Job description

Assistant Director for Marketing, Communications & Engagement The Jeffries Center Job Summary The Assistant Director for Marketing, Communication & Engagement leads the development and execution of integrated marketing, visual communications, digital media, events, and outreach strategies for the Michael L. Jeffries, Sr. Center for Access & Academic Success (TJC). The position serves as a creative and strategic communications leader responsible for strengthening TJC's brand presence, developing compelling visual and promotional materials, managing digital content and campaigns, and increasing awareness and engagement among current and prospective students, families, staff, faculty, alumni, donors, and community partners. The position also coordinates signature events and outreach initiatives that advance TJC's student success, engagement, and visibility goals. Duties & Responsibilities • MARKETING & GRAPHIC DESIGN • Leads the development and implementation of an integrated marketing and visual communications strategy for TJC in alignment with Student Affairs, SSIB, and University of Illinois priorities. • Develops creative concepts and produces high-quality print and digital marketing materials, including campaign graphics, brochures, flyers, posters, invitations, presentations, signage, social media graphics, digital displays, promotional materials, and event collateral. • Establishes and maintains a consistent visual identity for TJC and ensures all materials adhere to University of Illinois, Student Affairs, SSIB, and TJC brand standards. • Develops marketing campaigns to promote TJC programs, services, events, student achievements, scholarships, recruitment, and engagement opportunities. • Translates complex programs, initiatives, data, and student success outcomes into clear, compelling, and visually engaging communications for diverse audiences. • Works with TJC leadership and subunit directors to identify marketing priorities, develop campaign calendars, establish project timelines, and coordinate production from concept through completion. • Coordinates with printers, vendors, photographers, designers, and other external partners to ensure quality, specifications, timelines, and budgets are met. • Maintains current knowledge of graphic design, branding, marketing, accessibility, and creative industry practices and technologies. • SUPERVISION • Supervise and develop three undergraduate marketing and communications interns who support the Center’s marketing, graphic design, communications, events, outreach, and engagement efforts. • Provide direction, establish priorities and project timelines, assign and monitor work, and provide ongoing coaching and feedback to ensure high-quality deliverables. • Coordinate interns’ activities across digital and print communications, promotional materials, social media, event support, outreach initiatives, and engagement campaigns. • Create meaningful experiential learning opportunities that build students’ professional skills in marketing, communications, graphic design, event planning, and community engagement while ensuring their work advances the Center’s strategic goals and strengthens its visibility and connection with students and campus partners. • DIGITAL MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS • Develops and manages digital media strategies that increase TJC visibility, engagement, and awareness across web, social media, email, and other digital platforms. • Creates, edits, and publishes multimedia content, including photography, video, graphics, short-form digital content, web content, newsletters, social media posts, and digital campaigns. • Maintains and evolves TJC web content and digital presence, ensuring information is accurate, timely, accessible, visually engaging, and aligned with institutional branding. • Develops storytelling content that highlights the achievements and experiences of TJC students, staff, alumni, programs, and partners. • Uses digital analytics and performance metrics to evaluate campaigns and channels and recommends adjustments to improve reach, engagement, and conversion. • Coordinates digital marketing and communications that support student recruitment, program participation, event attendance, and external engagement. • Collaborates with Student Affairs Advancement and other campus partners on newsletters, invitations, stories, donor communications and other strategic communications. • EVENTS • Serves as a lead coordinator for TJC signature events and serves as chair or designee for the TJC Events and Scholarship Committee. • Plans, promotes, and executes events including Scholarship Celebration, National First-Generation Day, Mom’s Day, Welcome Seminar, orientations, signing days, celebrations, and other student, family, alumni, and community programs. • Develops event marketing plans and creative materials, including invitations, programs, signage, digital promotions, social media assets, nametags, presentations, and other event collateral. • Coordinates timelines, logistics, vendors, facilities, campus partners, staffing, communications, and production requirements for events. • Works collaboratively with internal and external vendors and service providers to execute high-quality events within established timelines and budgets. • Evaluates event participation, audience engagement, and outcomes and uses findings to strengthen future events and promotional strategies. • OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT •Develops and implements outreach strategies that increase awareness of TJC programs, services, resources, events, and student success initiatives. •Coordinates co-curricular workshops, engagement activities, and community-building initiatives designed to connect students with TJC and campus resources. •Serves as a liaison to campus, community, alumni, and external partners to identify opportunities for collaboration, promotion, and engagement. •Develops outreach materials and presentations for current and prospective students, families, campus partners, alumni, donors, and community constituents. •Works with TJC staff to identify audiences, develop outreach plans, coordinate communications, and promote programs to increase participation and engagement. •Remains current on student engagement, marketing, outreach, and communication trends and applies emerging practices to TJC initiatives. • OTHER • Assists with meeting the operational needs of the department by performing other related duties, as requested. • Represents the department on college and campus committees as requested. • Works collaboratively with TJC leadership, associate directors, SSIB directors, Student Affairs Advancement, University Foundation, campus partners, vendors, and others. Work Schedule, Travel, or Other Job Expectations Position involves regular evening and weekend activities across campus with students, staff, alumni, and campus visitors. Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications, public relations, or a closely related field. • Two (2) years of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related professional area. • Demonstrated experience developing and executing marketing campaigns. • Experience managing digital content, social media, web content, and/or multimedia communications. • Experience producing graphic design materials for print and digital platforms and web design. • Experience supervising interns, student employees, or early-career staff. Preferred Qualifications • Masters degree in Marketing, Communications, Design, Digital Media, or a related field. • Three or more years of professional experience in marketing, graphic design, visual communications, brand management, digital media, or related field. • Professional portfolio demonstrating strength in graphic design, branding, campaign development, digital media, and/or visual storytelling. • Experience developing marketing strategies and creative campaigns within higher education, nonprofit, public-sector, or similarly complex organizations. • Experience with photography, video production, motion graphics, web content management, email marketing, or digital analytics. • Experience supporting and/or executing events for varied constituent groups. • Experience with various project management, productivity and design software such as Zephyr, Notion, Buffer, Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, Slate, Litmus, Drupal, Korbyt and other relevant digital design, communication, and content creation platforms, or comparable platforms. • Experience directly supervising multiple undergraduate interns, student employees, or early-career staff, including responsibility for work assignments, project coordination, performance feedback, and professional development. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities • Excellent communication skills, including proficiency in grammar, punctuation, and spelling, with the ability to create clear, accurate, and compelling content for all audiences. • Detail-oriented, excellent organizational skills, and ability to work independently and exercise good judgement. • Ability to analyze and derive insight from data to inform decisions. • Proficiency in graphic design, including typography, layout, composition, visual hierarchy, color, branding, and production for print and digital media, and creative production tools, with an ability to develop materials from concept to final production. • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize competing demands, adapt to changing priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. • Commitment to inclusion and student success. • Understanding of accessibility and inclusive communication principles, with the ability to apply them alongside institutional brand standards across print and digital communications. • Strong understanding of marketing strategy, audience segmentation, campaign development, brand management, and integrated communications. • Strong digital media skills, including social media, web content, email communications, multimedia storytelling, and digital campaign management. Appointment Information This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5004 - Marketing Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 1/16/2027. Salary range for this position is $65,000.00 -$69,000.00. This position is not eligible for sponsorship. For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at sucss.illinois.gov . Application Procedures & Deadline Information Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on 10/16/2026 . Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. Complete applications will include a detailed updated resume, cover letter, and the name, affiliation, phone number and email for at least three (3) professional references. Incomplete applications will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact TJC Human Resources at tjc-hr@illinois.edu For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — the state’s flagship public university and one of the world’s leading research institutions — every staff member helps shape what’s next . Founded in 1867, Illinois is home to a vibrant community of 59,000 students from all 50 states and 129 countries, supported by 15 colleges and instructional units, more than 20 research institutes, and one of the most comprehensive student service ecosystems in the nation. Whether you’re empowering first-generation students, fueling breakthrough innovation, or strengthening communities across Illinois and beyond, your work here has a far-reaching and deeply meaningful impact. The university offers a highly competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and financial security. Join a top 10 public university that has launched over 330 startups and continues to redefine excellence — where the Illinois Value Proposition ensures that your contributions are recognized, your potential is nurtured, and your career can thrive. Champaign-Urbana Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. This position is intended to be eligible for benefits . This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents. The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify . Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodation portal , or by contacting the Office for Access & Equity at 217-333-0885, option #1, or accessibility@illinois.edu . Requisition ID : 1038319 Job Category : Professional and Administrative Apply at: jobs.illinois.edu

Requirements

Must-haves

Assistant Director for Marketing, Communications & Engagement
The Jeffries Center
Duties & Responsibilities
Leads the development and implementation of an integrated marketing and visual communications strategy for TJC in alignment with Student Affairs, SSIB, and University of Illinois priorities.
Establishes and maintains a consistent visual identity for TJC and ensures all materials adhere to University of Illinois, Student Affairs, SSIB, and TJC brand standards.
Develops marketing campaigns to promote TJC programs, services, events, student achievements, scholarships, recruitment, and engagement opportunities.
Translates complex programs, initiatives, data, and student success outcomes into clear, compelling, and visually engaging communications for diverse audiences.
Works with TJC leadership and subunit directors to identify marketing priorities, develop campaign calendars, establish project timelines, and coordinate production from concept through completion.
Coordinates with printers, vendors, photographers, designers, and other external partners to ensure quality, specifications, timelines, and budgets are met.
Maintains current knowledge of graphic design, branding, marketing, accessibility, and creative industry practices and technologies.
Supervise and develop three undergraduate marketing and communications interns who support the Center’s marketing, graphic design, communications, events, outreach, and engagement efforts.
Provide direction, establish priorities and project timelines, assign and monitor work, and provide ongoing coaching and feedback to ensure high-quality deliverables.

Nice-to-haves

Masters degree in Marketing, Communications, Design, Digital Media, or a related field.
Three or more years of professional experience in marketing, graphic design, visual communications, brand management, digital media, or related field.
Professional portfolio demonstrating strength in graphic design, branding, campaign development, digital media, and/or visual storytelling.
Experience developing marketing strategies and creative campaigns within higher education, nonprofit, public-sector, or similarly complex organizations.
Experience with photography, video production, motion graphics, web content management, email marketing, or digital analytics.
Experience supporting and/or executing events for varied constituent groups.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Excellent communication skills, including proficiency in grammar, punctuation, and spelling, with the ability to create clear, accurate, and compelling content for all audiences.
Detail-oriented, excellent organizational skills, and ability to work independently and exercise good judgement.
Ability to analyze and derive insight from data to inform decisions.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize competing demands, adapt to changing priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
Commitment to inclusion and student success.

Application prep

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Keywords to mirror

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Platform: cornerstone
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Dental

Vision

Paid Time Off

Professional Development