Director, Performance Marketing

About the Role

Nightingale College is looking for a Director, Performance Marketing to lead the strategy behind how we show up — and grow — in markets across the country. This role sits at the intersection of data and storytelling: you'll dig into enrollment trends, competitive dynamics, and marketing performance to find where our presence needs a spark, then build the data-informed plans that turn things around. You'll also own the daily engine room of our broadcast and media investment — making sure every dollar is working hard, tracked accurately, and pointed at the same goal: helping more learners find their way to Nightingale.

You'll partner closely with the VP of Marketing, the Director of Direct Marketing, and the Director of Creative — bridging big-picture market strategy with the day-to-day execution that makes it real.

What You'll Do

Market Performance & Strategy

• Identify and assess underperforming markets through rigorous analysis of enrollment trends, competitive dynamics, and marketing effectiveness
• Build and execute targeted marketing plans to lift enrollment performance in priority markets
• Own evergreen messaging strategy that builds sustainable, long-term market presence and brand recall
• Partner with Direct Marketing and Creative to align channel execution with market-level strategy

Daily Investment Management

• Drive day-to-day optimization, pacing, and performance across assigned marketing channels and platforms
• Lead recurring business reviews with vendors (multiple times weekly) to surface trends, ROI, and next steps
• Keep channel-level adjustments aligned with broader marketing performance goals

Financial Ownership

• Manage monthly accruals, actuals, spend tracking, and invoice processing in partnership with Finance and Accounts Payable
• Ensure media investments track against forecasted budgets and performance targets
• Maintain rigorous financial accountability across the full paid media portfolio

Performance Reporting & Validation

• Own cross-platform performance validation, ensuring consistency between vendor reports, internal dashboards, and source-of-truth metrics
• Align measurement frameworks to business objectives and standardize reporting methodologies
• Communicate performance insights clearly to senior leadership and cross-functional partners

Optimization & Execution Leadership

• Guide tactical adjustments and execution strategy based on performance trends and shifting market conditions
• Partner closely with agency and platform vendors through frequent performance reviews to evaluate ROI and optimize campaigns

What You'll Bring

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 7+ years of progressive experience in performance marketing, media buying, or growth marketing
• Demonstrated experience managing significant paid media budgets with direct financial accountability — accruals, reconciliations, pacing
• Strong analytical and data literacy skills, with the ability to turn cross-platform data into actionable strategy
• Experience managing agency and vendor relationships at a strategic level
• Proficiency with CRM platforms and marketing analytics tools

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education, healthcare, or other mission-driven organizations
• Familiarity with enrollment marketing or learner acquisition funnels
• Experience with Salesforce CRM and UTM/attribution tracking systems
• Graduate degree