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University of Minnesota

Marketing and Communications Manager

Minneapolis, MN (Hybrid)

$70K/yr – $85K/yrMid Level4+ years expFull time

Posted 6 months ago

Job Summary

Lead integrated communications and marketing efforts for CEHD’s social work and family science programs, spanning academic marketing, public affairs, internal comms, and digital strategy.

  • Must-have: BA/BS in marketing/public relations/communications plus four years of related experience.
  • Standout: Experience delivering data-driven multi-channel campaigns and ROI reporting across academic programs.

Job Description

Responsibilities
  • Academic program marketing and recruitment strategy (20%) – Strategic enrollment growth: Work with the Unit Marketing Communications Supervisor - Donor and Alumni Relations, Digital Marketing Manager, Director of Graduate Education Initiatives, and others on the OCM team to oversee data-driven marketing plans for graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs.
  • Campaign oversight: Partner with colleagues in OCM, Graduate Education, Student Services, and University Admissions to develop strategies for academic program lead-generation campaigns, using Site Studio, Slate, Salesforce, and Marketing Cloud to automate the prospective student journey and increase application conversion.
  • Market positioning: Analyze competitor landscapes and national trends in social work and family science–and potentially other areas in education and human development–to advise leadership on program differentiation and "Why Minnesota" messaging.
  • Public relations and legislative advocacy (20%) – Legislative storytelling: Partner with college and University Government Relations teams to share the impact of departmental research and clinical work with state and federal legislators.
  • Impact reporting: Contribute to and/or develop materials such as briefings, fact sheets, and impact reports that demonstrate the ROI of social work and family science education in addressing critical state and national issues.
  • Media relations: Build relationships with faculty to identify research breakthroughs and timely social insights; proactively pitch experts to local, national, and trade media outlets.
  • Internal communications consulting (20%) – Strategic advisory: Provide expert consultation to departmental leadership and administrative staff on internal communication best practices, ensuring a cohesive voice for newsletters and announcements.
  • Brand governance: Act as the brand steward, working with the college’s Creative Director to provide templates and guidance to staff to ensure all internally-produced materials align with college and University standards.
  • Self-service support: Develop tools and resources that empower departmental members to execute routine communications, allowing this role to remain focused on external-facing strategic goals.
  • Departmental liaison: Serve as the trusted expert regarding collegiate goals/priorities that may impact or influence departmental deliverables. Represent department goals and needs to the central OCM team, identifying intended impacts of efforts and ensuring that leadership and personnel in responsible areas are kept informed and are aware of the status of needs and deliverables.
  • Digital strategy and reputation management (20%) – High-impact digital content: Oversee the strategic direction of program websites and social media channels, focusing on content that drives recruitment and national prestige.
  • Analytics and ROI: Measure and report on the effectiveness of recruitment campaigns and advocacy efforts, using data to inform future budget and strategy decisions.
  • Support key initiatives and lead staff of the OCM (20%) – Events support - college-wide: Provide support to the Events Manager and Marketing Communications Strategist regarding college-wide events, to include but not limited to commencements, assemblies, homecoming, and others. Tasks could include liaising with external vendors, contracting, staffing registration tables, social media posting, and others.
  • Events support - other: Provide task support for donor events and potentially some departmental or unit events as identified by the OCM leadership.
  • Creative, marketing, and writing support: Provide back-up support for other areas of the OCM to advance creative, marketing, and/or written stories for publication.
Requirements
  • BA/BS degree in marketing, public relations, communications, or a related field plus at least four years of related experience
  • Proficiency in digital marketing platforms (e.g., Drupal or other content management systems, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Google Analytics)
  • Strong consulting and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with faculty and subject matter experts
Preferred
  • Proven experience in academic program marketing or enrollment management
  • Demonstrated ability to translate complex research into persuasive content for the public or government stakeholders
  • Experience in media relations or government relations, including a track record of successful media pitches or advocacy materials
  • Experience working in a 'consultant' capacity within a large, decentralized institution like the University of Minnesota
  • Familiarity with the research themes and professional landscapes of social work and family science
  • Understanding of the graduate student lifecycle and the unique needs of diverse student populations
Benefits
  • Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
  • Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
  • Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
  • Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
  • University HSA contributions
  • Disability and employer-paid life insurance
  • Employee wellbeing program
  • Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
  • Financial counseling services
  • Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
  • Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area
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University of Minnesota

One of the nation’s largest schools, the University of Minnesota offers baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in virtually every field—from medicine to business, law to liberal arts, and science and engineering to architecture. The University of Minnesota system is made up of five campuses in Minnesota including Crookston, Duluth, Morris, Rochester, and the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul). University of Minnesota Extension provides outreach and education services to Minnesota's communities through science-based knowledge, expertise and training.The University of Minnesota was recognized by Forbes in 2018 in the Best Employer, Best Employer for Diversity, and Best Employer for New Grads categories.

Founded in 2007
Minnesota, USA
28K employees (535 in marketing)
z.umn.edu/9gi

Salaries

Posted range

$70K/yr – $85K/yr

Taken straight from the job posting.

See all University of Minnesota salaries

Funding

Total Funding
$97.1M
Last Raise
$25K
Grant, 2 years ago

Funding History

  • Dec 2023
    Grant • $25K
  • May 2023
    Grant • $20M
  • Apr 2023
    Grant • $10M

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
8.9M
Monthly Google Ads Budget
$782.6K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
45%
Direct
47.8%
Referral
6.1%
Social
0.7%
Paid
0.3%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~28K

Recent News

Essentia Health exits mediation with University of Minnesota over medical system
Sep 26, 2025 • MPR News
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Marketing and Communications Manager

University of Minnesota · Minneapolis, MN · Hybrid