Location: Syracuse,NY, USA
Reporting to the Executive Director of Content Strategy, the Director of Content Strategy is a strategic thinker who can translate big-picture marketing vision into implementable content and storytelling. This individual will be part of Marketing's content strategy team; finding and bringing Syracuse University's stories to life. They will play a critical role that is responsible for collecting, developing and packaging of high-profile dynamic content. A team leader and exceptional writer, with the ability to make complex content digestible and relatable, they will manage a team of content strategists and writers who create content in many formats and collaborate with other content creators. Strong focus on quick-turn, timely and relevant storytelling as well as long- and short-form storytelling and content for brochures, direct mail, email, landing pages, etc. Demonstrates strategic leadership and an understanding of purposeful, audience-first and goal-oriented storytelling and content generation. A strategic dot-connector and relationship builder, he/she will be a team player and possess the ability to mine and identify stories from key partners (schools/colleges, business/academic units etc.) in close partnership with the Marketing Strategy and channel teams.
Education and Experience
* A bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, marketing or English. Higher education experience a plus.
* Six (6) plus years of experience of multi-channel content creation required.
* Four (4) plus years of experience managing and leading teams.
* Experience and interest in sourcing, pitching and creating content for print, websites, social media, mobile devices, and other platforms and an ability to evaluate and develop reader-centered content for multiple channels of delivery.
* Demonstrated skills in advancing marketing strategies through purposeful, strategic content.
Skills and Knowledge
* Outstanding written, verbal communication skills, excellent storytelling capabilities and demonstrated ability to achieve desired outcomes through content creation.
* Problems require research, gathering of facts from various sources; solutions require specialized knowledge and ability to conceptualize varied solutions within a given framework.
* Ability to meet with campus partners in person & attend events on campus to source and produce timely, relevant content as part of broader storytelling efforts.
* Ability to move with speed, be nimble in identifying stories and taking content from concept through completion quickly.
* Detail & deadline oriented, accurate & efficient, manage multiple content responsibilities at once.
* Ability to oversee & execute multiple projects simultaneously while working effectively under the pressure of tight deadlines and changing priorities.
* Partner, collaborate with various stakeholder groups & understand how to map content creation with nuances of varied and unique audiences.
* Demonstrated ability to think creatively/analytically, synthesize ideas quickly under deadlines.
* Works well with diverse colleagues.
* Has sensitivity, diplomacy, and flexibility to manage diverse campus needs and expectations.
* Has close visual acuity to perform tasks related to production of content/design.
Responsibilities
* Direct day-to-day management and leadership of a team of content strategists and writers who are responsible for content mining, sourcing, pitching stories from across the University with the goal of advancing the brand and organizational goals. Ensure team is executing consistent strategy by collecting content (through partnership with marketing strategists, partner relationships, interviews and research etc.), writing and packaging for multiple uses across multiple, primarily digital, channels. In partnership with the Exec. Director of Content Strategy, manage team workload and make team assignments for pitches/stories and approve key content prior to posting, with attention to detail. Ability to use data and insight to inform content strategies and storytelling orientation. Approve time and payroll of content strategist. Manage and collaborate with independent consultants and vendors.
* Lead team in partnering with other S/C/Units and Marketing Strategy teams to source, pitch and develop content, and/or repackage content for use on different platforms. Deeply understand target audiences to ensure we are reaching them through the right channel, at the right time, with the right content. They will help build and support the overarching content strategy by evolving and executing a strategic content calendar that helps bring our content strategy to life. Participate in concepting meetings and partner with Director of Content Operations to contribute as part of weekly Planning/Visibility/Refinement meetings. Lead quarterly storytelling planning/sourcing meetings with S/C.
* Assist in the development of content strategy and content roadmap. Partner with content operations to oversee writing style and tone for all content. Plan the editorial calendar in partnership with the Digital Marketing team.
* Help establish and refine working model for sourcing and producing relevant real-time and quick turn content, aligned to strategic priorities, with a clear focus on audience, goals and why it matters. Facilitate coordination across channel teams to develop, package and launch real-time content on a continuous basis. Use content audits produced by Content Operations to determine content effectiveness and gauge impact. Make recommendations to adjust content strategy as needed.
* Guide and manage writers to leverage and optimize process and workflows in partnership with Marketing Ops team to ensure quality and on time output of deliverables. Partner with Content Operations team to maintain the Content Planning Calendar, Ideas tracker, participate in weekly Planning & Visibility meetings, Refinement meetings etc. and facilitate clear, collaborative communications with channel teams. Use of project management platform, Workfront, as appropriate, to manage projects.
Physical Requirements
Not Applicable
Tools/Equipment
Not Applicable
Application Instructions
In addition to completing an online application, please attach a resume and cover letter.