Student Communications Manager

Career Center at Portland State University

Portland (OR)

On-site

USD 62,000 - 77,000

Full time

2 hours ago

Be an early applicant

Get more replies from employers

Send a job-specific resume in minutes.

Benefits offered by this job

Premium healthcare

Retirement plan

Tuition reduction

Job summary

Portland State University's University Marketing & Communications is seeking a Student Communications Manager to lead a comprehensive student communications plan and ensure timely messages that support student success at PSU.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications, you will coordinate email, SMS, and automated campaigns, advise on timing and audience segmentation, maintain templates and calendars, and ensure messaging standards are followed across campus.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or related field.
4+ years of experience in communications, marketing, strategic messaging, or related fields.
Experience implementing communications strategies, working with partners to coordinate priorities and implementing across multiple audiences and channels.
Strong writing and editing skills.
Experience using analytics and insights to guide strategy and measure outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and communities and to support PSU’s equity and inclusion values.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategy and execution of a comprehensive student communications plan for PSU.
Coordinate communications with campus stakeholders across email, SMS, and automated campaigns.
Advise on timing and audience segmentation for communications.
Maintain communication templates and calendars and ensure messaging standards across campus.

Skills

4+ years of experience in comms/mark./

Experience implementing communications

Strong writing and editing skills

Experience using analytics

Equity and inclusion values

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field

Tools

Slate CRM

Job description

Position Announcement

Position Details

Proposed Start Date 10/01/2026 Classification Title Communications / Marketing Rank N - No Rank Working Title Student Communications Manager Department 101400 - OMC Marketing & Communications Position Number D91663 Representation UU - Unclassified Unrepresented Renewable Renewable End date, if applicable Position FTE 1.0 Tenure Status N - not applicable

Position Summary

Brief Description of PSU/School/Dept

From our campus in the heart of Portland, University Marketing & Communications (UMC) is the university’s strategic and creative powerhouse. We tell the bold, vibrant stories that showcase PSU as a diverse, forward-thinking, impact-driven institution. We act as stewards of the university’s brand and animators of its narrative, driving enrollment, employee pride, community engagement and global reputation. Through compelling visual and written content and a strategic approach to social media, media relations and internal communications, we highlight Portland State’s achievements, foster engagement and reinforce the university’s contributions to our community and beyond.

The Student Communications Manager is responsible for leading the strategy and execution of a comprehensive student communications plan designed to ensure that students receive clear and timely messages that facilitate their success at PSU. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications, the manager partners with campus stakeholders to coordinate communications, build and manage targeted email, SMS and automated communication campaigns, including advising on timing and audience segmentation. The manager will maintain communication templates and calendars and ensure messaging standards are followed by partners across campus.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field.
4+ years of experience in communications, marketing, strategic messaging, or related fields.
Experience implementing communications strategies, working with partners to coordinate priorities and implementing across multiple audiences and channels.
Strong writing and editing skills.
Experience using analytics and insights to guide strategy and measure outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and communities and to support PSU’s equity and inclusion values.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience using Slate CRM to deliver customized communications campaigns.
Experience working in higher education.

Key Cultural Competencies

Create an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
Function and communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
Seek opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.
Adhere to all of PSU’s policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Environmental Stewardship

Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Work Days/Hours

Monday-Friday, 8am to 5pm; All PSU staff work in-office at least 4 days per week.

Total Compensation Range & Benefits Statement

Salary is dependent on several factors, and new employees will typically start around the Q1 level to allow for later growth within the salary band. PSU has a structured process for determining starting compensation, taking into account years of related experience, applicable skills, knowledge and abilities, market parity, and internal equity.

The starting annual salary for this position will be between $61,620 and $77,034, but may be negotiated above this range, dependent upon the factors above, the budget of the hiring department, and approval from HR.

An excellent benefits package includes 95% premium paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse or dependent at any of the Oregon University System schools.

Please visit our total compensation calculator to see the full value of our benefits package.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).