Assistant Director, Marketing and Communications Strategic Operations

About the Job

The Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Strategic Operations serves as a senior strategic advisor to the Director of Marketing and Communications on the design, implementation, governance, and continuous improvement of the College of Science and Engineering's marketing and communications operating model. This position provides strategic leadership for operational planning, stakeholder engagement, resource management, governance, and organizational effectiveness across one of the University’s largest and most decentralized marketing and communications ecosystems.

The Assistant Director develops and implements both short- and long-term operational and communications strategies that advance the college's priorities related to research visibility, reputation, student recruitment, advancement, and organizational excellence. The position exercises significant independent judgment in recommending operational, governance, and communications strategies that influence college-wide priorities, service delivery, and organizational performance while serving as a principal advisor to leadership on marketing and communications operations.

Location and Work Environment

Location:

Twin Cities Campus, University of Minnesota

Work Environment:
Hybrid

Expected Work Schedule

• Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.
  
  - 4:30 p.m.
• Minimum of three days per week in the office - Monday and Wednesday expected as on-campus collaboration days
• Up to two days per week remote, consistent with department and University policies
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support campaign launches, reporting deadlines, college initiatives, or time-sensitive matters

Job Duties

• 35% Lead Strategic Operations, Intake, and Workflow Management
• Design, implement, and continuously improve the CSE's marketing and communications operating model, including enterprise intake, workflow, prioritization, and resource allocation systems.
• Advise the Director and college leadership on operational priorities, resource allocation, organizational risks, capacity planning, and opportunities to improve the effectiveness of marketing and communications across the college.
• Develop strategic operational solutions for department heads, center directors, and senior administrators to address communications challenges and organizational needs.
• Evaluate project requests, establish enterprise priorities, allocate resources, and oversee project pipelines to ensure effective service delivery across a highly decentralized organization.
• Establish and oversee governance, operational standards, service-level expectations, and workflow frameworks that guide marketing and communications activities across the college.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that address operational bottlenecks, workload imbalances, and process inefficiencies while improving organizational effectiveness and service quality.
• Develop operational reporting frameworks and performance measures that provide leadership with actionable insights into workload, organizational capacity, and operational effectiveness.

• 30% Build and Support the CSE Communications Ecosystem
• Serve as the college's principal strategic liaison for the decentralized marketing and communications network, representing the Director on operational priorities, governance, service delivery, and organizational alignment.
• Provide strategic marketing and communications guidance to communicators, department leadership, administrators, and stakeholders regarding organizational priorities, communications operations, governance, and implementation of major initiatives.
• Foster collaboration and strengthen relationships between the central Marketing and Communications team, decentralized units, University Marketing & Communications, Advancement, Student Services, and other strategic partners.
• Develop college-wide tools, templates, training resources, governance documentation, and self-service materials that enable consistent, effective, and brand-aligned communications across the college.
• Identify emerging needs, evaluate organizational challenges, and recommend improvements that strengthen communication effectiveness and service…