Assistant Director, Engagement Marketing

Department: Alumni Relations & Development

Target budgeted salary: $60,000 to $64,000 annually. Offers will be based on candidate experience, education, and equity within Northwestern University.

This role is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement: up to two days remote and three days onsite.

About the Role

The Assistant Director for Engagement Marketing will execute email campaigns and registration/website pages to support groups, broad-based programs, and events. These initiatives will help strategically cultivate alumni and students in meaningful ways that result in engaged volunteers and donors. This role serves on the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) team within Alumni Relations and Development (ARD).

Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning
  • Administers and maintains existing strategic plans.
  • Recommends changes and improvements to maximize effective communications and best practices, fostering a culture of engagement and participation with the University.
• Collaboration
  • Collaborates with internal teams and department partners to accomplish strategic goals, including:
    • NAA – supporting online engagement efforts for signature programs, events, and initiatives.
    • ARD User Services – assisting with audience data management and advanced troubleshooting.
    • ARD Marketing and Communications – implementing best practices including accessibility, inclusive language, editorial style, and brand.
    • Other ARD teams (e.g., Annual Giving, Special Events, Athletics) – minimal collaboration as assigned.
• Events
  • Markets and promotes NAA signature events and programmatic initiatives by executing broadcast emails and building individual web pages.
  • Processes and maintains online event information via registration pages.
  • Assists with occasional event execution as part of the NAA team.
• Administration
  • Organizes and executes administrative aspects of production and distribution of constituent communications, including data manipulation.
  • Optimizes the use of technology for marketing, communications, and data reporting and analysis.
  • Participates in NAA team meetings and ARD departmental meetings, and performs general administrative duties.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 2 years of development, marketing, sales, or equivalent experience.

Skills

• High level of organization – Manages multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced environment. Maintains clear systems for tracking tasks, deadlines, and information, ensuring reliability and follow-through.
• Attention to detail – Produces accurate, high-quality work with minimal oversight. Carefully reviews information, identifies inconsistencies, and ensures precision across all deliverables.
• Collaboration and accountability – Builds relationships across teams, departments, and stakeholder groups while demonstrating ownership and accountability for shared work and collective outcomes.
• Analytical thinking – Applies critical reasoning to think through problems and make sound decisions on next steps.
• Communication and self-awareness – Adapts communication approaches to foster understanding and build productive relationships while demonstrating awareness of personal communication style, strengths, and areas for growth.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with Salesforce products (e.g., Marketing Cloud, Blackthorn Events) or similar databases.
• Experience working with a content management system for basic web editing (e.g., Cascade CMS).
• Experience working with a constituent records management system.
• Strategic lens – Brings an understanding of marketing and communications and project management best practices, and identifies potential opportunities for adjustments and improvements.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Paid medical/sick and parental leave.
• Tuition benefits for the employee and dependents.
• Pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care.
• Retirement savings options.
• Wellness programs.
• Work-life and wellness programs, including flexible work arrangements, childcare, and senior/adult care support.
• Professional growth and development resources, including career development tools and educational opportunities.