Advertising Program Director

The Marketing Department at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX plays a vital role in advancing the institution’s mission to end cancer. With a focus on strategic communications, brand stewardship, and patient engagement, the team crafts compelling campaigns that highlight groundbreaking research, compassionate care, and community impact. Through digital innovation, storytelling, and data-driven insights, they connect patients, families, and supporters with the life-saving work happening every day.

The primary role of the Advertising Program Director is to lead the strategic development and execution of philanthropic and cause-related advertising programs that elevate the MD Anderson brand and drive engagement across local, regional, and national audiences. This role focuses on managing comprehensive advertising campaigns that support philanthropic efforts, major development initiatives, signature events, brand awareness, key service lines, research promotion, and sponsorships. Through targeted advertising and integrated marketing strategies, the Program Director will create impactful campaigns that build brand awareness and affinity for MD Anderson, directly support fundraising goals, and contribute to patient acquisition and institutional growth.

This leader will provide strategic guidance to organizational leaders on advertising and marketing initiatives, ensuring alignment with Institutional Affairs and broader institutional priorities. The Program Director will develop actionable plans to optimize campaign production and performance, oversee concept and message testing in partnership with the research team, and manage external agencies to execute advertising strategies effectively. With responsibility for comprehensive campaign tracking and measurement, this role ensures marketing efforts deliver measurable results across brand awareness, patient acquisition, fundraising, and event participation, while also managing a substantial advertising budget with hands-on oversight and stewardship.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree and at least seven years of experience managing, developing, and executing brand awareness and philanthropic outreach campaigns, advertising, and/or direct marketing campaigns. They should possess at least two years of supervisory or managerial experience and have a strong background in advertising. Additionally, experience with digital advertising also preferred. 

This position will:

• Collaborate with teammates in Marketing, Philanthropy, and Institutional Affairs, and across the organization, to ensure alignment of strategy, messaging, and implementation, as well as best practices in tracking and analytics.
• Develop the strategy and provide day-to-day management for multiple campaigns including philanthropic efforts, major development initiatives, signature events, brand awareness, key service lines, research promotion, and sponsorships.
• Align and collaborate with direct response teammates to ensure advertising and direct marketing promotion efforts to ensure cohesive messaging, maximize audience reach, and support fundraising and engagement goals across all channels.
• Serve in a management and leadership role in the Marketing department and Institutional Affairs division.
• Lead and participate in cross-functional teams supporting organizational initiatives.
• Recruit, manage, and mentor direct reports, multiple vendors, and agency relationships.
• Track and report key program metrics, specifically brand awareness, marketing-influenced donations, events registration, marketing-influenced patient leads and arrivals, campaign engagement, and other critical effectiveness measurements.
• Direct the operations of multiple advertising programs, exercising independent and sound judgment and authority as required.

Key Functions
Comprehensive Advertising and Marketing Programs

• Lead strategy, development, and implementation of marketing programs to increase brand awareness and raise fundraising revenue, as well as drive patient volume to key service lines, and support partner marketing programs and other institutional priorities. Manage tactical advertising plans for MD Anderson.
• Develop and manage advertising plans to promote fundraising activities around institutional philanthropy efforts and drive participation in signature events, such as the MD Anderson Boot Walk to End Cancer®, including strategy, execution, management, measurement, and continued optimization.
• Review and provide guidance on philanthropic advertising, emails, and other publications for alignment with institutional brand standards.
• Collaborate with colleagues across departments and divisions to understand all aspects of campaign goals and strategies to ensure alignment of advertising as a subject matter expert.
• Evaluate, maintain, and communicate advertising aspects of campaign results and effectiveness.
• Manage agency partners to develop and manage creative development, media plans, creative and message testing, and other components of a comprehensive marketing and advertising campaign.
• Ensure on-time and on-budget launch of advertising support and continuous optimization.
• Develop presentations, lead and participate in cross-functional teams, manage projects, and coordinate research in support of marketing and advertising program plans.

Project Management & Planning

• Determine and manage marketing and advertising needs and lead marketing initiatives.
• Work closely and collaboratively with Marketing, Strategic Communications, External Affairs, Philanthropy, and other internal departments as well as external agencies to develop and manage media plans, develop creative advertising tactics, creative and message testing, and other components of comprehensive marketing and advertising campaigns.
• Work with colleagues across the division to engage in regular project meetings, ensuring integration and movement between Marketing, Philanthropy, Strategic Communications, External Affairs, and other key internal teams.
• Implement and uphold MD Anderson’s brand standards and messaging guidelines. 
• Work with all clients to ensure efficient processes and compliance with other internal guidelines to ensure appropriate protection and promotion of the MD Anderson brand.

Measurement

• Manage ROI process by tracking advertising and marketing program efficacy and analyzing key metrics. 
• Coordinate with agency partners and internal stakeholders to ensure accurate delivery for broadcast, print, and digital media and tracking mechanisms are implemented. 
• Work with Brand Health and other teams as needed to capture confirmation processes and track key conversions.
• Report metrics and analytical findings to key stakeholders. Ensure findings are incorporated into ongoing marketing plans for the assigned program.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Assist in hands-on management and stewardship of a substantial advertising budget, serving as a back-up to the Director of Marketing for budget planning and reconciliation, invoice review, approval and submission, and communication with IA and Marketing finance teams.
• Develop and manage budget for Marketing programs and work directly with appropriate budget teams to ensure vendor payments and budget reconciliation.
• Manage external agency relationships, including selection, contract management, and evaluation of agency performance.

Staff Management & Leadership Development

• Manage the advertising marketing program coordinator.
• Provide development opportunities and ongoing feedback to employees to include timely completion of administrative staff and classified employees each evaluation period.
• Provide clear direction and communication to employees.
• Demonstrate cultural competence that creates an open environment for the represented staff.
• Participate in the selection of new team members.
• Mentor employees and colleagues, actively sharing business, marketing, and professional skills.
• Attend regular departmental and team meetings and participate in internal and external leadership and professional development activities.

Additional duties as assigned. 

MD Anderson offers our employees:

• Paid employee medical benefits (zero premium) starting on first day for employees who work 30 or more hours per week
• Group Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D and Disability coverage
• Paid time off (PTO) and Extended Illness Bank (EIB) paid leave accruals
• Paid institutional holidays, wellness leave, childcare leave, and other paid leave programs
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service
• Teachers Retirement System defined-benefit pension plan and two voluntary retirement plans
• Employer paid life, AD&D and an illness-related reduced salary pay program
• Extensive wellness, recognition, fitness, employee health programs and employee resource groups