Program Manager, External Affairs & Communications, Graduate Programs in Sustainability Management and Sustainability Science

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $77,000 - $87,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, External Affairs & Communications, Graduate Programs in Sustainability Management and Sustainability Science, the incumbent will assist with all components of external affairs and communications for the M.S. in Sustainability Management and M.S. in Sustainability Science graduate programs, as well as the associated Professional Certification Programs. The work encompasses aspects of student recruitment, marketing, communications, professional development, co-curricular programming, advisory board assistance, and the coordination of the Capstone Workshop courses. Working closely with the Director, External Affairs & Communications, the incumbent will assist with strategic student recruitment throughout the "funnel" (from prospects to submits to admits to commits). The incumbent will be responsible for assisting with multi-channel marketing campaigns and initiatives seeking to optimize user engagement and responsiveness (leads). Using data and creative storytelling, the incumbent will assist with results-focused communication campaigns across digital advertising, program websites, email, and social media and will measure and report on the performance of such student recruitment activity. Key activities include, but are not limited to: shaping and managing digital advertising campaigns; conducting outreach to employers, colleges, and universities to expand recruitment efforts; connecting with prospects/students about the graduate programs or their application status (e.g., encouraging application or deposit submission) through group meetings, virtual or on-campus events/panels, telephone conversations, emails, and social media; producing online written (e.g. blogs), photographic, and video content for websites; optimizing website SEO, UI/UX, and overall digital strategy to improve brand awareness and user engagement; and analyzing web traffic and user behavior metrics to refine content, navigation, and accessibility.

Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Director, External Affairs & Communications, the incumbent is also responsible for assisting in the development of sustainability-focused professional development events for the M.S. in Sustainability Management and M.S. in Sustainability Science graduate programs' students and alumni, which supplements the career services of the School of Professional Studies and the Columbia Climate School. This programming may include hosting or attending networking events and panel discussions.
• With guidance from the Director and Academic Program Directors, the incumbent will also contribute to the development of programming, assist operations, and procure/manage program supplies/branded swag inventory to ensure availability for recruitment, student engagement, and events for the M.S. in Sustainability Management and M.S. in Sustainability Science graduate programs. This may encompass supporting the MS in Sustainability Management Advisory Board and assisting with the development of the MS in Sustainability Science Advisory Board. Additional responsibilities include assisting with co-curricular programming in sustainability areas that serve the needs of students.
• The incumbent also assists the Director with the coordination for the Capstone Workshop course in both programs by soliciting project proposals from prospective clients and organizing the public events at which students present their work during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.
• The successful candidate must be an excellent writer, passionate about sustainability and environmental education, creative, enterprising, energetic, and be able to represent the programs to a variety of audiences. The incumbent must be able to take direction and demonstrate initiative. The incumbent must also have outstanding presentation skills, exceptional attention to detail, enjoy working in a fast-paced setting, operate effectively under deadline pressure, and work well individually as well as in a team environment. Working some evenings and weekends is occasionally necessary, as student recruitment and other related events take place after business hours. The willingness to occasionally travel is also necessary. Assistance at schoolwide events such as orientation and graduation will be essential.
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Director, External Affairs & Communications, Graduate Programs in Sustainability Management and Sustainability Science.

Minimum Qualifications

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  Bachelor's degree or its equivalent and at least two (2) year of professional work experience that includes one (1) year experience related to any of the core related functions of the position: student recruitment, alumni relations, online advertising, social media campaigns, blogging, event planning, and web content production.

  
  

Preferred Qualifications

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  Preference will be given to candidates who have a graduate degree. Experience in strategic communications and digital/new/social media communications preferred. Strong interest in climate change, sustainability, and/or other environmental issues preferred.
  
  

Other Requirements

• Must have strong organizational and communication skills, as well as demonstrated computer proficiency.
• Basic knowledge of the following software/online tools is strongly preferred: Adobe Premiere or equivalent, Adobe Photoshop, Later, Google Analytics + Search Console, Eventbrite, Mailchimp, Canva, Wix, and MS Office Suite.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.