Web Designer & Digital Strategist

Union College (NY); City of Schenectady (NY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Vacation

Winter recess

Healthcare: Medical, Dental, Vision

On-campus fitness facility

403(b) Retirement Plan

Tuition Exchange

Job summary

Union College (NY) is seeking a versatile Web Designer & Digital Strategist to own our web presence. You will bridge visual design, content strategy and light front-end work in a Drupal environment, collaborating with senior leadership to shape our digital narrative.

The role reports to the Vice President for Communications and Marketing and supports campus-wide digital initiatives with a hands-on, entrepreneurial mindset.

Qualifications

• 4-6+ years of digital/web design experience.
• Portfolio demonstrating clean web layout design and responsive UX/UI.
• Experience or strong interest in user journey mapping and content strategy.
• Hands-on experience with Drupal CMS.
• Basic front-end coding skills (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
• Strong collaboration and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end web and visual design for brand and admissions goals.
• Plan, structure, and refine digital content across departments.

Skills

Web design

UX/UI

Content strategy

Drupal

HTML/CSS

JavaScript

Project management

Adaptability

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Drupal CMS

Google Analytics

Job description

We are seeking a versatile, energetic, and self-motivated WebDesigner & Digital Strategist to take ownership of ourweb-based digital presence. As part of a small, nimble web team atUnion, this is a unique "soup-to-nuts" opportunity for anentrepreneurial professional looking to make a direct impact.

Web Designer & Digital Strategist

Pay Status and Classification:

Exempt, Regular Full-time. This position is not eligible for relocation assistance or visasponsorship.

Location:

Hybrid available.

Position Purpose:

In this role, you will bridge visual web design, digital contentstrategy, and light front-end execution in a Drupal environment. Ifyou thrive in a collaborative environment where everyone wearsmultiple hats and you crave the opportunity to help shape your roleto meet organizational goals, this position is for you.

You will work as part of a two-person web team reporting to theVice President for Communications and Marketing, and working inclose collaboration with the Assistant VP for ContentStrategy.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties:

• End-to-End Web & Visual Design: Conceptualize anddesign responsive web layouts, landing pages, digital campaignassets and user interfaces that align with the college's brand andadmissions goals.
• Content Strategy & Digital Storytelling: Collaborateacross departments to plan, structure, and refine digital content,ensuring site navigation, page architecture, and messagingeffectively to students, faculty and alumni.
• Drupal Management & Light Front-End Work: Manage andupdate site layouts within our Drupal CMS, applying light CSS/HTMLmodifications and front-end tweaks to enhance user experience andmaintain site aesthetics.
• Digital Brand Stewardship: Working with our CMO and AVPfor Content Strategy, maintain and evolve digital visual standards,ensuring brand consistency across all public-facing digitalchannels.
• Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Serve as a strategicdigital partner to internal campus stakeholders—helping translatetheir departmental goals into effective web solutions.
• All-Hands Pitching In: As part of a small team, step inwhere needed to support team initiatives, web initiatives, andbroader campus communications.

Qualifications:

• Experience: 4-6+ years of digital/web design experience,with flexibility for a high-energy candidate possessing strongentrepreneurial initiative and a broad skill set required.
• Visual & Web Design: Portfolio demonstrating cleanweb layout design, strong typography, intuitive UX/UI principles,and responsive design execution.
• Content Strategy Interest: Experience or strong interestin user journey mapping, content hierarchy, copy editing, anddigital media strategy.
• CMS Experience: Hands-on experience working inside aContent Management System (Drupal experience is highlydesirable).
• Technical Aptitude: Basic to intermediate front-endcoding skills (HTML, CSS, basic JavaScript) to implement designtweaks and troubleshoot page layouts.
• Project Management skills: An ability to workcollaboratively with clients to shepherd projects throughout theentire process.
• Adaptability & Initiative: Self-directed mindsetwith a desire to take ownership, solve diverse challenges, andshape a role in an "all hands on deck" higher educationenvironment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in higher education or working with non-profit/ institutional brands.
• Familiarity with web accessibility guidelines (WCAG) in anacademic setting.
• Basic experience with digital analytics (Google Analytics) orSEO best practices to inform content strategy decisions.
• Bachelor’s or other degree.

Compensation:

The annual salary range for this position is $75,000 -$85,000. Except for roles with a set rate of pay, thewage/salary of the finalist selected for this role will be setbased on a variety of factors, including but not limited todepartmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education,licenses, specialty, and training. The stated hiring rate/rangerepresents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of therate/range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Location:

Schenectady, NY

We know some job seekers may not apply for career opportunitiesunless they meet every qualification in the position descriptionincluding the preferred qualifications. We are most interested inhiring the best staff and faculty colleagues, and recognize that asuccessful candidate may come from a less traditional career path. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet everyone of our preferred qualifications.

We offer exceptional benefits including:

• Generous Vacation, Sick, and Personal Time
• Winter Recess Break in Addition to Paid Holidays (in accordancewith policy)
• Healthcare: Medical (PPO & HDHP), Dental, and VisionInsurance (Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts)
• Free On-Campus Fitness Facility Access and Discounts for On-Campus Wellness Programs
• Pre and Post Tax participation in a 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Salary Continuation Program in the event of Disability
• Tuition Exchange

Background Checks:

In accordance with our background check policy, finalists for hire will undergo abackground check that includes education, employment, and criminalconvictions.

E-Verify Participation:

Union College participates inE-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9information to confirm that you are authorized to work in theUnited States. Learn more about E-Verify and your Right to Work (Derecho a Trabajar).