Director, Marketing Operations and Performance

About Ellucian Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with approximately 3,000 customers across 50 countries, serving more than 21 million students. Ellucian's AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for all students, faculty and staff. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data-rich tools for student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes. About the Opportunity Ellucian is seeking a Director, Marketing Operations & Performance to help transform how our Marketing organization operates, driving greater efficiency, stronger collaboration, and measurable business impact through AI, automation, data-driven insights, and modern ways of working. In this highly collaborative leadership role, you'll shape Marketing's operating model, proactively challenge existing processes and organizational practices, and identify opportunities to simplify work, eliminate low-value activities, and build a more agile, efficient, and accountable marketing organization. You'll leverage AI, technology, and data-driven insights to improve productivity, accelerate execution, optimize resources, and strengthen marketing ROI while driving greater alignment across the revenue organization. You'll also lead Marketing's strategic planning and operational effectiveness, connecting priorities, investments, execution, and measurable outcomes. Partnering closely with Finance, Sales Operations, and Marketing leadership, you'll identify opportunities to improve workflows through intelligent automation, process redesign, and cross-functional collaboration, ensuring improvements translate into meaningful business results. You'll also lead and develop a small team while helping drive organizational change and continuous improvement across Marketing. Where You Will Make an Impact • Lead annual and quarterly marketing planning, ensuring priorities, investments, and resources align with Ellucian's business and growth objectives. • Oversee the integrated marketing portfolio, including project intake, prioritization, resource allocation, dependencies, and strategic trade-offs. • Drive improvements to Marketing's operating model by introducing streamlined processes, AI-enabled workflows, automation, and modern ways of working that increase productivity and execution speed. • Partner with Marketing leaders to identify, evaluate, and prioritize high-impact AI and automation opportunities based on business value, feasibility, and measurable outcomes. • Establish and continuously improve Marketing's operating cadence, governance, decision-making processes, and accountability frameworks. • Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve collaboration, eliminate redundant activities, reduce bottlenecks, and strengthen execution across Marketing and the broader revenue organization. • Own Marketing's KPI framework, performance targets, and business review processes, partnering with Analytics and Finance to evaluate results, marketing ROI, and opportunities for improvement. • Translate marketing performance data into actionable insights, executive-level recommendations, and strategic decisions that improve business outcomes. • Partner with Demand Generation, Sales Operations, and Marketing leadership to improve funnel performance, lead qualification, marketing-to-sales handoffs, and pipeline conversion. • Support weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance reviews, ensuring key insights translate into clear action plans, accountability, and continuous improvement. • Collaborate with Finance on marketing budget planning, forecasting, spend management, investment prioritization, and resource optimization. • Evaluate marketing investments, program effectiveness, and operational capacity to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and return on investment. • Drive change management and adoption of new processes, tools, and technologies, including identifying training and enablement needs across Marketing. • Serve as a strategic advisor to senior Marketing leadership, providing recommendations on priorities, organizational effectiveness, resource trade-offs, and operational improvements. • Build strong partnerships across Sales, Sales Operations, Finance, Product Marketing, IT, and other business functions to advance shared objectives. • Lead, coach, and develop a small team of 1–2 direct reports, establishing clear expectations, supporting professional growth, and driving accountability for results. • Champion a culture of innovation, collaboration, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making. What You Will Bring • 10+ years of relevant experience in B2B marketing operations, marketing strategy, business operations, management consulting, or related leadership roles. • Strong experience leading strategic planning, operational transformation, process improvement, and cross-functional initiatives within complex organizations. • Demonstrated ability to leverage AI, automation, and emerging technologies to improve business processes, operational efficiency, and organizational performance. • Experience developing and managing operating models, governance frameworks, strategic priorities, and performance management processes. • Strong understanding of B2B marketing operations, including demand generation, account-based marketing (ABM), pipeline management, customer lifecycle, and sales alignment. • Experience with budget planning, financial analysis, investment prioritization, resource optimization, and evaluating business performance. • Ability to interpret marketing analytics and performance data, identify trends, and translate insights into actionable business recommendations without directly owning reporting production or MarTech administration. • Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, navigate competing priorities, and drive alignment across teams without direct authority. • Experience leading organizational change, improving workflows, and driving adoption of new processes and technologies. • Strong executive communication, presentation, analytical, and problem-solving skills. • Experience managing, coaching, and developing team members while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. • A proactive, strategic mindset with the ability to challenge existing practices, identify opportunities, and deliver measurable business results. Bonus to Have • Experience working within enterprise software, SaaS, or technology organizations. • Background in management consulting, business transformation, or operational excellence. • Experience implementing AI-powered workflows, intelligent automation, or technology-enabled business transformation initiatives. • Familiarity with marketing technology ecosystems, CRM platforms, and marketing performance measurement tools. • Experience supporting revenue operations, go-to-market transformation, or marketing and sales process alignment. • Experience leading marketing operational improvements in a global or matrixed organization. What makes #Ellucianlife • Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, and vision  • Flexible time off  • Thrive Flex Lifestyle Account (LSA) that allows you to contribute towards your health, financial or learning interests • 401k w/ match & BrightPlan - to help you save for the future • Parental Leave • 5 charitable days to support the community that supports us • Telemedicine • Wellness • Headspace Care (mental health) • Wellbeats (virtual fitness classes) • RethinkCare & Wellthy– caregiver support • Diversity and inclusion programs which provide access to internal employee resource groups  • Employee referral bonuses to encourage the addition of great new people to the team • We Foster a learning culture with: • Education Assistance Program  • Professional development opportunities • LinkedIn Learning  #LI-JG1 #HYBRID