Communications Specialist - Digital Learning - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

About The Position

The Communications Specialist leads the strategy, design, and execution of email and SMS campaigns within Digital Learning’s customer relationship management (CRM) systems. The role focuses on building, coding, designing, testing, and deploying dynamic, data-driven communications that support student acquisition, engagement, and conversion through graduation. The position develops email and SMS marketing and retention automation, including triggered campaigns, behavioral targeting, omnichannel sequencing, and integrated advertising tactics. It designs and optimizes automated customer journeys using segmentation, personalization, dynamic content, and lifecycle mapping, while applying UX, design, accessibility, and brand standards. The specialist creates responsive, mobile-first HTML email campaigns, reusable templates and custom components, and visual assets, and ensures compatibility across major email clients and devices. The specialist establishes quality assurance and testing processes for digital communications, including code, rendering, links, personalization, accessibility, and performance checks. The role also supports compliance with email marketing regulations and data privacy standards, evaluates campaign content and user experience, conducts A/B and multivariate testing, and audits automated journeys. It works with communications, creative, marketing, and campus partners to align messaging, design, technical execution, and campaign goals. Digital Learning advances the University of Tennessee’s work in online education through technology and scalable solutions intended to improve online learning and reduce barriers to student access and success. The unit describes its team as collaborative, inclusive, and committed to innovation and educational impact. The position is preferred to be hybrid in Knoxville, Tennessee, with the possibility of fully remote work.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Six years of experience in marketing, communications, and/or higher education, such as recruitment, admissions, enrollment, student services, or student success, or a combination of other relevant experience such as part-time work.
Demonstrated experience with CRM and email marketing platforms.
Intermediate to advanced knowledge of HTML and CSS.
Intermediate knowledge of UI/UX best practices for email and other marketing communications, including SMS.
Intermediate-level knowledge and skills in Adobe Creative Suite.
Sound knowledge of digital marketing and communications principles.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Solid writing and copy-editing skills and knowledge of basic style guides such as AP and the Chicago Manual of Style.
Strong organizational, planning, and project management skills.
Strong attention to detail and marketing or creative project management experience.
Ability to multitask and think critically.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without current or future need for employment-based visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field.
Five or more years of experience in email marketing, audience-focused communications, and/or omnichannel marketing.
Higher education experience in recruitment, admissions, enrollment, student services, or student success communications.
Demonstrated experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud and/or Education Cloud.
Demonstrated experience with Slate.
Demonstrated experience designing and testing emails for accessibility in Litmus or another testing platform.
Portfolio of email designs personally built by the candidate.
Cover letter.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, build, development, and execution of email- and SMS-focused marketing and retention automation, including triggered campaigns, behavioral targeting, omnichannel sequencing, and integrated advertising tactics.
Architect, design, and optimize automated customer journeys in CRM and marketing automation platforms using segmentation, personalization logic, dynamic content, lifecycle mapping, and accessible email templates.
Design, code, and deploy responsive, mobile-first HTML email campaigns.
Build modular, reusable templates using hand-coded HTML/CSS and email builder tools; develop custom components and ensure compatibility across major email clients and devices.
Create brand-aligned visual assets and graphics for email and digital campaigns, maintaining consistency in typography, layout, and visual hierarchy.
Establish and enforce quality assurance and testing for digital communications, including code validation, rendering, links, personalization, accessibility, and performance checks.
Ensure compliance with email marketing regulations and data privacy standards, including CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and institutional policies, and maintain consent management protocols.
Stay current with email development, automation technology, accessibility, and digital design practices to improve campaign performance and execution.
Manage structured testing focused on UX/UI presentation, layout integrity, responsiveness, and brand consistency across devices and email clients.
Conduct rendering and usability tests to validate visual hierarchy, readability, accessibility, interactive elements, and mobile-first performance.
Collaborate with communications and other teams to improve email and SMS content for clarity, engagement, and conversion, including subject lines, calls to action, content structure, imagery, and personalization.
Execute A/B and multivariate tests across subject lines, content, creative variations, and send times; analyze results and implement improvements.
Audit automated journeys to ensure sequencing, pacing, and user experience support enrollment and retention objectives and institutional brand standards.
Collaborate with designers, copywriters, developers, marketing stakeholders, internal teams, and campus partners to execute campaigns and align communications with enrollment and retention goals.
Coordinate with communications and creative teams on UX/UI standards, visual hierarchy, responsive design, accessibility, and brand consistency across email and SMS.
Work with copywriters and designers to refine messaging, layout, and interactive elements to improve user engagement and the digital experience.
Build collaborative relationships that support shared ownership of campaign quality, user experience, and continuous design improvement.