Director of Marketing and Communications - Division of Student Affairs

Carnegie Mellon University is seeking an innovative and visionary Director of Marketing and Communications to serve as the senior marketing and communication officer for the Division of Student Affairs. The Director will establish a strategic vision that unifies the "One Student Affairs" story into a compelling, data-backed narrative of the Carnegie Mellon student experience while aligning divisional priorities with larger university strategies. Operating under a "Hub and Spoke" operational model, the Director will influence departmental efforts, lead divisional strategies, and serve as an essential liaison to University Communications and Marketing operation (UCM). This role requires a leader who embraces technology, analytics, and advanced storytelling to elevate the divisional profile both inside and outside the university.

Beyond personal execution, the Director will serve as an educator and collaborator tasked with elevating marketing and communication efforts, project management standards, and brand awareness across all individual departments. By establishing a baseline "Digital Toolkit" within teams - including brand template alignment, web editing, and responsible AI literacy - the Director will empower departments to maintain local agility, real-time social media engagement, and localized event promotion. The successful candidate will effectively balance high-level strategic oversight and assessment with intentional capacity-building, providing departmental leaders with the continuous training, editorial frameworks, and creative guidance needed to drive brand consistency.

Core responsibilities include:

• Strategic Vision & Branding: Define, implement, and assess a comprehensive divisional marketing and communications strategy that unifies the division’s voice and aligns seamlessly with broader university guidelines.
• Project Management & Systems: Oversee high-level divisional and cross-departmental marketing initiatives by creating rigorous work statements, budgets, timelines, and frameworks to maximize quality and output.
• Assessment & Analytics: Evaluate the reach and impact of marketing efforts using high-level data and analytics, proposing actionable strategies to improve communication efficiency, brand consistency, and web UI and accessibility awareness.
• Capacity Building & Training: Empower decentralized staff by developing training programs in strategic storytelling, brand governance, project management, and responsible generative AI literacy.

Adaptability, excellence, and passion are vital qualities within Carnegie Mellon University. We are in search of a team member who can effectively interact with a varied population of internal and external partners at a high level of integrity. We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.

You should demonstrate:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills – especially in communicating to internal and external audiences.
• Strong ability to build, optimize, and execute marketing campaigns.
• An “AI Mindset” – using artificial intelligence tools as a human-led work accelerator while modeling responsible, ethical, and risk-aware AI usage.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• Required experience: minimum 10+ years of experience in marketing/communication roles, experience working in a higher education environment preferred.
• Experience with website systems and graphic design software required.  Cascade is the current Student Affairs website system; Drupal is planned to be utilized in the future.
• Analytical, organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills required.
• A combination of education and relevant experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.

Requirements:

• Successful background check

Joining the CMU team opens the door to an array of exceptional benefits.

Benefits eligible employees enjoy a wide array of benefits including comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance as well as a generous retirement savings program with employer contributions. Unlock your potential with tuition benefits, take well-deserved breaks with ample paid time off and observed holidays, and rest easy with life and accidental death and disability insurance. 

Additional perks include a free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass, access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs, fitness center access, and much more!

For a comprehensive overview of the benefits available, explore our Benefits page.

At Carnegie Mellon, we value the whole package when extending offers of employment. Beyond credentials, we evaluate the role and responsibilities, your valuable work experience, and the knowledge gained through education and training. We appreciate your unique skills and the perspective you bring. Your journey with us is about more than just a job; it’s about finding the perfect fit for your professional growth and personal aspirations.

Are you interested in an exciting opportunity with an exceptional organization?! Apply today!

Location

Pittsburgh, PA

Job Function

Communications

Position Type

Staff – Regular

Full Time/Part time

Full time

Pay Basis

Salary

More Information: