Description

Position Overview

The Digital Marketing Specialist helps build, launch, and optimize KU Marketing's digital communications across websites, email campaigns, and digital advertising platforms. This role translates marketing strategy into effective digital experiences that reach and engage audiences across the University of Kansas community and beyond.

At KU Marketing, we tell the story of how the University of Kansas harnesses the talent, ingenuity, and determination of Jayhawks to create, discover, and make a meaningful impact. Our team elevates the KU brand by sharing stories that highlight the university's leadership in research, innovation, health care, economic development, and creative discovery.

Working within a collaborative marketing environment, the Digital Marketing Specialist helps plan, build, and optimize digital campaigns that support university priorities. The position combines technical implementation with marketing insight, using analytics, research, and digital best practices to improve performance and user experience across KU Marketing's digital channels.

This role requires collaboration across marketing functions and university partners to understand campaign goals, audiences, messaging priorities, and key performance indicators. The Digital Marketing Specialist continually evaluates digital efforts through data analysis, user-experience insights, and evolving digital marketing practices.
About KU Marketing
KU Marketing is a collaborative group of strategists, creators, analysts, and digital specialists working together to tell the story of the University of Kansas. We value curiosity, shared learning, and the exchange of ideas, and we approach our work with a spirit of collaboration and mutual support.

Team members are encouraged to grow their skills, explore new tools and practices, and contribute ideas that strengthen our work. We strive to create an environment where people feel supported, challenged, and proud of the digital experiences and stories we create together for KU.

As a part of The University of Kansas community, employees also benefit from a comprehensive benefits package designed to support well-being, financial security, and professional growth. Benefits include paid vacation leave, retirement programs, health insurance options that may include medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, tuition assistance for employees and eligible family members, and access to wellness programs and resources. Learn more about KU's employee benefits: https://humanresources.ku.edu/benefits
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate enjoys building effective digital experiences and working at the intersection of marketing strategy and technical implementation. They are curious about how audiences interact with digital content and motivated to continually improve results through experimentation, research, and data analysis.

Successful candidates often:

• Are comfortable working across multiple digital platforms and learning new tools.
• Appreciate collaboration and enjoy contributing their expertise within a team environment.
• Communicate clearly, thoughtfully, consistently and respectfully across all formats.
• Are naturally curious about performance data and interested in understanding what works-and why.
• Balance strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Are comfortable navigating ambiguity and taking initiative to move projects forward while seeking input when needed.

Job Description

30% - Email Marketing & CRM Campaigns
Create, deploy, and evaluate mass marketing emails and other CRM-driven communications.

• Collaborate across the marketing team to develop, test, schedule, and send targeted marketing emails.
• Develop expertise in KU CRM systems and marketing automation tools, primarily Hubspot and Emma, to ensure campaigns are accurate, efficient, and strategically targeted.
• Manage audience lists and segmentation to ensure communications reach appropriate audiences.
• Monitor campaign performance and collaborate with colleagues to evaluate results and identify improvements.
• Research emerging best practices in email marketing, personalization, automation, and deliverability.

30% - Websites, User Experience, and Accessibility
Build, maintain, and continuously improve KU Marketing web properties while supporting effective user journeys and accessibility compliance.

• Create, edit, audit, and maintain websites primarily using Drupal CMS.
• Organize and publish web content in alignment with campaign goals and audience needs.
• Conduct regular site audits to ensure content accuracy, usability, and brand consistency meet standards as well as analyze user journeys and site performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure digital experiences meet accessibility standards and coordinate accessibility improvements across marketing efforts.
• Provide guidance on web best practices including usability, content structure, and digital experience design.
• Perform or coordinate web development tasks such as CSS, HTML, or JavaScript updates when appropriate. Coordinate with technology partners when additional development or testing is required.
• Address light maintenance in other digital platforms such as a digital signage CMS, digital asset manager, event calendars, and other third-party systems.

20% - Digital & Social Advertising Campaigns
Plan, launch, manage, and optimize digital advertising campaigns supporting KU Marketing initiatives.

• Research and select appropriate advertising platforms, audiences, and targeting strategies.
• Configure and launch campaigns across platforms such as Google Ads, Meta, and LinkedIn.
• Coordinate development of campaign messaging and creative assets.
• Monitor campaign performance and optimize campaigns to achieve defined KPIs and improve future efforts.
• Utilize industry tools such as Google Search Console, Tag Manager, and analytics platforms to support campaign planning and measurement.

10% - Consultation & Partner Support
Provide digital marketing guidance and tactical support to partners and other KU staff in communication roles.

• Provide recommendations, workshops, or audits related to digital marketing performance, user experience, and content effectiveness.
• Assist university partners with email marketing, digital advertising, and web content efforts.
• Contribute to office-wide standards and documentation that improve our workflows and share processes with partners when necessary.

10% - Team Collaboration & Additional Responsibilities
Support the broader goals of KU Marketing through collaboration, research, and continuous improvement.

• Participate in creative and strategic discussions, campaign development, and problem-solving across initiatives.
• Prepare and share project updates, process documents, evaluations, or recommendations as needed.
• Monitor trends in digital marketing, accessibility, web strategy, and analytics.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

1. A bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, advertising, user experience, web development or a related field plus at least two years of full-time professional experience using a web-based mass email marketing platform (other than Microsoft Outlook) and webpage creation using a CMS OR An associate's degree or successful completion of a nationally recognized boot camp such as the KU Digital Marketing Boot Camp plus at least four years of full-time, hands-on professional experience using a web-based mass email marketing platform and webpage creation using a CMS.
2. At least one year of professional experience directly creating, targeting, and managing Google Ads campaigns.
3. Effective written communication skills as demonstrated through application materials.
4. Work experience that required the ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining strong attention to detail as evidenced in application materials and work history.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

Additional Candidate Instruction

In addition to the online application, applicants should submit resume and cover letter describing their interest in the position and how their experience aligns with the responsibilities and qualifications outlined in this posting.

Review of applications will begin Monday, April 13th and continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or using the Title IX online report form and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or using the Title IX online complaint form.