Columbia University
Director, Communications and Creative Services
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕑 Full-Time
💰 $120K - $125K
💻 Communications
🗓️ January 6th, 2026
Edtech.com's Summary
- Lead communications staff in content creation and distribution across multiple media channels.
- Develop and execute integrated publicity, promotional, and brand campaigns based on market research and performance metrics.
- Create and manage multi-channel content to enhance visibility of the school’s initiatives and academic programs.
- Direct social media strategy, content production, and governance across platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, and Facebook.
- Use analytics, A/B testing, social listening tools, and AI technologies for campaign monitoring and improvement.
- Collaborate with university-wide partners, external media, and public relations firms to amplify messaging.
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred; 5 years minimum related experience, with 8-10 years preferred.
- Experience leading teams, executing integrated communications campaigns, and training staff is strongly preferred.
- Proficient with Google Workspace, familiarity with Airtable and Sprout Social considered a plus.
- Salary range: $120,000 - $125,000 annually, with final offer based on qualifications and experience.
Director, Communications and Creative Services 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: $120,000 - $125,000
Position Summary
The Director of Communications & Creative Services, in partnership with the Senior Executive Director (SED), leads the schoolâs comprehensive communications strategy to strengthen institutional identity and elevate national and international visibility. The Director drives integrated campaigns, content development, media strategy, social engagement, and Decanal communications ensuring high-quality, data-driven, and audience-centered messaging across all channels. The Director manages cross-functional teams and collaborates with university-wide partners, program leadership, and external media to amplify the schoolâs mission, academic programs, and strategic priorities.
Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategic Management
- Manage all communications staff in the creation and distribution of content across all communication media
- Build strong partnerships with the Events, Media Production, Design, Web, and Marketing teams to support content creation and distribution across media, including the website, newsletter, social media platforms, email, and print materials, among others, particularly as it relates to academic program promotion to deliver integrated, high-impact campaigns.
- Design and execute publicity, promotional and brand campaigns that are aligned with School priorities and integrate insights from market research, sentiment analysis, competitor research, Power BI benchmarks, and performance metrics.
- Develop campaigns with clear work plans, baselines, audience segmentation goals, and performance metrics.
Content Management
- Develop, proof, and edit multi-channel contentâincluding news, publications, and media materialsâto enhance visibility for the school, its initiatives, and events.
- Manage and coordinate timely content distribution across platforms using analytics, A/B testing and reporting to monitor and evaluate campaign impact to guide improvements.
- Collaborate with degree and non-degree programs to develop program-specific content to advance visibility, engagement, and recruitment.
- Drive processes with stakeholders within the school and across the University to strategize on and align content distribution across all media channels.
- Collaborate with external media and public relations firms to align and amplify the School's messaging.
- Draft and edit all Decanal and Alumni, and Development communications, including correspondence, speeches, graduation messaging, and event remarks.
- Maintain up-to-date expertise in communications technologies and effectively integrate AI tools into content development, monitoring, analytics, and reporting.
- Strategize and implement responsible AI use in content creation, monitoring, and reporting, in alignment with university policies.
Social Media Strategy
- Direct and execute School-wide social media campaigns in collaboration with program teams to build engagement and visibility.
- Direct social media strategy, content production, and governance across School-owned channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and emerging international platforms); monitor sentiment, trends, and platform performance.
- Maintain listening tools, track conversations about the school, analyze platform performance and audience sentiment to integrate insights into the communication strategy to optimize results.Â
- Actively monitor and engage across social platforms by observing conversations, tracking sentiments in real time, and maintaining an ongoing awareness of how the school is being discussed, ensuring a responsive and informed content strategy.
- Engage collaboratively with stakeholders to align on messaging cadence and content priorities, lead the planning and development of social media across all School platforms.
Performs other duties and projects as assigned or requested
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelorâs degree required. Advanced degree is desirable.
- 5 years of related experience.
- A resume and cover letter with salary requirements must be submitted for this position.
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven expertise in developing and executing communication strategies, with proficiency across traditional and emerging social media, web, and email platforms
- 8-10 years of related experience
- Demonstrable experience leading teams and executing campaigns
- Experience in a supervisory role, including the training and development of staff, is strongly preferred
Other Requirements
- Demonstrated excellence in curation, storytelling, writing, and editing across multiple formats.
- Proven experience developing and managing integrated communications campaigns and content strategies.
- Strong ability to synthesize complex information into clear, compelling, and accessible messaging.
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and stakeholders in a complex organizational environment.
- Expertise with social and emerging media platforms, including platform-specific messaging and performance optimization.
- Proficiency with analytics, social listening tools, and AI technologies for content development, monitoring, and reporting.
- High proficiency with Google Workspace; familiarity with Airtable and Sprout Social is a plus.
- Ability to represent the school professionally at events and in high-visibility communications.
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
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