Associate Director for Strategic Communications and Marketing: Digital Communications and Strategy

$75,000 - $85,000/Yr

University of Oregon - Eugene, OR

Full-time - Mid Level

Eugene, OR

Educational Services

About the position

The Associate Director for Strategic Communications and Marketing: Digital Communications and Strategy plays a pivotal role in advancing the University of Oregon's mission through innovative communication strategies. This position is integral to the Division of Student Services and Enrollment Management (SSEM), which is dedicated to enrolling and retaining high-achieving scholars from diverse backgrounds. The Associate Director will be responsible for conceiving, developing, implementing, evaluating, and refining communication strategies that align with the short- and long-term goals of SSEM, including enrollment, retention, graduation, community building, and development efforts. In this role, the Associate Director will manage project timelines, ensuring that all professional staff meet deadlines while providing strategic direction, content creation, and project management for various campaigns aimed at development, recruitment, and retention. The position requires a high degree of independence in decision-making, particularly regarding budget management and project execution. The Associate Director will collaborate with both internal leadership and external audiences, making decisions that significantly impact the future direction of the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing. This includes representing the university at public events related to recruitment and strategic communication. The Associate Director will also oversee the development of communication strategies that effectively engage target constituencies, ensuring that the university's messaging resonates with prospective students, current students, and their families. This role is critical to the success of the university's recruitment and retention efforts, as well as the overall student success initiatives of the Division of SSEM and the Division of Student Life. The Associate Director will report directly to the Associate Vice President of SSEM/Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing, making this a key leadership position within the university's administrative structure.

Responsibilities

• Conceive, develop, implement, evaluate, and refine communication strategies for SSEM.
• Manage project timelines and ensure deadlines are met by all professional staff.
• Provide strategy, content, creative direction, and project management for development, recruiting, and retention campaigns.
• Make day-to-day decisions related to budgets and project execution with considerable independence.
• Collaborate with external audiences and internal leadership to impact the future direction of the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing.
• Represent the university at public events for recruitment and strategic communication activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience.
• Five years of experience in marketing, public relations, CRM, or communications.
• Experience supervising and developing professional staff.
• Advanced knowledge of marketing, communications, CRM, and public relations.
• Excellent leadership and problem-solving skills.
• Expertise in strategic communications across various mediums including print, email, social media, and digital platforms.
• Outstanding project management skills.
• Strong communication and creative skills with the ability to interact collaboratively with a wide range of people.
• Commitment to service for both internal and external constituents.
• Ability to support a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse institution.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality when necessary.
• Skills in managing and directing creative teams in large organizations.

Nice-to-haves

• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, marketing, or a closely related field.
• Experience with social justice, diversity, and inclusion education and initiatives.
• Experience in developing communications to reach underrepresented communities.
• Professional communication experience in a university or corporate setting in marketing or public relations.
• Eight or more years of comprehensive communication experience, including project management and budget planning.
• Experience with web editing software or content management systems such as Drupal.
• Familiarity with the Chicago Manual of Style.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Retirement plans
• Paid time off