Development and Alumni Digital Communications Manager

Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland (OH); Hybrid; USD 64,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Case Western Reserve University is seeking a Development and Alumni Digital Communications Manager to lead digital content across email, web, and social channels. The role focuses on data-driven strategies, brand-consistent messaging, and accessible online presence to engage donors, alumni, and prospective connections.

You will leverage Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Brandwatch, and analytics to optimize campaigns, webpages, and event pages while collaborating across teams to boost audience

Qualifications

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud and A/B testing.
• Familiarity with accessibility standards and HTML/CSS for email.
• Strong analytical and collaborative abilities.

Responsibilities

• Communicate via email, manage calendar, build journeys and automated sends in Marketing Cloud.
• Develop and update development and alumni websites, ensure accessibility and SEO basics.
• Create event pages, confirmations and standardized templates to improve UX.
• Coordinate on social media strategy with Brandwatch and analytics platforms.
• Gather data from multiple channels to analyze audience journeys.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Journalism, Business, or related field

Tools

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Brandwatch

Google Analytics

HTML/CSS (email)

Drupal (web)

Asana/Monday

Job description

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary range available for this position at the time of its posting. The salary range is between $63,868 and $80,115, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Employees receive more than just a paycheck. University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Development and Alumni Digital Communications Manager advances Case Western Reserve University's mission by helping communicate with donors, alumni, families and friends of the university through compelling, visually appealing, user-friendly and effective online channels, including email, web and social media. The individual will apply industry-leading practices in digital content creation and marketing that also comply with the university's brand identity and digital accessibility standards. This individual will support the university¿s development and alumni communication efforts, build some of the university's most significant messages geared toward engaging our graduates, donors, and prospective connections, and be responsible for creating best practices for university partners based on data analysis and research. This individual also will support the university's efforts to ensure that Case Western Reserve's online presence¿whether through emails, websites or social media¿reflects the stature and excellence of the teaching, learning and research that take place on its campus.

Essential Functions

• Communicate through email. Work closely with development and alumni communications colleagues to maintain an email calendar, balancing audiences and priorities while understanding user data indicating inbox fatigue. Build and deploy emails based on alumni and development news, updates, resources and events. Use Salesforce Marketing Cloud to build, personalize and create journeys and automated sends. Deploy A/B testing for alumni and development audiences based on subject lines, content, formatting, sender names and more. Track all testing and create resource documentation. Maintain layout templates based on KPIs. Be an expert on best practices, list maintenance, trends and CAN-SPAM compliance laws. (40%)
• Manage website. Build and/or update development and alumni websites as necessary, ensuring they meet accessibility standards (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), remain timely and relevant, and reflect client priorities. This includes webpage audits, tracking in Google Analytics and writing copy specific for this platform. (20%)
• Write and edit content for event registration pages, event confirmations and create templates and standardized layouts that optimize the user experience and drive attendance. (15%)
• Work across teams to manage alumni social media channels, promoting key university, alumni and development priorities. Use scheduling, metrics dashboard and social listening tool Brandwatch to plan out calendar and stay aware of relevant trending topics. Work closely with the social media team to stay informed on performance trends, major event/initiative planning and execute a collaborative strategy. (15%)
• Provide data analysis. Gather data from all digital platforms¿web, event registration management tool, online giving tool, social media and email¿to show a holistic picture on the audience journey and experience. Identify best practices and pipeline weak points. (10%)

Nonessential Functions

• Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)

CONTACTS

Department: Regular contact with vice president, directors and all department staff to work collaboratively.

University: Regular contact with faculty and staff in colleges and management centers to provide digital content as requested or pitch digital story ideas.

External: Infrequent contact with alumni and outside vendors and consultants regarding live coverage of an alumni event or interview for newsletter or digital story.

Students: Some contact with students workers or as part of live event coverage.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

No supervisory responsibility

Qualifications

Experience: 3 to 5 years of experience required. Experience to include at least 3 years of related experience.

Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Journalism, Business, or related field.

Required Skills

• Excellent written and oral communications skills and the ability to interact effectively with staff, faculty, vendors and students.
• Ability to write to specific digital platforms effectively and clearly articulate the best practices for each.
• Ability to develop strong collaborative relationships internally and externally.
• Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency, with flexibility to quickly shift with the needs of the team and clients.
• Must have strong analytical ability.
• Effectively manage multiple platforms and messages.
• Ability to work effectively with all levels of the organization
• Knowledge of A/B testing strategies and test planning across email and social media.
• Familiarity with HTML and CSS coding for email.
• Experience using Salesforce Marketing Cloud to create and send emails.
• Cross-platform web development experience. Experience in Drupal preferred.
• Experience using social media planning and listening tools. Experience in Brandwatch preferred.
• Excellent project management, time management, and organizational skills (plan and implement projects according to specifications, report project statuses, identify delays or resource shortages). Experience with tools such as Asana or Monday preferred.
• Ability to collaborate constructively with others to solve problems and share knowledge.
• Ability to plan, organize and schedule work in an efficient, productive manner, and anticipate contingencies.
• Knowledge and understanding of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
• Ability to demonstrate successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
• Ability to meet consistent attendance.
• Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face to face.

WORKING CONDITIONS

General office environment. Will perform repetitive motion using computer mouse and keyboard. On rare, emergency situations, evening or weekend hours required. Hybrid work option available once orientation period is successfully completed.

This position is eligible for hybrid work arrangement up to two remote days per week at the discretion of the department. New employees may begin a hybrid schedule upon approval from the supervisor, successful completion of an orientation period and signing the remote work checklist certification form.

Case Western Reserve University is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants are protected under federal and state laws and university policy from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, protected veteran status, disability, age and genetic information.

Case Western Reserve University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CWRU Office of Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicants will be made on a case-by-case basis.