modeling, conversion tracking, UTM strategy, and marketing analytics
• Experience managing campaign budgets and using campaign performance data to drive strategic budget allocation and optimization decisions
• Ability to translate performance data into clear, actionable insights
• Experience working cross-functionally with marketing teams, senior leadership and outside vendors or agencies
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop campaign strategy, identify optimization opportunities, and make performance-based recommendations without extensive oversight

Preferred

• Experience in recruitment marketing
• Familiarity with higher education and recruitment marketing industry best practices
• Understanding of local and multi-market advertising strategies
• Hands-on experience with LinkedIn, YouTube, SnapChat and other emerging social media platform paid ad management tools
• Experience with landing page optimization and lead funnel strategy
• Comfort collaborating across creative, media, analytics, and operations teams

Pay Range: $65,000 - $75,000 per year; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the
time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures
that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while
maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and
equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates
will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Required application materials: Resume and cover letter

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC)

With a strong tradition of technology-enhanced teaching and learning, the University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) serves as the U's major outpost in Northwest Minnesota. UMC provides both experiential, career-oriented degree programs as well as high-quality online programs, while connecting its teaching, research, and outreach to rural economic development and service to the region and beyond.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.