WHITMAN COLLEGE
Located in the historic community of Walla Walla, Whitman’s vibrant and beautiful tree-lined campus is home to an intellectually diverse, dynamic, welcoming and supportive community of some 500 staff and faculty serving approximately 1,500 students from the local region and across the globe. With exceptional students, accomplished faculty and staff, and a fiercely loyal and growing number of engaged alumni, Whitman College continues to build on its national reputation for academic excellence as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.
Whitman College is cultivating a community built on inclusion and belonging. We recognize the value of those who can offer historically underrepresented perspectives and encourage applications from those whose background, knowledge, and insights from lived experience can add to the college’s working and learning environment. Whitman College is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer (EEO) .
POSITION PURPOSE
The Assistant Director of Digital Marketing and Media will be responsible for developing, implementing and managing a digital advertising strategy aimed at recruiting prospective students and will be responsible for monitoring analytics and outcomes. The Assistant Director will also play a key role in developing a media marketing strategy, enhancing the reputation of Whitman College through media outreach, media placements, media mentions and media monitoring.
This role, reporting directly to the VP for Communications, will consist of approximately 70% tasks related to digital marketing and 30% tasks related to media relations.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Develop, manage and execute advertising campaigns including display, paid search and social media advertising and other channel tactics.
- Maintain, monitor, analyze and report on data analytics across digital marketing channels for recruitment, measuring effectiveness and using data to make decisions to optimize campaigns to increase effectiveness.
- Manage marketing and promotions budget.
- Work with the web team to create landing pages that are consistent with college branding and messaging and are relevant to targeted advertising audiences.
- Advise and work collaboratively with the web and content teams to develop and implement effective SEO strategies to increase organic search traffic, improve website visibility, and enhance the user experience.
- Stay up-to-date with marketing trends, adapting strategies in a quickly-changing landscape.
- Ensure digital advertising and social media campaigns align with recruitment marketing email campaigns.
- Work with Social Media Specialist to develop social media strategies, manage social media and messaging, and monitor analytics.
- Work with Social Media Specialist to expand presence and promote engagement across channels including Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn and others as well as monitor emerging platforms.
- Collaborate with the Social Media Specialist to leverage news coverage to reach wider audiences.
- Write and pitch clear, concise and compelling stories to media representatives and use placements for social media and other college marketing.
- Monitor media mentions for use in college marketing materials.
- Establish positive relationships with national media representatives and identify new media influencers to cultivate.
- Provide public relations coverage for the college, arranging and conducting interviews, writing media releases, etc.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Ability to create and publish digital content to achieve strategic branding objectives.
- Adept in Google Analytics.
- Adept in measuring social media impact, assessing return on investment in social media, using data to guide strategy, and communicating ROI to colleagues and leadership.
- Strong attention to detail with great critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Highly organized; able to manage competing demands and prioritize work against multiple deadlines.
- Excellent understanding of media trends and news cycles.
- General knowledge of current issues in higher education and liberal arts education in a small residential setting.
- Ability to draft media releases and plan interviews
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to understand, support and elevate Whitman’s goals and strategies.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, prospective students, current students, faculty, staff and the public.
- Self-starter mindset with the ability to be flexible and adaptable in a dynamic environment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, Digital Marketing, Computer Science or a related field.
- Digital marketing experience, including paid search campaign management, SEO best practices and marketing strategy development.
- 3+ years of relevant professional experience, or any combination of experience that provides the applicant with the desired skills, knowledge and ability required to perform the job.
BENEFITS
Whitman College offers a competitive benefits program that is designed to attract qualified candidates and retain talented employees. Full-time employees enjoy the following benefits:
Medical/Dental/Vision Insurances.
Basic life, accidental death and dismemberment and long term disability insurances with the capability to elect additional voluntary coverage.
403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with a 10% matching contribution after eligibility requirements are met.
Paid Time Off: 20 accrued vacation days, 12 accrued sick days, 13 paid holidays.
Tuition Remission – Dependent Children
Employee tuition waiver for one Whitman course per semester.
Employee Assistance Program
Learn more about benefits eligibility here.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION FOR JOB CANDIDATES
Contact Human Resources regarding requests for disability accommodation in the employment application process.
APPLICATION REVIEW
Application review will begin on August 28, 2023 and continue until the position is filled.
START DATE
September 2023