Assistant/Associate Director for Dean of the College and Parent Communications

Colgate University; New York; On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Colgate University is seeking an Assistant/Associate Director for Dean of the College and Parent Communications. This crucial role involves creating strategic communications to enhance the student experience and engage families, managing a wide range of digital and print content while collaborating with stakeholders to align communications with the university's mission.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years' experience in communications or related fields.
• Strong writing, editing, and project management skills.
• Experience with web content writing and social media.

Responsibilities

• Manage content for parent resources and communications.
• Facilitate production of newsletters and onboarding materials.
• Serve as liaison to parents, assisting with concerns.

Skills

Writing

Editing

Project Management

Public Relations

Interpersonal Skills

Organizational Skills

Content Creation

Education

Bachelor's degree in liberal arts, communications, journalism, or public relations

Tools

Email Marketing Platforms (Emma, Mailchimp)

Project Management Software (Basecamp, Smartsheets)

Website Content Management (Drupal, WordPress)

Job description

Accountabilities:

Colgate University invites applications for the position of Assistant/Associate Director for Dean of the College and Parent Communications, a key role bridging the Office of University Communications and the Division of the Dean of the College. This individual will develop and deliver strategic, high-quality communications that support the student experience and build meaningful connections with the families of current students.

In addition to producing and managing a broad range of digital and print content, this role serves as the primary liaison to parents and families, helping them engage with the University in informed, supportive, and constructive ways. The position works in close partnership with campus stakeholders to ensure parent communications are timely, consistent, and aligned with Colgate's mission, brand, and values.

This position will:

• Manage and create content for the parent and family resources web pages
• Facilitate the production of – and create content for – parent-facing communications materials, such as such as newsletters, family resource guide, and new-family onboarding publications
• Maintain, monitor, and create content for the University's Parent Facebook Group
• Monitor and manage the [e-mail] inbox, document parent concerns and questions
• Communicate with — and provide assistance to — parents and families, referring them to resources and helping de-escalate issues
• Conduct new family orientation sessions
• Assist with managing DOC departmental newsletters
• Work closely with DOC departments and the university communications design team to develop engaging e-newsletter templates, digital promotional materials, and social media templates
• Facilitate the production and regular updates of internal, student-facing promotional DOC materials such as brochures, signage, and student life departmental promotional materials
• Serve as an editorial liaison and assist with content strategy for DOC departmental websites
• Develop communications plans, marketing materials, and signage for campuswide events related to incoming students and Colgate student families such as Arrival Day, Orientation, and Family Weekend
• Serve as the DOC communications liaison and project manager for incoming student and family onboarding

Professional Experience/Qualifications:

• A minimum of 2–5 years' experience in communications, project management, marketing, public relations, or related field
• Excellent writing, editing, publication, and project management skills
• Broad understanding of traditional and social media platforms and experience in web content writing and social media content creation
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills; ability to interact comfortably with a broad spectrum of individuals within the organization to gain consensus
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with key clients across all divisions, as well as with external stakeholders such as parents and families
• Knowledge or experience in higher education

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working within email marketing platforms such as Emma or Mailchimp, project management software (Basecamp, Smartsheets), website content management platforms such as Drupal or WordPress, familiarity with Colgate style guide and visual identity

Education:

A Bachelor's degree in liberal arts, communications, journalism, public relations, or related field is required

Other Information:

Candidates will be considered at either the Assistant or Associate Director level, depending on experience and qualifications. The Associate level requires meeting all of the listed qualifications, while the Assistant level is intended for candidates who meet some or most qualifications and demonstrate the potential to grow into the role with appropriate training and support.

EEO Statement:

The University recognizes that equal employment opportunity can only be achieved through demonstrated leadership. It is the Policy of the University to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and train employees on the basis of merit, ability, and valid job qualifications without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.