Chief Marketing Officer

Start your journey as a Chief Marketing Officer

Learn the frameworks, insights, and content you need to effectively orchestrate your organization for impact.

Participants who complete this two-month program will be equipped for a leadership role in marketing. The program curriculum includes CMO role definition with requisite skills, talent, and models, creating a systemic approach to deliver change and growth. New approaches to value creation, OMNI channel, ethics, and intimacy are highlighted in a foundation grounded in marketing fundamentals of strategy, brand, digital, and data analytics. To equip you for effective C-suite participation, topics such as stakeholder management, inclusion and diversity, ESG, and change management are also be incorporated.

Who Should Attend?

The ideal candidate has:

  • Four to six years of experience in middle to upper management with demonstrated organizational leadership experience.
  • Working knowledge of business and experience designing and implementing marketing strategies.
  • Solid communications skills.
  • An undergraduate degree or equivalent experience.

Sample Schedule

  • In-Person Opening October 19-21, 2022
  • Online Sessions October 27-December 19, 2022
  • Mid-Program In-Person Session January 9-10, 2023
  • Online Sessions January 12-March 2, 2023
  • In-Person Closing March 8-9, 2023

Program Topics

  • Business and Financial Acumen: 25%
  • Strategic Mindset for the CMO: 25%
  • Stakeholder Management: 25%
  • Data and Metrics-informed Decision Making: 25%

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  • Develop, in concert with senior leadership, a comprehensive strategic marketing plan with a mission, vision, and measurable goals that are fully aligned with the organization.
  • Effectively and efficiently execute the strategic marketing plan for organizational growth.
  • Build the necessary infrastructure to integrate marketing data and metrics into business.
  • Executive an effective CRM strategy while balancing consumer needs for privacy.
  • Manage stakeholder aspirations regarding diversity, ethics, and inclusions from the organization.
  • Engage the organization’s leadership team in support of marketing initiatives at the enterprise level.
  • Lead the marketing function to succeed in the world of Marketing 5.0

Badge of Certification

This program is delivered as a non-degree, executive certificate. Attendees have the opportunity to add a badge credential from Credly for successful completion of the program to their resume for organizational recognition (internal and external) and to indicate the accomplishment of obtaining a George Mason University credential.

Custom Program Opportunity
Delivery: Hybrid; online sessions and in-person sessions at Mason Square (formerly the Arlington Campus)

Personal Consultation

Contact us to schedule an advising session:
Email ❭
(703) 993-6725 ❭

Meet Your Instructors

  • George Mason University Costello College of Business Faculty Russell Abratt

    Professor, Marketing

    Russell Abratt is a professor within the Marketing Area in the Costello College of Business at George Mason University.
  • George Mason University School of Business Partner Bev Burgess

    Founder and Managing Principal, Inflexion Group

    Bev Burgess is passionate about the critical role marketing can play in accelerating business growth.
  • George Mason University School of Business Partner Jim Gerace

    Former Marketing Executive, IBM

    Jim Gerace has been in Marketing for over 30 years, the last 24 of which were spent at IBM in various Marketing roles.
  • George Mason University School of Business Partner Emily Goodson

    Founder and CEO, CultureSmart

    With years of experience building inclusive and supportive workplaces, Emily Goodson's expertise centers on how successful organizations are structured to be more human-focused—highlighting the similarities that unite us through our various forms of diversity and adversity. 
  • George Mason University Costello College of Business Placeholder Image

    Executive Director, The MITRE Corporation

    Laura Naramore is a positive, pragmatic strategist and program leader with track record of performance gains in B2B activity across a variety of domains, political contexts and market dynamics.
  • George Mason University Costello College of Business Placeholder Image

    Marketing Head, Google Cloud India

    Virginia Sharma is the Marketing Head at Google Cloud India. She is recognized for industry thought leadership and leading highly engaged, high-performance, cross-functional teams.
  • School of Business Community Partner | Katharyn M. White

    Head of Marketing for Public Sector, Google

    A native Arlingtonian, Katharyn Mountain White has lived in five countries and seven states, to return to a house two doors from where she grew up.

Related Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

Are faculty from George Mason University?

A combination of Mason faculty, adjuncts, and subject matter experts teach in the program. 

How was the curriculum created and courses chosen?

Mason Business faculty with the support of an advisory council of c-suite professionals developed the program curricula. Topics and outcomes are reviewed and revised yearly based on feedback and emerging industry best practices.

Is this program eligible under the GI Bill?

Not at this time. 

Are there any discounts to attend the program?

Preferred pricing for government employees is $7,650. A promotional code will be provided to those accepted into the program. Please call (703) 993-8275 if you are a Mason employee or would like to discuss a group rate.   

What does the cost of the program include?

The $8,500 program cost includes all materials, activities, catering, receptions, and a certificate of completion. 

How do I register and pay for the program?

Follow this registration link to register for the program. You will receive an emailed response with directions on payment.

How much time will participants need to devote to the program?

Participants should expect to spend seven full days at the George Mason University Mason Square Campus as well as participating in 5-6 online topics delivered in two-week increments. For each two-week topic there will be approximately 8-10 hours of learning including readings, videos, presentations, live session, discuss boards, and deliverables.

How are the courses conducted?

Over the course of five months, there are seven in-person days and five two-week online topics.

In-person days include morning and afternoon learning sessions, catering, and a reception.

Online topics include a combination of asynchronous components such as discussion boards, presentations, videos, and assignments, as well as live synchronous sessions. Expect one to three scheduled live sessions for each online topic. These generally start between 7 and 8 p.m. eastern time. Live sessions are recorded and posted the next day. 

Zoom is used for live online sessions. A tutorial is provided to participants in .pdf format, and an optional live tutorial session is offered as well. All registered participants are given access to Blackboard approximately two weeks prior to the start of the program. 

Do I get university credit for this program? Will I be graded?

This is a non-credit executive education program so you will not earn university credit. However, CEUs (continuing education units) authorized by George Mason University are available upon request. At least two weeks prior to the start of the program, please send your request to execdev@gmu.edu. You will be asked to provide additional personal information in order to have your CEUs properly recorded.   

Participants will not be graded, but In order to receive a certificate of completion, participants will need to complete a minimum of 80 percent of the work assigned (including assignments, deliverables, discussion boards, and live sessions). At the end of each topic, faculty are asked to provide a summary of participant’s engagement. 

How many participants are enrolled?

The maximum number of participants for a single cohort is 20. 

What are some common student personas/backgrounds/job titles?

Most participants have at least six years of management experience and are at the Director level or above. Approximately half of the participants have been from the public/non-profit sector and half from the private sector. The average age of participants is 45. 

Is there an application deadline?

No. Participants are admitted on a rolling basis up to the start of the program or until the cohort is full.