Nature and Scope of Work

The Manager, Digital Strategy and Communications leads the development and delivery of Capilano University's online user experience. This strategic role brings together the management of digital communications, online marketing and user experience to create a dynamic, engaging web experience for local, national and international outreach.

Reporting to the Director, Communications & Marketing, and supervising a team of digital content specialists, the Manager, Digital Strategy and Communications ("Manager") acts as the senior digital marketing and communications strategist for the University's strategic direction and student recruitment, retention and stakeholder communications goals. This role is highly collaborative and focused on growing the University's online presence through best practices in online communications and marketing.

The Manager oversees a centralized website publishing team and leads the research, implementation measurement and analysis of key digital communications and marketing strategies. The Manager regularly liaises with the other members of the Communications & Marketing team, as well as the University's deans, directors, and program managers. The Manager works in close collaboration with the University's Information Technology department to ensure that IT solutions and user experience considerations are well-integrated.

The Manager oversees the work of third party service providers engaged to support its digital communications and marketing efforts, and operates with an unwavering commitment to the University's brand standards and their dynamic application online.

Key Responsibilities

1. Digital Strategy:

- Researches, develops, implements and evaluates the University's Digital Communications and Marketing Strategic Plan.

- Leads user research, usability goals, measures, and testing initiatives.

- Partners with IT to develop information architecture: site structure, navigation and information design for the University's web site

- Develops budget recommendations for digital marketing initiatives and oversees digital marketing spending

- Implements and leads best practices in digital channel and content management including refining web architecture to highlight most active pages and content

- Produces communications on behalf of the director, when needed

2. Communications:

- Represents and acts for the Director of Communications & Marketing when requested.

- Acts consistently as a conscientious champion of the University's brand identity and ensures digital content, style, format and visuals are effective and engaging.

- Provides emergency publishing service to the web, as needed.

3. Personnel management and department support:

- Plans, schedules, directs, evaluates and supervises the work of Communications & Marketing department's digital content specialists.

- Plans workflows for the digital content team.

- Researches and liaises with outside contractors including evaluating proposals, managing short-term hires and awarding contracts for digital projects.

- Participates as a key advisor on digital communications and marketing in the department's budget planning process.

- Other duties as required.


Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

- Proven experience in digital strategy development, project management and coordination.

- Advanced knowledge of current and emerging digital communications technologies.

- Superior written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills.

- Proven management and administrative skills.

- Demonstrated ability to plan, schedule, direct and evaluate employees.

- Experienced in budget planning and management.

- Ability to work well under pressure, manage competing priorities and effectively meet deadlines.

- Accomplished in digital display, SEM, e-marketing, mobile and engagement strategies.

- Advanced knowledge of social media platforms and ability to leverage them to support strategic marketing and communications goals.

- Strong project management skills in working collaboratively and independently on complex projects with multiple stakeholders.

- Working knowledge of HTML, CSS, Javascript, Flash, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, Fireworks or equivalent.

- Management level experience working with enterprise-level CMS.

- Mastery in working with Google Analytics and other web metrics tools.

- Solid understanding of visual design aesthetics and graphic standards.

- Strong customer service and commitment to quality.

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.



Required Qualifications & Experience

- Minimum of a four-year undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline such as digital media, e-business, interactive design, information systems, communications, marketing or a related field.

- 5 years demonstrated experience in website management/mastery, digital strategy, campaigns and online marketing for a complex, large-scale institution including a supervisory role. Post-secondary environment is preferred.


Required Licenses, Certificates & Registration

- Project Management Certification (PMP) or equivalent combination of training/experience is required.
Professional development in the areas of digital strategy and/or digital marketing, user experience, content strategy and/or online metrics.