Admissions Marketing & Communications Manager

POSITION SUMMARY 

As a member of the Enrollment Management team and partnering with the Marketing team, the Admissions Marketing & Communications Manager will be a key storyteller. The Manager will deeply understand the college’s unique strengths and distinctions and translate these into impactful communications that elevate brand awareness, establish a positive brand image, and drive engagement with the college. The successful candidate will strategically develop, implement, execute, and monitor the performance of communications from the Offices of Admissions to prospective students, parents, school counselors, and other key influencers in the college search process. This includes leveraging the college's Slate CRM and other relevant tools. The Manager also will maintain and enhance the Admission Marketing & Communications calendar, which encompasses all electronic, print, and digital media campaigns. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Through close collaboration with the Enrollment and Marketing teams, develop and execute communication strategies throughout the annual admission funnel: Prospects, Applicants, Admits, Enrollees, and summer retention phases for all major populations.   

• Write, develop, and coordinate the distribution of emails and texts to prospective students, parents, and school counselors through Slate CRM. 

• Collaborate with Marketing and Admission colleagues to write and develop admission publications, promotional materials, and advertising. 

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive communication calendar and flow, which includes all e-communications managed through Slate, print communications, and the Student Search campaigns. Ensure the Admissions, Operations, and Marketing teams are fully aware and aligned on how and when audiences are being communicated with. 

• Partner with the social media manager to advise on content and ensure alignment between social media platforms and the broader admission communication calendar. 

• Liaise with all constituencies—internal and external—to strategically manage all elements of the communication plan, focusing on creating a cohesive, multiplatform student experience. 

• Write and oversee admission decision letters in Slate. 

• Take an active role in managing Slate functionality, with a special emphasis on Deliver campaigns, forms, portals, and reporting. Stay up to date with Slate innovations and champion the implementation of new functionalities. 

• Use data to evaluate the effectiveness of admission communication efforts and make data-driven decisions to adjust and optimize communications for maximum effectiveness. 

• Partner with the Director of Undergraduate Enrollment and the Director of Adult and Graduate Enrollment to manage student search and lead generation efforts. 

• Track and apply changes in best practices for email deliverability requirements and regulatory requirements such as the CAN-SPAM Act, GDPR, and other privacy laws. 

• Develop and demonstrate multicultural awareness and contribute to cultivating an inclusive, diverse, and respectful college community.  

• Demonstrate fair and inclusive behavior when interacting with staff, faculty, students, and visitors to the college. Promote a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive work and living environment and engage in educational opportunities to increase awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion. 

• Execute responsibilities in a manner consistent with the service philosophy. 

• Support the mission of Cedar Crest College and its rich heritage. Effectively articulate the value of a liberal arts education rooted in Cedar Crest College’s tradition and values. 

Secondary Responsibilities:  

• Participates actively in staff meetings, planning for admission activities, and strategies.  

• Contributes to other Marketing content development projects.  

• Support staffing of Admission events—requiring evening and weekend availability. 

Education and Work Experience:  

• Bachelor’s degree   

• 3-5 years of experience in marketing/communications  

• Experience with Admissions related communications is preferred, with the ability to demonstrate an understanding of the ungraduate admissions funnel.  

• Prior experience with the creation, implementation, and management of large-scale marketing campaigns preferred.  

Demonstrates Excellence:  

• Writes and edits effectively within marketing best practices, always framing work within brand standards.  

• Continuously assesses and adapts communication flow for the office with innovation and attention to detail.   

• Maintains a high level of organization and attention to detail.  

• Demonstrates leadership and project management in the Enrollment division, championing strategic integrations between Marketing and Admissions; modeling teamwork, innovative problem-solving, and constructive collaboration for colleagues.  

• Exhibits advanced communication skills that allow for excellent written and oral communication, including the ability to present effectively to large and small groups, and one-on-one interviews.  

• Possesses outstanding interpersonal and social skills while interacting with prospective students.  

• Manages time extremely well to complete tasks accurately and efficiently.  

• Works independently with minimal supervision and produces results.  

• Engages comfortably and productively with people of different backgrounds, professions, and ages.  

• Is dedicated to being a continuous learner. 

Analytic Skills:  

The ability to recognize several likely causes of events, analyze relationships among several parts of a problem or situation, and then formulate a multi-step response.  

Language and Literacy Skills:  

Reads and interprets a wide range of information. Regularly writes reports and correspondence. Able to shift writing style as needed for different audiences. Regularly explains policies, listens to questions, responds, and problem solves. Speaks to individuals and small groups effectively.  

Computer/Technology Skills:  

Microsoft Office - highly proficient  

Technolutions Slate (CRM) preferred, but experience with some CRM communication technology   

Physical Demands:  

• Work is often performed in a typical office environment requiring:  

• Dexterity sufficient to manipulate objects with fingers or supporting devices, for example operating a computer keyboard  

• Communication skills using the spoken word  

• Vision sufficient to see within normal parameters  

• Hearing sufficient to hear within normal range  

• No or very limited physical effort  

• No or very limited exposure to physical risk  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions.  

Additional Requirements for the Job:  

Ability to do some occasional weekend work as well as overnight travel throughout the year  

The above job description in no way states or implies that these duties are the only duties performed by this employee.  The incumbent is expected to perform other related duties necessary for the effective operation of the College.