Digital Communications Specialist, Cornell Tech (NYC)

Cornell Tech; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 70,458 - 78,356; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work option

Benefits package

Job summary

Cornell Tech is hiring a Digital Communications Specialist to highlight faculty excellence and student achievements globally. You will lead digital content creation, manage assets, and coordinate across social, web, and email channels with a lean team.

The role includes overseeing brand consistency and managing vendor relationships. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree with 2–4 years in communications, design, or project management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with 2–4 years in communications, design, project management, digital asset management.
• Highly proactive, organized, efficient, detail‑oriented, able to follow detailed instruction.
• Proven ability to multitask successfully and meet deadlines.
• Proven ability to lead meetings with colleagues and external vendors.
• Exceptional writing, communication, and visual communication skills.
• Experience with Basecamp or similar project‑management tools.
• Proficiency with Sprout Social or comparable social‑media management and analytics platforms.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere, Bridge, Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator).
• Experience with MailChimp or similar newsletter‑management tools.
• Experience managing content in a CMS.
• Self‑driven, capable of taking ownership of tasks and delivering.
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to cultivate inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community.

Responsibilities

• Project management – collaborate across campus to plan and execute digital communications across social media, web, email newsletters, campus monitors, and slide presentations; manage relationships with vendors.
• Digital content creation – strategize, draft, publish photo, video, and written content for events, programs, and initiatives across Cornell Tech’s channels; draft briefs and campaigns.
• Digital asset management – create assets using Adobe, Mailchimp, Figma; publish content to Sprout Social, YouTube, Mailchimp; manage asset library.
• Promotional assistance – write social posts, create ads/materials, pull analytics, analyze trends, monitor conversations, present recommendations to improve performance.
• Website management – maintain key sections of the Cornell Tech site; copyediting, page building; train colleagues on WordPress; collaborate with external dev team.
• Brand stewardship – advise on brand, fulfill asset requests, maintain web presence, review content for style and messaging consistency.
• Administration – oversee P‑card usage, receipts, vendor contracts; learn multiple programs to train colleagues.
• Other duties as assigned and complete required trainings.

Skills

Communication

Project management

Content creation

Editorial coordination

Social media management

CMS management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Basecamp

Sprout Social

Adobe Creative Suite

MailChimp

WordPress

CMS

Job description

Digital Communications Specialist

The Digital Communications Specialist creates compelling content to highlight Cornell Tech’s faculty excellence and student achievements on a global scale. The incumbent must have demonstrated experience in project management, content development and website management. The role operates on a lean team under general supervision from the Design Director and supports a rapidly scaling campus. The incumbent engages in self‑directed work and has ownership over process and execution.

Core Competencies

• Communicates effectively
• Develops and delivers multi‑mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences
• Action oriented – takes on new opportunities and challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
• Manages ambiguity – operates effectively even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear
• Collaborates – works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives

Essential Functions

• Project management – collaborate across campus to plan and execute digital communications across social media, web, email newsletters, campus monitors, and slide presentations, and to produce branded collateral and merchandise. Work with the Communications and Marketing team to manage relationships and provide logistical support and editorial guidance to external vendors, including freelance photographers, videographers, writers, and web developers. 20%
• Digital content creation – strategize, pitch, draft, produce, edit, and publish photo, video, and written content for events, programs, research, and initiatives across Cornell Tech’s social media channels, website, news, and editorial platforms. Collaborate with external vendors and draft multimedia briefs, social media campaigns, video concepts, and photography shot lists. 20%
• Digital asset management – create digital assets using Adobe, Mailchimp, Figma, and other apps. Publish content on Sprout Social, YouTube, Mailchimp, and tech.cornell.edu. Edit, organize, and manage the digital asset library. 15%
• Promotional assistance – write social media posts, create advertisements and printed promotional materials, pull analytics to track performance, analyze audience sentiment, identify industry trends, monitor conversations, manage brand health across major channels, and present recommendations to the Communications and Marketing team to improve performance. Meet regularly with Cornell University’s New Media Team to align initiatives and strategies across campuses. 15%
• Website management – manage and maintain key sections of the Cornell Tech website and related sites, and engage in copyediting, page‑building, troubleshooting, training colleagues on WordPress, and collaborating with Cornell Tech’s external web development team. 15%
• Brand stewardship – advise constituents on the Cornell Tech brand, fulfill asset requests, create and distribute campus merchandise, maintain the brand’s web presence, manage licensing via the Exemplar portal, and review content for style and messaging consistency. 5%
• Administration – oversee the team’s P‑card usage, submit receipts, and collaborate with the Finance team to create and manage vendor contracts. Learn and master several programs, platforms, and systems to serve as an efficient campus resource and to train colleagues as needed. 5%
• Other position‑related responsibilities – participate in projects or other duties as assigned with occasional work responsibility falling above or below current classification. Completion of any university required compliance trainings. 5%

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 2 to 4 years of experience in communications, design, project management, digital asset management
• Highly proactive, organized, efficient, detail‑oriented, able to follow detailed instruction
• Proven ability to multitask successfully and meet deadlines
• Proven ability to lead meetings with colleagues and external vendors
• Exceptional writing, communication, and visual communication skills
• Experience with Basecamp or similar project‑management tools
• Proficiency with Sprout Social or comparable social‑media management and analytics platforms
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere, Bridge, Acrobat, InDesign, and Illustrator)
• Experience with MailChimp or similar newsletter‑management tools
• Experience managing content in a CMS
• Self‑driven, capable of taking ownership of tasks and seeing them through to delivery
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of AP Style; experience with WordPress
• Experience with Figma, Exemplar Licensing Appspace, Localist, Sprout Social
• Experience training colleagues in procedures, programs, and systems

Culture of Inclusion

As a university founded to be a place where any person can find instruction in any study, inclusion and belonging are at the core of our values and mission. We strive to be a welcoming, caring, healthy community where students, faculty, and staff with different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect, and feel empowered to engage in any community conversation. Cornell Core values are reflected in our commitment to an inclusive workplace.

Rewards And Benefits

Competitive compensation, generous time‑off, and great benefits. Starting salary range: $70,458 to $78,356. Full‑time, benefits‑eligible position located on the Cornell Tech campus. Remote option: Hybrid.

EEO Statement

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world‑class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of any person any study. No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy‑related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.