Career Center

Communications Lead - Student & Campus Life, Office of the Vice President and Parent & Family Programs

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

Cornell communicators share a mission to enhance and preserve the university's brand and reputation as a top research institution and a leader in higher education, and to support and promote critical programs that serve the university's teaching, research, and public engagement mission.

Communication services are carried out through a matrixed organizational system in which University Relations houses the departments of News (Cornell Chronicle), Media Relations (pitching and servicing media requests), Brand (cornell.edu, multimedia production, brand management and governance), Strategic Communications (communications plans, key messaging, social media management), and Cornellians (digital alumni publication). Communicators in colleges, schools, and units regularly collaborate with, and consult, University Relations departments. University Relations serves as a partner and resource for all college/unit communicators.

About Student and Campus Life and Communications at Cornell

Student and Campus Life (SCL) inspires transformation in all Cornell students on their journey of individual, academic and personal evolution. Our division comprises leading student affairs experts who support our campus on pressing student life matters including health, wellness, community engagement, social justice, residential living, food services, sports, recreation, career services, and student activities and organizations including sorority and fraternity life. We provide support and services to roughly 25,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on multiple campuses in the U.S. and abroad.

Student and Campus Life's Communication and Marketing team oversees the division's strategic communication and marketing plans to raise visibility and awareness of SCL activities, programs, and resources for diverse audiences including students (current and prospective), faculty, staff, families, alumni and local community members.

Position Details

Under the direction of the Executive Director of Communications and Marketing for SCL, the Communication Lead: Office of the Vice President, Parent and Family Programs (CL) will manage the communications needs for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Office of Parent & Family Programs (OPFP). The CL is responsible for developing content that supports these offices to both internal and external audiences, including supporting the Vice President's communications needs. The CL will strategize and execute commmunications and key messaging on a variety of platforms and includes, but is not limited to, pre/post coverage for annual events (such as family orientation, new student move-in and famly weekend), resource information, internal talking points, drafting and sending monthly newsletters, oversight of the OPFP Facebook page, assisting with necessary SCL staff website updates, and managing OVP and OPFP email responses as needed. Additionally, the Communication Lead will coordinate across the SCL communications team and with leadership in order to discuss SCL's content strategy and determine how to highlight programmatic efforts of units as well as the mission and priorities of the division as a whole.

Using effective communication and marketing concepts, tools, and techniques, an effective CL will be proactive, personable, service-oriented and enthusiastic allowing for the development of excellent collaborative working relationships with faculty, students and staff. Through demonstrated project management skills, the CL will be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize effectively, adapt to new priorities, meet competing deadlines and spot opportunities as they arise. Utilizing their experiences as an editor and writer, this role will remain flexible with a strong attention to detail in order to write quickly, clearly and effectively. While collaboration is critical, the ability to balance independent work and use sound judgement in decision making is also important when identifying new opportunities for executing content strategies within their portfolio.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and minimum of three years of experience in/familiarity with marketing and/or communications, journalism, public relations or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Exemplary written and oral communication skills, and excellent editorial, interviewing, proofreading, and research skills with attention to detail.
• Working understanding of strategic, brand, and multimedia communications.
• Knowledge of AP style
• Experience with social media management, writing, editing and sending newsletters; use of CRMs or other mass marketing/email sending platforms.
• Ability to analyze newsletter and social media metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of those channels and strategies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in higher education communications or in communications for complex organizations.
• Experience with producing executive communications and working with sensitive or legally privileged information
• Writing for fundraising and advancement/development

No relocation assistance is provided for this position. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position This position is located in Ithaca, New York. The successful applicant could work a hybrid schedule but would be expected to work on campus as business needs require. The New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholdings for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside New York State.

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Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)

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Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also visit the office of Workforce Recruitment and Retention Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to use a dedicated workstation to complete an online application.

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EEO Statement:

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University's heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose, and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.