Penn State Job Catalog

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The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Strategic Communications - Marketing and Communications

The Strategic Communications Manager - Marketing and Communications, within the Office of Strategic Communications, provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for major University communications, marketing, and engagement initiatives that support institutional priorities, brand reputation, and community engagement; actively promotes and supports the integration of enterprise communications strategy, digital and social media, brand marketing, internal communications, and major institutional events; works closely with senior leadership, faculty, communicators, and external partners to ensure consistent messaging and high-impact communications across channels; guides enterprise communications initiatives; collaborates on digital and paid social media strategy; leads brand marketing and enrollment initiatives; provides counsel to senior leadership; works collaboratively across units to ensure alignment with institutional goals and policies.

• Develop and implement integrated marketing and communications strategies that support the University's mission and institutional priorities; provide communications counsel to University leadership
• Coordinate cross-functional communications efforts across the University; ensure alignment of messaging, brand positioning, and storytelling across internal and external communications channels
• Lead the development and implementation of brand strategy and marketing initiatives that strengthen reputation and visibility
• Lead or contribute to marketing and advertising campaigns supporting enrollment, reputation, and institutional priorities
• Oversee market research initiatives to track brand perception and stakeholder insights
• Collaborate with University communicators to ensure brand alignment and consistency across messaging and marketing initiatives
• Develop audience-centered storytelling strategies that highlight the University's differentiators and institutional strengths
• Oversee digital communications strategies across web, email, and digital marketing platforms
• Lead development and optimization of the University's public-facing digital ecosystem to support recruitment, engagement, and brand storytelling; establish metrics and analytics frameworks to evaluate performance and inform digital strategy decisions
• Collaborate with web and digital teams to ensure cohesive content strategy and effective user experience across platforms
• Guide strategies to amplify institutional storytelling across social channels
• Plan and direct major University events; coordinate planning efforts to ensure successful event execution
• Serve as a subject matter expert for communications-related University policies governing external use of facilities, charitable solicitation, and expressive activities on campus; coordinate approvals in consultation with relevant offices and legal counsel when needed
• Develop and maintain reporting systems that measure the effectiveness of communications, marketing campaigns, digital content, and engagement initiatives; use analytics, benchmarking, and audience insights to inform strategy and optimize performance
• Lead, mentor, and manage staff; establish priorities and conduct performance reviews and support professional development

Level:

– Manager

Base Description:

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

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates proficient ability in work design, project management, financial planning and development of goals for accomplishing unit assignments. Reviews and guides work to ensure conformity to policy and effective approaches. Evaluates employee performance and recommend development opportunities. Demonstrates ability to coach employees. Presents and communicates key university indicatives and connects it to unit contributions. Provides broad guidelines. Develops, evaluates, enhances, and/or implements quality improvement practices. Recommends innovative solutions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees a team (typically 4 or more; no fewer than 2) full
– time direct reports of individual contributors and/or first level supervisors.

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Monitors and tracks department/area budget
– May plan, forecast, and/or assist in developing budgets
– May have final signature authority for specific area

Problem Solving:

– Encounters varied and complex problems
– Helps to develop creative and/or novel approaches to resolve problems that are difficult in nature but within limited scope
– Modifies, adapts, or refines guidelines if necessary to resolve issues or problems

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on complex or strategic assignments
– Uses existing practices and advanced working knowledge to determine appropriate work methods for the team
– Reviews completed work of others for conformity to policy, and effectiveness of approach
– Delegates advanced tasks to others

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and various areas across the University
– Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and delivers to a broad variety of audiences
– Communicates key university initiatives and how unit’s work contributes to their achievement
– Presents ideas, concepts and instructions in a clear manner, and uses persuasion and negotiation to build consensus and cooperation
– Establishes and maintains networks to facilitate successful communication among units

• Comp Grade – 14
• Minimum – $102,936.00
• MidPoint – $128,688.00
• Maximum – $154,452.00

• Adaptability
• Analytical thinking
• Brand management
• Communication design
• Communications planning
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Negotiation
• Project Management
• Proofreading
• Public relations
• Strategic Planning