Assistant Professor of Practice, Digital Advertising

Assistant Professor of Practice, Digital Advertising Special Information

• This position is an on‑site position which requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. Opportunities for remote work are rare.
• This position is posted as Asst Professor of Practice:
  Digital Advertising, which is a working title. The NAU system title for this position is Assistant Professor of Practice.

The School of Communication at Northern Arizona University offers a comprehensive Strategic Communication program that prepares students for careers in advertising, public relations, and integrated marketing communication. The program emphasizes ethical, audience‑centered messaging and strategic planning across traditional and digital platforms. Students gain hands‑on experience through state‑of‑the‑art facilities such as the Media Innovation Center and Visual

DESIGNlab, as well as opportunities to work with real clients and student‑run media outlets. With a curriculum that blends theory and practice, graduates are equipped with the skills needed to excel in campaign development, social media strategy, and brand communication for agencies, corporations, nonprofits, and government organizations.

The School of Communication at Northern Arizona University invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Practice in Strategic Communication:
Digital Advertising to begin August 2026. The ideal candidate will help us prepare students for careers in Strategic Communication, with a special focus on paid media communication strategies. These strategies would include some of the following: traditional media planning, paid search advertising, media selection for online display ad networks, social media advertising and sponsored media relationships with digital media influencers.

Successful candidates will have experience working with brands to prepare targeted communication plans, and strategies for effectively monitoring and reporting on the success of those plans.

Candidates should have experience in digital advertising and strategic communication that includes one or more of these areas: buying and planning for both traditional and digital media, experience with programmatic advertising using platforms such as Google Ads and Meta's Ad Manager, knowledge of SEO, digital analytics, and artificial intelligence.

Candidates should have more than two years of professional experience in an advertising environment that includes focus on digital communication and a master's degree, or more than ten years of professional experience in an advertising environment that includes focus on digital communication and a bachelor's degree.

80% – Teaching

• STR 207 – Introduction to Advertising
• STR 307 – Creative Fundamentals
• STR 373 – New Media Engagement
• ADV 309 – Advanced Advertising Development
• ADV 310 – Advertising Media Selection
• ADV 311 – Creative Advertising Strategies
• ADV 411C – Advertising Campaigns

20% – Service

• Service to the school, college and university.

• More than two years of professional experience in an advertising environment that includes focus on digital communication and a master's degree, or more than ten years of professional experience in an advertising environment that includes focus on digital communication.
• Bachelor's degree.
• College‑level instructional experience (including teaching, course design, training and/or teaching assistant).

* A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

• Experience and success in fostering and creating a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning and working environment.
• Experience in direct client interface including account/client presentations.
• Experience working on a significant marketing communication campaign that includes coordinating with multiple business functions that could include creative departments, media planning, and/or campaign assessment.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in teaching and student‑related responsibilities or…