Penn State Job Catalog

The Strategic Communications Manager - Web Strategy and Development serves a key role in the University's Office of Strategic Communications; leads the central web and digital strategy group, overseeing the strategy, performance, governance, design, and technology behind the University's public-facing digital presence; is responsible for developing and executing a unified digital ecosystem that supports the University brand and delivers an integrated, high-performing, and accessible user experience across the websites of colleges, campuses, institutes, and units; collaborates with University leadership, marketing peers, and IT partners to align web strategies with institutional priorities; manages a cross-functional team of web professionals and ensures the continual advancement of Penn State's digital presence through analytics, CRM integration, and a shared design system.

• Establish and lead the vision and strategic priorities for the central web and digital team in the Office of Strategic Communications
• Align digital strategies with institutional goals, marketing and communication strategies, and individual unit needs
• Stay current on trends in higher education and web and digital technology and communications to ensure the University remains at the forefront of innovation
• Manage and execute annual strategic plans, initiatives, budgets, vendor relationships, and resource allocations
• Lead the development and ongoing management of a unified digital ecosystem across the University
• Oversee website technology, governance, performance, user experience, and content management strategies
• Guide third-party platform integrations and ensure seamless user experiences
• Provide strategic counsel and digital leadership to senior University stakeholders
• Represent the central web and digital team in cross-functional teams and institutional committees
• Oversee the deployment and/or procurement of digital resources for projects
• Drive adoption and integration of performance analytics tools to support data-driven decision-making
• Continuously monitor, evaluate, and optimize digital performance and engagement across platforms
• Lead the creation, adoption, and maintenance of a shared design system library
• Ensure availability of tokens, components, templates, and frameworks across all University web experiences
• Conduct internal and external audits to ensure compliance with data privacy laws and web accessibility standards
• Maintain and update relevant policies and respond to related inquiries
• Lead and manage a team responsible for the University's central web operations; set annual team and individual performance goals that align with Strategic Communications and University objectives

Level:

– Principal Manager

Base Description:

– Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates awareness of broad issues and management trends. Applies exemplary management principles. Evaluates impact of policy and adjusts accordingly. Ensures appropriate skills are developed and maintained within team/unit. Realigns staff responsibilities to meet desired changes. Provides administrative and policy direction. Develops and articulates broad goals. Fosters collaboration between units. Engages in written and verbal communications that reach a university-wide and/or broad external audience. Develops and implements solutions to highly complex and often controversial problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees teams of other supervisors/managers
– Leads a business unit

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Plans, forecasts, develops, and/or approves budgets
– Typically has final signature authority for business unit

Problem Solving:

– Encounters highly varied and complex problems that may have a significant impact on multiple units and/or the University
– Regularly develops creative and/or novel approaches to resolve the most difficult problems
– Creates an environment that encourages imaginative solutions to problems

Independence of Action:

– Work results are not clearly defined and may be frequently changing
– Sets own goals and determines how to accomplish results with few or no guidelines to follow
– Oversees completed work of others and is accountable for unit results
– Delegates advanced tasks to others and provides guidance to team members

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– May represent the University externally
– Collaborates closely with team members and other leaders across the University
– Communicates a compelling vision that inspires and motivates others

• Comp Grade – 16
• Minimum – $123,200.00
• MidPoint – $157,100.00
• Maximum – $191,000.00

• Accessibility
• Brand management
• Branding
• Budget Management
• Change Management
• Compliance
• Content management
• Data Analysis
• Data-based decision making
• Policy development
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder management
• Strategic thinking
• User experience
• Vendor management