Columbia University
Associate Director, Communications
Edtech.com's Summary
- Develop and execute communication strategies to promote Columbia College's priorities in academic excellence, culture, community, and well-being.
- Partner with multiple campus offices including Undergraduate Student Life and the Center for Student Advising to elevate their communications.
- Manage email campaigns via Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud, optimizing newsletter content and social media presence.
- Lead development of major campaigns such as Countdown to Class Day and Countdown to Columbia.
- Provide crisis communication support and after-hours operational assistance as needed.
- Required proficiency in copy editing (AP, Chicago styles), email marketing platforms, and social media best practices.
- Preferred skills include knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Sprout, Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud, and website content management systems.
- Must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and 3-5 years in communications and marketing campaign management.
- Compensation range: $80,000 - $85,000 annually.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, build strong relationships, and independently problem-solve.
Associate Director, Communications Full Description
- Job Type: Officer of Administration
- Bargaining Unit:
- Regular/Temporary: Regular
- End Date if Temporary:
- Hours Per Week: 35
- Standard Work Schedule:
- Building:
- Salary Range: $80,000 - $85,000
Position Summary
Reporting to the Director of Strategic Communications, the Associate Director, Communications advances the College's strategic priorities of academic excellence, culture, community and well-being for Columbia College students, staff and broader community.
The Associate Director, Communications (AD) serves as the principal deputy to the Director of Strategic Communications. The AD will be a lead partner with several offices across Columbia College developing communication plans to bring the College's stories to life and increase awareness of programs, services and events. Additionally, the AD will manage the Assistant Director of Digital Communications, providing support and guidance for all newsletter communications.
Responsibilities
Campus Partner Communications Strategy
- Maintain regular and proactive contact with a portfolio of campus partners (e.g., Undergraduate Student Life, Center for Student Advising and Housing/Dining) to develop communication plans that elevate their work within Columbia College and outside the College to the wider University community.
- Serve as a communications resource and adviser to partner offices across the College.
- In partnership with the editorial, comms and events teams and campus partners, lead the development and execution of major student and family-facing communications campaigns, including Countdown to Class Day and Countdown to Columbia, among others.
- Write articles on Columbia College news, such as announcements for students who receive top awards, including Rhodes Scholars, Marshall Scholars and Gates Scholars, among others.
Email and Social Media Communications
- Develop and help implement the communications strategy for all Columbia College newsletters.
- Oversee the execution of email campaigns and message through Salesforce CRM & Marketing Cloud platforms and develop effective messages, CTAs, and copy for email for optimal performance.
- Monitor the effectiveness of student and family-facing email campaigns and provide recommendations for improvement.
- In partnership with the Director of Editorial Strategy and Content, develop, launch and manage a new monthly editorial newsletter.
- Review and edit weekly student and family-facing newsletters to ensure that the content is appropriate and accurate for the audience.Â
- In partnership with the Director of Strategic Communications, manage the Columbia College social media calendar, ensuring 4-6 diverse and optimized posts are published each week across platforms.
- Monitor social media performance and adjust strategy accordingly.
Crisis Communications Support
- Provide occasional operational support to the Director of Strategic Communications for urgent or after-hours communications to the Columbia College community, including evenings and weekends as needed.
Other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelorâs degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
- 3-5 years of experience managing and executing communications and marketing campaigns, preferably in higher education or complex organizations
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities simultaneously
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills with strong attention to detail
- Proficiency in copy editing in AP, Chicago and other styles
- Experience developing communications strategies and coordinating with diverse stakeholders
- Strong understanding of email campaign platforms and tools and proven track record for optimizing email campaigns
- Proficiency with social media platforms and best practices
- Ability to work independently, take initiative and problem-solve effectively
- Strong relationship-building skills with internal and external partners
- Comfortable learning new technologies and seeking resources to achieve results
Preferred Qualifications
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite and Sprout
- Bachelorâs Degree in writing, journalism or other humanities-based field
- Experience with Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud, or similar system
- Experience with website content management systems
- Familiarity with higher education communications and constituencies
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
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