Director, Content Marketing & Strategy
Chapman University
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Job summary
Chapman University, based in Orange, CA, seeks a Director of Content Marketing & Strategy to lead SEO and editorial strategy across chapman.edu. The role guides content architecture, ensures brand voice, and collaborates with web, enrollment marketing, and external partners to advance discovery and engagement.
This in-person, full-time position requires 5 days in the office weekly, with a strong focus on content governance, performance metrics, and strategic storytelling that enhances enrollment
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, design, or related field.
- 5-7+ years in SEO and/or content strategy, with 2+ years in management.
- Experience managing enterprise-scale sites and organic search programs.
- Strong command of SEO tools and CMS platforms.
- Excellent editorial judgment and writing/editing ability.
- Strong interpersonal and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Proven ability to influence without direct authority.
Responsibilities
- Lead content strategy and editorial governance aligning with brand and enrollment goals.
- Own SEO strategy, including technical SEO and on-page optimization across chapman.edu.
- Develop and manage the centralized storytelling platform content & cadence.
- Oversee a content calendar balancing evergreen and campaign content.
- Collaborate with web, brand, enrollment marketing, and agencies.
- Mentor the marketing coordinator and manage stakeholder priorities.
- Ensure accessibility, accuracy, and brand voice across content.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Position Information
Director, Content Marketing & Strategy
Regular
SA93024
full-time 40 hours weekly
Exempt
$140,000-$160,000
Chapman University is required to provide a reasonable estimate ofthe compensation range for this position. This range takes intoaccount a variety of factors that are considered in makingcompensation decisions, including experience, skills, knowledge,abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and otherbusiness and organizational needs. Salary offers are determinedbased on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience, aswell as internal equity and other internal factors. The anticipatedpay range is not a promise of a particular wage.
Position Summary Information
The Director, Content Marketing & Strategy, leads ChapmanUniversity’s organic search and content ecosystem, ensuring theuniversity’s digital presence is discoverable, authoritative, andaligned with brand and enrollment priorities. This role sets thestrategic direction for SEO and AI visibility performance andeditorial content across chapman.edu. The Director partners closelywith web, brand, strategic & editorial comms, enrollmentmarketing, and agency stakeholders to ensure content strategy isembedded into broader marketing, communications, and engagementinitiatives, including publications.
This position is in person in Orange, CA and the candidate will be expected to be in the office 5 days a week.
- Develop and maintain a university-wide content strategy thatbalances brand storytelling with SEO performance, ensuring contentserves search and AI visibility.
- Lead the editorial vision and information architecture ofChapman's centralized storytelling platform connecting audienceswith the people, experiences, and outcomes that make the universitydistinctive.
- Own the ongoing content management of the storytelling platformincluding story sourcing, publishing cadence, tagging/taxonomy fordiscoverability, and platform performance against reach andengagement goals.
- Oversee a content calendar and workflow that balances always-onorganic content needs with news updates and other campaign-drivencontent.
- Establish editorial standards, style guidelines, and a contentgovernance model spanning web copy, blog/news content, programpages, landing pages, and Chapman’s storytelling hub.
- Write and edit compelling articles and feature stories thatstrengthen Chapman University’s brand and support strategicstorytelling initiatives.
- Ensure all content reflects brand voice, accessibilitystandards, and institutional accuracy.
- Own SEO strategy, including technical SEO, on-pageoptimization, keyword architecture, and organic search performanceacross chapman.edu properties.
- Conduct ongoing technical audits (crawlability, site speed,structured data, mobile performance, etc.) in partnership with web,IS&T, and vendors.
- Conduct content gap analysis and competitive research toidentify underserved topics, ranking opportunities, and areas wherecompetitor institutions are outperforming Chapman in search and AIvisibility.
- Build and maintain keyword and topic-cluster strategies alignedto institutional priorities and enrollment funnels, structuringcontent to establish topical authority across priority program andsubject areas.
- Monitor rankings, organic traffic, and conversion performance;report on KPIs and translate findings into actionableroadmaps.
- Stay ahead of search algorithm changes (including AI-drivensearch/ LLM discovery shifts) and adjust strategy and universityeducation around these shifts proactively.
- Serve as SMC's subject-matter authority on SEO and content,ensuring organic strategy is represented in enrollment marketinginitiatives rather than treated as an afterthought.
- Partner with the web, brand, and digital strategy teams toensure site architecture, campaign landing pages, and paid/organicefforts are integrated rather than siloed.
- Advise academic units on content and SEO best practices foradmissions and program pages.
- Represent SEO /content considerations in brand governanceconversations, protecting consistency and search equity duringredesigns, rebrands, or campaign launches.
- Manage, coach, and develop setting clear goals, workflows, andgrowth opportunities.
- Establish processes for content production, SEO execution, andquality assurance.
- Model SMC's standards for cross-functional collaboration,mentoring the marketing coordinator on stakeholder management andprioritization.
- Bachelor's degree in a related field (marketing,communications, design, or equivalent experience).
- 5-7+ years of progressive experience in SEO and/or contentstrategy, ideally with 2+ years in a people-management role.
- Demonstrated experience managing enterprise-scale websites andorganic search programs (higher ed, complex multi-brand, orsimilarly matrixed organizations preferred).
- Strong command of SEO tools (e.g., Google Search Console,SEMrush/Ahrefs, Moz, Screaming Frog, GA4) and CMS platforms.
- Excellent editorial judgment and writing/editing ability, withexperience setting style and governance standards.
- Strong interpersonal skills to work with a diverse group ofindividuals at all university levels.
- Demonstrated project management experience - managingtimelines, stakeholders, and competing priorities.
- Strong ability to document technical processes and developmentnotes for others to easily get up to speed.
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional and agencypartners without direct authority.
- Excellent communication skills; comfortable working with bothtechnical (dev/IT) and non-technical (department)stakeholders.
- Experience with CRM /marketing automation integration (e.g.,Slate, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, FormStack etc.).
- Experience in Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google DataStudio and UTM tracking.
- Experience in web accessibility standards/guidelines.
- Experience in higher education marketing.
- Entrepreneurial, self-starter with tact and diplomacyskills.
- Experience in an editorial environment.
At Chapman University, we believe collaboration thrives throughin-person engagement. This position is fully on campus, andemployees work alongside colleagues, faculty, students, and staffeach day to support our vibrant university community.
Chapman University is an equal opportunity employer that providesequal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless oftheir protected characteristics. All qualified applicants andemployees are encouraged to apply and will receive considerationfor employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex,sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, nationalorigin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mentaldisability, medical condition, military and veteran status, maritalstatus, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristicprotected by state or federal law.
Applicants for Staff and Administrator positions must be currentlyauthorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
The offer of employment is contingent upon satisfactory completionand outcomes of a criminal background screening and returning tothe Office of Human Resources a signed original acceptance of theChapman University Agreement to Arbitrate.
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