Detailed Job Listing:
JOB FAMILY: MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL
STARS Requisition: 93937BR
University Job Title: Communications Officer
Department Job Title: Director of Alumni Communications and Marketing
Grade: P5
Work Model: Hybrid
Position Focus:
The Director of Alumni Communications and Marketing at Yale School of Management (SOM) provides leadership to support the school’s vision and mission by designing and implementing an analytics-driven marketing and communications strategy to promote the school’s fundraising priorities, programs, and alumni groups to worldwide SOM community and campus partners. The Director will focus on content strategy, segmentation, and messaging for a multi-layered audience, and leverage data and relationships to inspire philanthropic support and engage alumni. Reports to the Managing Director of Alumni Relations with a secondary report to the Managing Director(s) of Development.
Essential Duties:
Strategic Leadership
- Develop, lead, and execute a communications and marketing strategy to engage alumni.
- Develop framework and brand voice for communications across multiple platforms. Identify new and innovative content delivery opportunities.
- Build and execute an SOM Alumni Visibility program that amplifies distinguished alumni and their impacts for business & society.
- Represent Development and Alumni Relations to other school and university departments.
Collaboration and Partnership
- Collaborate with SOM Communications, Dean’s Office, and other campus communicators to leverage their expertise and promote SOM messages, momentum, and content of interest to alumni and friends.
- Manage relationships with internal and external vendors for graphic design, specialized content, writing, and video.
- Oversee calendar and collaborate with SOM Communications to ensure key stakeholders are aware of communications plans.
Content Strategy and Creation
- Oversee written and visual assets for website, social channels, alumni newsletter, and digests.
- Oversee creation of content and manage outreach plans for signature programs, e.g., Reunion, chapter, affinity, and professional interest group events. Manage key communications for senior leadership to alumni, including content development and delivery methodology.
- Manage website bugs and enhancements.
- Supervise design and production of print and electronic materials.
Program and Project Management
- Oversee SOM Connect, a digital hub for the alumni directory, events, regional, class, and affinity/professional interest groups. Set engagement and activity goals. Oversee marketing strategies and content creation. Moderate user activity and troubleshoot/fix bugs.
- Produce and curate a webinar series to promote professional development and lifelong learning. Market monthly career webinars.
- Oversee the production of the annual philanthropy report and honor roll.
Data and Analytics
- Oversee creation of metrics, visualizations and analyze community data for marketing activities.
- Rely on a range of data sources to identify actionable communications and marketing opportunities.
People Management
- Direct, manage, coach, and develop Alumni Communications and Marketing team members.
Required Education & Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications or related field and five years of experience in public relations, journalism, television, corporate communications or agency work or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Demonstrated experience in developing communications for a range of media and working with creative professionals in design, photography, or video.
Required Skills & Abilities:
- Outstanding verbal and written communications skills. Proven ability to produce factual, compelling, and persuasive content. Proven ability to think analytically and articulate ideas in various communication formats. Proven ability in data visualizations. Skilled editor across multiple media, including articles, email, websites, and social media channels.
- Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills. Ability to work independently and collaboratively as needed. Ability to build productive working relationships with staff and volunteers to achieve common goals. Ability to build long-term relationships with alumni and donors.
- Demonstrable track record of building, managing, and leading individuals and teams.
- Demonstrated success in developing and managing multiple projects and deadlines from conception to completion with exceptional attention to detail.
- Ability to work successfully and creatively in a fast-paced and changing environment while maintaining composure and a sense of humor. Willingness to learn new tools and stay abreast of marketing analytics trends.
- Ability to participate in program events including evenings and weekends as needed. Demonstrable commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and track record of building and leading diverse, inclusive teams.
Preferred:
Six plus years of experience in communications and marketing in higher education, nonprofit, or corporate settings. Experience in content creation, marketing strategy, branding, positioning, and public relations in alumni relations and development. Proficient with Adobe Creative Suite, Drupal or other web CMS, email messaging systems, and CRM platforms. Experience using social media for business applications.
Competencies:
- Customer Service Focus – Listening carefully to and understanding customers’ needs and proactively responding to those needs in a consistent and timely manner.
- Teamwork/Communication – Working cooperatively to achieve common goals. Support cooperation, collaboration and the sharing of information.
- Product Excellence – Provide the best quality product available and continuously upgrade standards to maintain quality.
- Leadership – Provide direction and motivation to others through communication, modeling appropriate behavior, optimism and high achievement
- Innovative – Openness to new ideas and their implementation. Ability to react and adapt to changing situations appropriately.
- Strategic Thinking – Recognize opportunities, identify critical, high pay-off activities and prioritize them to attain goals.