Digital Strategist

Digital Strategist Posting Details Posting Number S15735P Working Title Digital Strategist Department DAR-Communications About the University of Georgia Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university ( The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full‑time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine. About the College/Unit/Department Division of Development and Alumni Relations The Division of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Georgia advances the goals, objectives, and priorities of the university by generating private financial support, building, and maintaining relationships with alumni and donors, and assisting students with career development opportunities. Development and Alumni Relations’ Office of Communications We serve as an in‑house marketing agency for the Development & Alumni Relations division ( DAR ) at the University of Georgia. Twice a year, we plan. The rest of the time, we design mailers, build websites, write, film, photograph, tweet, and a lot more. Collaboration is how we do our best work. White‑boarding and idea‑bouncing get us going. Data and analytics teach us how to do better next time. We love to learn from one another. We often partner with the Marketing & Communications division and build templates and tools to help all schools, colleges, and units with development and alumni relations. We streamline. And dot‑connect. And always do our best to consider our audiences’ perspectives. We are always searching for new ways – more creative ways – to reach our alumni and donors. To help our division achieve its mission and help every DAR unit achieve its goals. College/Unit/Department website Posting Type External Retirement Plan TRS or ORP Employment Type Employee Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligible Full/Part time Full Time Work Schedule Additional Schedule Information 8:00am–5:00pm; Flexibility to work evenings and weekends may be necessary to meet business needs Advertised Salary $56,680+ Commensurate with qualifications and experience Posting Date 09/10/2026 Open until filled Yes Closing Date Proposed Starting Date 11/01/2026 Special Instructions to Applicants This position is structured as a permanent position within the Division of Development & Alumni Relations. We are unable to sponsor a work visa for this position. Location of Vacancy Athens Area EEO Policy Statement The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (View email address on click.appcast.io). USG Core Values Statement The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02 . Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom . Position Information Classification Title Digital Marketing Pro I FLSA Exempt FTE 1.00 Minimum Qualifications Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent Preferred Qualifications Experience in marketing, advertising, public relations, or related field. Operating within a higher education or non‑profit environment a bonus Experience developing a marketing or communications plan Experience with email marketing Experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud preferred Experience working with Hootsuite, Sprout Social is a bonus Experience with web content management systems, specifically WordPress Working knowledge of AP Style is a bonus An eye for design is a bonus Understanding of annual giving and the development function Ability to manage student assistant Position Summary The Division of Development and Alumni Relations must communicate broadly and frequently with its alumni and donors to meet engagement and fundraising goals. This position is responsible for communication through social media, email, and paid media. For many of our constituents, these digital channels are the only regular interaction with the University of Georgia. This is especially true for young alumni, a strategically important audience that helps increase the alumni participation rate and feed the donor pipeline. Without social media and email, UGA would not be able to inform or engage alumni and donors about upcoming events, opportunities to engage, and giving campaigns. This position coordinates with the entire communications team ( DARCOMM ) to build integrated marketing campaigns, including web pages, social media, email, etc. These campaigns are responsible for millions of dollars that directly support students at the University of Georgia. This position will partner with the digital team to maintain the UGA Alumni social media channels, managing the content calendar and publishing through social media management platform (Hootsuite, Sprout Social, etc.) or directly through appropriate channels (Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Threads, and LinkedIn, etc.). S/he will plan and schedule posts, track appropriate conversations and engage in real‑time with UGA alumni. S/he will be responsible for tagging content, pulling reports, analyzing results, and making recommendations for future content and posts. In partnership with the digital team, this position will build, design, write and send newsletters, solicitations, and a number of other email types on behalf of Development and Alumni Relations. This position will play a key role in content production. S/he will participate in ongoing content strategy sessions with 3-5 DARCOMM team members and will be expected to provide ideas, bring new format ideas, and produce some of the content. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies Self-starter, takes initiative, and can work independently as well as in a team environment Organizational skills Demonstrates a commitment to outstanding customer service Communicates and employs interpersonal actions that model high standards of professional, responsible, accountable, and ethical conduct Detail-oriented Basic graphic design software capability Knowledge of digital and social media strategy Demonstrable knowledge in managing social media, especially Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok, and LinkedIn Ability to multitask Strong work ethic and high expectations for quality Excellent interpersonal skills both in person and by phone Excellent written and verbal communication skills – including writing, proof reading, and presentation Outstanding organization and planning skills Strong problem analysis and problem‑solving skills Additional Division Expectations Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment. Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising reporting are expected of all fundraisers. All fundraisers will be held accountable for meeting this expectation. Physical Demands Some after-hours work and/or traveling may be required Sit and work in a standard office environment or vehicle for extended periods of time Work using electronic mail, telephone, face‑to‑face discussions, paper form correspondence Communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and listening Organize and establish priorities; Remember detail; multi‑task Lift and/or move up to 20 pounds Walk, stand, stoop, lift, kneel, climb Is driving a responsibility of this position? No Is this a Position of Trust? Yes Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? No Does this position require a P-Card? No Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications) Yes Credit and P-Card policy Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website . Background Investigation Policy Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job‑based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre‑employment drug test for positions with high‑risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website . Duties/Responsibilities Support social media efforts for Development & Alumni Relations ( DAR ) in partnership with other Digital Strategists. Support and execute social content strategy across X, Instagram, Instagram Stories, IG Reels, TikTok, Facebook, Threads and LinkedIn among other platforms and mediums Maintain a digital content calendar to strategically promote events, initiatives, and goals of the division Constantly explore new digital properties and trends to determine the utility for telling the UGA story; recalibrate efforts based on evolving platform audience Develop social media plans for specific events and programs Communicate with followers, respond to queries in a timely manner and engage in social listening Suggest and implement new ideas to develop brand awareness and audience participation Collaborate across campus – especially with Marketing & Communication and Athletics – to share digital content and spread DAR’s story/mission/goals Collaborate with alumni board and council members as well as chapter leaders to bolster UGA messages Use data to drive strategic thought and inform overall communications strategy while maintaining a consistent voice and message representative of the university Ensure relevant landing pages and web properties are optimized for social sharing Support email marketing efforts for Development & Alumni Relations ( DAR ) in partnership with other Digital Strategists. Develop email marketing strategies with DAR units, including Annual Giving, Alumni Relations, Donor Relations, Gift & Estate Planning, and Parents Identify overlapping opportunities to take an audience‑first approach Build, design, and send DAR emails Drive audience segmentation strategies for all UGA alumni and donors to ensure emails are relevant and opt‑outs remain low Work to minimize overloading our constituents, minimize opt‑outs, increase open‑rates, and improve engagement rates Work collaboratively and openly with other Development & Alumni Relations Communications ( DARCOMM ) team members to produce quality emails Make recommendations to refresh newsletters and other ongoing emails according to performance, industry trends, and division goals Collaborate with other campus marketers to help ensure we adhere to industry best practices Use engagement data (I.e., open‑rates, opt‑outs) to optimize email marketing campaigns Provide recommendations and input on automated marketing journeys Collaborate with units across DAR to identify new journeys and work with the digital team to build, execute and analyze effectiveness of the journeys Assist in creating email templates and best practices in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Serve as the subject matter expert in Salesforce Marketing Cloud through the liaison relationship with assigned DAR units including building and sending email communications to achieve strategic goals Plan and create high‑quality content that aligns with the overall UGA alumni strategies and programs. Help plan and develop engaging content across DAR digital properties Administrate the creation and publishing of relevant, original, high‑quality content Produce blog posts, videos, photos, and other content to support the overall content strategy Work collaboratively and openly with other DARCOMM team members to produce quality content (graphics for social / email, copy for advertising, etc.). Make recommendations to refresh content strategy according to performance, industry trends, and division goals Support digital advertising efforts for all alumni and donors. Facilitate DAR digital advertising efforts by assisting with work recommended by digital agency Assist with management of relationship with digital agency Ensure DAR units understand the role digital advertising can play to support email marketing campaigns Proactively work with agencies to connect email marketing and digital advertising campaigns; e.g., retarget ’email openers’ with digital ads Support DAR web properties. Provide content edits and updates to DAR web properties Support digital work processes that assist with content and project intake Contact Information Recruitment Contact Contact Details For questions concerning this position or recruitment progression, please refer to the Recruitment Contact listed below. Recruitment Contact Name Development & Alumni Relations’ Office of Talent Management Recruitment Contact Email View email address on click.appcast.io Recruitment Contact Phone Posting Specific Questions Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*). * How did you hear about this employment opportunity within the Division of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR)? Chronicle of Higher Education DAR Careers Page Handshake Insight Into Academia Inside Higher Ed LinkedIn UGA's job board Other (please provide name of #J-18808-Ljbffr University of Georgia