Digital and Design Associate

Institute for Higher Education Policy•Washington, DC

7h•$67,000 - $77,000•Remote

About The Position

The Digital and Design Associate reports to the Communications Manager and develops and coordinates IHEP’s digital presence. The role translates complex education policy research and advocacy into engaging content and visuals for policymakers, practitioners, institutions, and other online audiences. It combines strategic communications and website management, including content strategy, day-to-day execution across platforms, collaboration with policy and research teams, and consistency across IHEP’s digital ecosystem. IHEP is headquartered in Washington, D.C., but operates fully remotely day to day. Employees must reside in the United States. Staff meet in person in Washington, D.C., two to three times a year, and the role may require occasional national travel. IHEP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research, policy, and advocacy organization working to advance equitable outcomes in higher education and create generational impact for communities historically marginalized on the basis of race, ethnicity, or income. It describes its workplace as supportive and inclusive, and offers a comprehensive benefits package. The starting salary range is $67,000–$77,000, commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, graphic design, digital media, journalism, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience in lieu of a degree.
2–4 years of professional experience in digital content creation, web management, and/or communications.
Hands-on WordPress experience, including creating, editing, and publishing content; page building; customization; and basic troubleshooting such as resolving layout issues or running plugin updates.
Hands-on design skills with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and/or Canva, including the ability to create and edit graphics, social media templates, and visual content.
Familiarity with SEO best practices, Google Analytics, and data-driven decision-making for content optimization.
Strong written communication skills and demonstrated ability to distill complex information into clear, compelling narratives for different audiences and platforms.
Project management experience, including setting priorities, managing timelines, and juggling multiple concurrent projects.
Ability to develop content strategy aligned with organizational goals and execute day-to-day content management.
Ability to work across departments, draw insights from policy and research experts, and translate them for public audiences.
Experience managing brand consistency, copy accuracy, and technical standards across multiple channels.
Curiosity about the evolving digital landscape and eagerness to learn new tools and platforms, including AI-enabled tools.
Ability to use data and analytics to inform content decisions and measure impact.
Comfort working independently while maintaining clear communication across teams and leadership.
Must reside in the United States for the duration of employment and be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Experience with email marketing platforms, such as Constant Contact.
Familiarity with higher education or education policy.
Basic HTML and CSS skills, such as adjusting page layouts, styling elements, or embedding content.
Experience in a nonprofit, policy, higher education, or mission-driven organization is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute digital content strategies that support IHEP’s policy advocacy and research dissemination goals.
Create, edit, and publish content across web platforms, social media, email, and other channels.
Translate complex policy research into accessible narratives and compelling stories for diverse audiences.
Coordinate the digital editorial calendar and content workflows with policy, research, and communications teams.
Apply and uphold brand voice and style consistency across digital channels.
Manage day-to-day website operations and content updates using WordPress.
Manage website organization and navigation, and recommend improvements to information hierarchy and user experience.
Monitor website analytics, identify performance trends, and share insights to inform Communications Team decisions.
Coordinate with external vendors or developers on site maintenance and technical projects.
Ensure web and digital content meets accessibility standards, including alt text, color contrast, and accessible PDFs.
Create and schedule social media content and manage community engagement across platforms.
Draft email communications and newsletters, and contribute to email strategy.
Create graphics, infographics, data visualizations, and other visual content using design tools; coordinate with outside designers on complex projects.
Maintain digital asset libraries and content repositories.
Work with policy, research, and government affairs teams to identify content opportunities and plan launches.
Manage multiple content projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and quality standards.
Communicate clearly with senior leadership and stakeholders.