Project Specialist (Strategic Marketing and Communications)

Temple University; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Full medical, dental, vision coverage

Paid time off - 3 personal days

Tuition remission - eligible employees

Generous retirement plan

Job summary

Temple University’s Strategic Marketing and Communications Division seeks a Project Specialist to drive marketing projects across traditional, digital, and print channels. The role emphasizes on-schedule delivery, quality, and alignment with institutional goals.

The position reports to the Associate Director of Systems and Project Operations and champions process excellence, including Wrike-based workflows and performance metrics across cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field.
• And at least 3 years of directly related experience managing projects and relationships in a full-time professional environment.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Support cross-functional project teams in partnership with marketing strategists, driving project execution, timelines, creative briefs, reviews, and reporting to ensure deliverables meet strategic goals and exceed quality expectations.
• Collaborate in the planning and execution of larger-scale campaigns and initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and divisional objectives.
• Configure and actively manage project frameworks using the division’s project and file management systems (Wrike and SharePoint, respectively), regularly optimizing organization and accessibility to improve collaboration and efficiency.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and accessibility for all stakeholders.
• Solicit input from departmental teams to monitor, analyze, and report on project progress, outcomes, and performance metrics, providing actionable insights to inform future improvements.
• Anticipate and identify project risks, proactively recommending solutions or escalating concerns when necessary.
• Ensure teams are set up for success through clear communication, organized documentation, and adherence to standardized processes and naming conventions.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Prioritization

Attention to detail

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in marketing or related field

Tools

Wrike

SharePoint

Microsoft Office

Job description

Temple University's Strategic Marketing and Communications Division is searching for a Project Specialist. Become a part of the Temple family and you will have access to the following:

• A hybrid work schedule
• Full medical, dental, vision coverage
• Paid time off 3 Personal Days
• Tuition remission - eligible employees and their dependents can obtain a degree TUITION FREE
• A generous retirement plan and so much more!

Salary Grade: T25 A variety of important factors are reviewed by HR when considering salary, including job duties, the applicant’s education and experience, all relevant internal equity considerations, department budget, and funding source.

Position Summary Reporting to the Associate Director of Systems and Project Operations within the division of Strategic Marketing and Communications (SMC) at Temple University, the Project Specialist plays a key role in executing integrated marketing and communications campaigns that support the university’s goals of enhancing brand reputation, increasing audience engagement, and driving revenue growth. The Project Specialist independently manages a range of marketing projects including traditional media, digital media, and print collateral, ensuring that all deliverables are strategically aligned, on schedule, and of the highest quality. This role also supports the planning and execution of larger-scale campaigns and institutional initiatives in partnership with marketing strategists and cross-functional teams across SMC. The Project Specialist serves as both an implementer and a champion of process excellence, modeling the consistent use of project management tools, standardized workflows, and best practices. The position proactively evaluates and refines processes to improve efficiency, fosters collaboration across teams, and supports the ongoing enhancement of the division’s project management system (Wrike). Perform additional duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field
• And at least 3 years of directly related experience managing projects and relationships in a full-time professional environment.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with Wrike project management tool.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Experience with project management tools for planning, configuration, and tracking.
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office suite of products.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy of work.
• Must be able to effectively prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to quickly acclimate to different environments and openness to new processes and technologies.
• Ability to work within a continuous improvement environment; able to receive feedback with a positive attitude and a commitment to personal accountability.
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills with the ability to work and collaborate with colleagues and campus partners.
• Proven willingness to tackle issues and collaboratively resolve them.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to utilize data and insights to determine decisions.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively and collaboratively work as part of a cross-functional team.
• Ability to work independently and efficiently.
• Demonstrated ability to promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated time management skills.
• Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion.
• Strong ability to monitor the work of others, mentor staff, and manage performance through regular feedback.
• Ability to attend staff events as needed (including occasional nights and weekends).

Essential Functions of the Position

Project Planning and Execution

• Support cross-functional project teams in partnership with marketing strategists, driving project execution, timelines, creative briefs, reviews, and reporting to ensure deliverables meet strategic goals and exceed quality expectations.
• Collaborate in the planning and execution of larger-scale campaigns and initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and divisional objectives.
• Configure and actively manage project frameworks using the division’s project and file management systems (Wrike and SharePoint, respectively), regularly optimizing organization and accessibility to improve collaboration and efficiency.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and accessibility for all stakeholders.
• Solicit input from departmental teams to monitor, analyze, and report on project progress, outcomes, and performance metrics, providing actionable insights to inform future improvements.
• Anticipate and identify project risks, proactively recommending solutions or escalating concerns when necessary.
• Ensure teams are set up for success through clear communication, organized documentation, and adherence to standardized processes and naming conventions.

Process Improvement

• Actively evaluate and refine project workflows, templates, and systems to drive operational efficiency, enhance cross-team collaboration, and support a culture of continuous improvement.
• Introduce and model project management with best practices while recommending and implementing system enhancements that improve delivery, communication, and stakeholder experience.
• Partner with the Associate Director of Systems and Project Operations to maintain and enhance the Wrike platform, providing technical input and recommending optimizations that improve performance and usability.

Relationship Building and Collaboration

• Build and strengthen collaborative relationships across Strategic Marketing and Communications, fostering alignment, open communication, and shared accountability.
• Independent communication with external partners and vendors, as needed, to ensure smooth coordination and delivery of project needs.
• Model positive communication, diplomacy, and team morale by motivating and inspiring colleagues through collaboration and recognition.

Professional Development

• Actively seek opportunities for professional growth and continuous learning to expand knowledge in marketing, project management, and leadership.
• Serve as a resource and role model for process discipline, collaboration, and best practices within cross-functional project teams.

Temple University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all in every aspect of its operations, including employment, service, and educational programs. The University has pledged not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, marital status, national origin or ethnic origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or veteran status.

Compliance Statement: In the performance of their functions as detailed in the position description employees have an obligation to avoid ethical, legal, financial and other conflicts of interest to ensure that their actions and outside activities do not conflict with their primary employment responsibilities at the institution. Employees are also expected to understand and be in compliance with applicable laws, University and employment policies and regulations, including NCAA regulations for areas and departments which their essential functions cause them to interact.

Temple University's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains statistics, policies, and procedures related to campus safety. Go here to review: https://safety.temple.edu/reports-logs/annual-security-report You may request a copy of the report by calling Temple University’s Department of Public Safety at 215-204-7900.