Marketing Program Manager - Market Research

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.

SUMMARY
The primary purpose of the Marketing Program Manager is to oversee the development, execution, and evolution of market research and intelligence programs that inform enterprise-wide decision-making. This role delivers actionable insights to guide MD Anderson’s strategic initiatives, strengthen institutional positioning, and support the priorities of Institutional Affairs and cross-functional partners. The Program Manager will oversee market research programs that track brand awareness and reputation, monitor the competitive landscape, and generate high-impact research to advance organizational goals and ensure MD Anderson remains at the forefront of cancer care and innovation.
 

The ideal candidate will reside in the Houston, Texas Metro area or surrounding regions, and have experience with brand awareness tracking and key performance indicators (KPIs). They should possess strong skills in instrument design and survey creation. Additionally, the candidate should have experience in monitoring competitors and be highly organized with project management capabilities. Familiarity with platforms used to monitor competitive media spend would also be a plus. 

KEY FUNCTIONS
 

The Marketing Program Manager will partner with the Marketing Brand Health leadership to strategically design and oversee all components of research projects that inform marketing priorities and advance institutional goals and objectives for key programs and initiatives. 

• Manage the Brand Health tracking program, ensuring accurate measurement of institutional awareness, reputation, and consideration, and oversee the integrity of platform data to deliver timely insights. 
• Apply analytical skills and creative problem-solving to translate complex data into actionable strategies that support organizational priorities.
• Continuously scan the marketplace to identify emerging trends and industry dynamics, proactively advising leadership on implications for MD Anderson.
• Track and trend multiple data sources with the ability to generate engaging reports to share with key stakeholders.
• Introduce and champion innovative research methodologies, technologies, and tools to ensure MD Anderson remains at the forefront of evidence-based marketing decision-making.
• Leverage research data to provide actionable insights and recommendations to improve KPIs.
• Synthesize findings into executive-ready dashboards, reports, and presentations tailored to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and advisor by delivering data-driven recommendations in a clear, compelling way that influences leadership decision-making.
• Remain organized, pay strict attention to detail, and meet deadlines.

• Serve on institutional committees as a market research subject matter expert.

   

Program Oversight

• Scope, manage, and report out brand tracking research, competitive intelligence, Cancer Network activation tracking, advertising concept testing, and other customized research as needed.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration by aligning Marketing, Brand Health, and other internal teams, ensuring integration of insights into strategy and execution.
• Lead project meetings, ensuring integration and information sharing between Brand Health, Marketing, and other internal and external teams.
• Uphold brand and messaging guidelines and collaborate with internal clients to ensure an efficient process and compliance.
• With Brand Health leadership, manage vendors/agency partners, ensuring accountability for contracts, budgets, timelines, and quality of deliverables.
• Manage Marketing Program Coordinators.

Service Orientation

• Provide service to internal stakeholders, agencies, and vendors in a reliable, responsive, safe, friendly, and courteous manner.
• Promote collegiality to internal and external colleagues and teams by always demonstrating respect and professionalism to others.
• Meet time and attendance expectations and respond to requests in a timely manner, communicating expectations for procedures, timing, and project deliverables to coworkers.
• Manage selected administrative functions of the Marketing department, including maintaining calendars, scheduling meetings, capturing key notes/takeaways for assigned projects, and assisting with meeting preparations.
• Remain flexible and perform other duties as assigned, based on a workflow that is ever-changing and responding to the needs of team members.

Skills

The Marketing Program Manager should have strong project management skills with a keen attention to detail. Analytical thinking and sound judgment are essential, as is the ability to solve problems effectively. Time management is crucial, ensuring that all tasks are completed efficiently and on schedule. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are necessary to convey complex data findings, analyses, trends, and other technical details in a clear and understandable manner. Experience in managing vendors and agencies is also important. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint, is required to create and present reports and presentations.

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