Digital Content Strategist

Job no: 509742
Work type: Staff Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Marketing & Communications
Union: PSU
Categories: Development & Fundraising, Advancement/Fundraising

 

 

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

 

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Communications, the Digital Content Strategist executes a communication strategy across multiple digital platforms to effectively deliver integrated and inclusive messages to diverse audiences, promote brand recognition, and reinforce the university’s core values and institutional priorities in support a major capital fundraising campaign and Be Revolutionary strategic plan. Always monitoring social channels, the Strategist is a frontline communicator responsible for delivering information, instilling pride, and driving support for university strategic priorities. The position requires research skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of audiences including administrators, faculty, staff, students, public officials, alumni, volunteers, and donors of all propensities. The Strategist collaborates with peers throughout campus, student groups, and alumni influencers to coordinate messaging, amplify promotions, and seamlessly enhance the student to alumni life cycle. Working with campus communicators, the Strategist leads the development of university-wide best practice guides, online resources, and toolkits. The Strategist also develops weekly reports on performance analytics across earned, owned, and paid media and makes informed recommendations using key performance metrics to enhance ROI. Employing skills in graphic design, photography, and video, the Strategist develops creative and engaging, on brand digital campaigns in alignment with university brand initiatives.

 

Essential Functions

  • Develop and implement a cohesive social media strategy to increase the visibility of the university and engagement across all social media channels. Identify new ways to leverage social media activities, contributing to an iterative digital strategy closely aligned with new and developing technology, digital trends, and institutional needs. This includes creating content that employs innovative and engaging photos, videos, audio, and graphics; developing and maintaining comprehensive content calendars; and managing an advertising budget in support of bespoke customer journeys, the university's strategic plan, and capital fundraising campaign through earned, owned, and paid promotions.
  • Direct, produce, write, schedule, capture, and edit various print and video projects using Advancement storytelling guiding principles and customer journey insights to support of the university’s strategic plan and the capital fundraising campaign targeted to achieve its fundraising goals.
  • Interact with the communications leadership team, IT staff, and others to assess and evaluate new media and technology. Advise and serve as a resource to schools, colleges, units, and departments on the optimal use of new media.
  • Develop content to establish and maintain the Chancellor’s social media presence in support of institutional priorities.
  • Create advancement social media guidelines, policies, and best practices. Educate and advise individual schools, colleges, units, and departments in the development of compelling, interactive, on brand content strategies while maintaining an institution-wide perspective on all web content to ensure excellence, effectiveness, and consistency.
  • Create and implement digital marketing strategies informed by SEO; contribute to SEM campaigns to maximize results, drive volume, and achieve key metrics
  • Monitor and provide data-driven insights on the university's social media presence using tools such as Google Analytics, EverTrue, Facebook Pixel, Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram analytics. This includes weekly evaluation of key performance metrics to chart the ongoing progress and effectiveness of all digital content efforts.
  • Measure ROI and conversions for various paid efforts and provide immediate recommendations to maximize positive outcomes within established resource parameters.
  • Oversee the development and maintenance of the university’s social media ambassador program by activating alumni influencers and volunteers through targeted weekly messaging to share content that engenders university pride, highlights academically accomplished faculty, socially responsible students, and demonstrates the institution’s commitment to lifelong learning through an accessible and high-quality education.
  • Manage a team of student workers to further the development and implementation of the digital content strategy in support of enhancing student and young alumni brand affinity.
  • Monitor and deploy crisis information in collaboration with University Relations.  
  • Provide social media coverage and live streaming at select events that may occur outside of standard office hours.

 

Other Functions

Perform related duties as assigned or required to meet Department, Executive Area/Division, and University goals and objectives.

 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

  • Bachelor’s degree required. English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Advertising, Digital Media Production or related field preferred.
  • Five (5) years relevant professional experience managing social media communications and digital marketing, including content development and brand messaging.
  • Knowledge of principles and practices related to storytelling, communications, public relations, marketing, user-generated content management, and reputation management.
  • Ability to perform ongoing research, education, and testing of new media tools to keep the digital strategy current with evolving best practices and constituent preference and behaviors.
  • Demonstrated working knowledge of various social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, Pinterest, Snapchat, etc.
  • Proficiency using web analytics and social media monitoring/measurement tools such as Google Analytics, EverTrue, Facebook Pixel, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, etc. to deliver data-driven insights
  • Strong ability to design creative and compelling, on brand digital content using Adobe Creative Suite software
  • Ability to work independently to produce creative, on brand digital media content including short-form video, photography, graphic design, and/or engaging Instagram stories; portfolio required.
  • Proven ability to think critically and write clear, concise, and compelling content to resonate with intended audiences across various communication channels.
  • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; ability to cooperate and collaborate with a variety of constituents with multiple interests and varying levels of authority and influence.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to work independently and plan, prioritize, and manage several projects simultaneously.
  • Ability and willingness to travel occasionally and/or work evening and weekend hours as needed; valid driver’s license required.

 

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

  • Master’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Advertising, Digital Media Production or related field.
  • Proficiency in developing marketing copy for fundraising or other revenue-generating initiatives.
  • Proven video and editing skills, and familiarity web design, content management systems, mobile applications, and other digital technologies preferred.
  • Experience in coordinating vendor and contractor web services.
  • Experience in or familiarity with higher education environment.
  • Strong analytical and strategic skills; ability to solve complex digital problems.

 

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment activity.

 

Additional Details

Ability and willingness to travel occasionally.

 

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm. Evenings and weekends as needed. On-call schedule required.

 

Salary Information

Level 27

PSU Salary Ranges

 

Special Instructions to Applicants

 Please apply online and provide cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references. Please apply by September 6, 2021 in order to ensure priority consideration. Search may remain open until a suitable candidate pool has been identified.

 

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

 

Advertised: Aug 23 2021 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: