Marketing & Communications Strategist

Clarkson University•Potsdam, NY

11d

About The Position

The Marketing and Communications Strategist is responsible for developing, implementing and assessing marketing and communications strategies that advance the University’s mission, support enrollment and retention efforts, strengthen institutional visibility and enhance engagement with internal and external stakeholders. In addition to strategy development, this position plays an active role in content creation, including writing, editing and scripting/storyboarding multimedia materials that highlight the University’s programs, people and achievements. The position collaborates with campus partners to ensure consistent messaging, brand alignment and effective outreach across multiple channels. General Purpose: Develops and implements integrated marketing and communications strategies to promote the University’s mission, enhance visibility, and support enrollment, retention, and stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, writing or a related field.
Eight to Ten years of professional experience in Marketing, communications or content development, preferably in higher education or a mission-driven organization.
Proven experience writing, editing and managing content across digital and print platforms.
Working knowledge of multimedia content creation, including photography, video, and graphic design.
Proficiency with digital platforms, analytics tools and content management systems.
SEO/SEM Knowledge: Ability to optimize web content for search engines and paid search campaigns to drive enrollment traffic.
Marketing Automation & CRM Systems: Familiarity with tools like Slate, HubSpot, Salesforce, or similar platforms for student recruitment and donor engagement.
Email Marketing Proficiency: Experience with Segmentation, personalization, A/B testing, digital journeys, and conversion optimization.
Accessibility Compliance: Knowledge of WCAG standards and digital accessibility best practices.
Digital Proficiency: Expertise with digital marketing platforms, social media management, content management systems and analytics tools.
Data Literacy: Comfort interpreting dashboards (Google Analytics, social media insights, Slate/CRM data) analytics and research and translating metrics into actionable strategy ad data informed decisions.
Visual Communication Skills: Even if not a designer, strong visual literacy to guide graphics, photography, and video. Knowledge of video production, graphic design and digital asset creation to support integrated campaigns a plus.
Crisis & Issues Communication: Understanding how to plan messaging under pressure and coordinate with leadership during emergencies.
Creativity and Innovation: Capacity to develop engaging campaigns that resonate with students, faculty, alumni and external audiences.
Cultural Competency: Commitment to inclusive and equitable communication practices that reflect and support diverse communities.
Content Development: Demonstrated ability to create and manage content across multiple formats, including written, visual and multimedia storytelling.
Writing & Editing: Exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills with experience tailoring messages for diverse audiences and platforms.
Change Management & Influence: Ability to advise and persuade stakeholders resistant to adopting new marketing approaches.
Budget & Vendor Management: Experience managing outside agencies, freelancers, or production vendors for efficiency and quality.
Training & Capacity Building: Ability to coach faculty or staff on communication best practices, extending brand voices across campus.
Communication: Strong interpersonal and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and persuasively.
Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement comprehensive marketing and communication strategies aligned with institutional priorities.
AI in Marketing: Awareness of AI tools for content generation, personalization, or campaign optimization.
Social Listening & Reputation Management: Monitoring online conversations to identify risks or opportunities.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Storytelling: Demonstrated skill in elevating diverse voices and ensuring authentic representation in campaigns.
Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
Ability to work independently and with a team, as well as with various constituencies.
Must be able to travel, and work evening and weekend hours as needed.
Must be able to work under pressure to meet deadlines and have strong, multi-tasking and prioritization skills in a changing environment.
Ability to plan, organize, document, and follow through on initiatives.
Possess a collaborative working style and strong interpersonal skills.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Media Arts, Higher Education or a related field.
Experience supporting advancement, alumni relations or fundraising communications.
Familiarity with crisis communication and reputation management in higher education.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement integrated and communication plans in alignment with university priorities and strategic initiatives.
Serve as a project manager, editor and/or principal writer for print and electronic communications pieces for both internal and external audiences.
Support enrollment management and student success by creating campaigns that highlight academic programs, campus life and student outcomes.
Develop and manage multimedia content (photos, graphics, video, and digital assets) in partnership with team designers, vendors, or other resources as needed.
Ensure all content is engaging, accessible, inclusive and consistent with Clarkson’s brand standards.
Collaborate with faculty, staff and administrators to identify and promote stories that reflect the University’s values, strengths and achievements.
Conduct market research and analyze data to evaluate campaign effectiveness and recommend improvements.
Monitor and report performance metrics across communications platforms; prepare regular updates for leadership.
Stay informed on higher education marketing trends, best practices and emerging communication technologies.
Perform other related duties as assigned.