"Assistant Director of Digital Engagement"

Assistant Director of Digital Engagement

Job #: 042644
Location: Syracuse, NY
Pay Range: $68,000 - $70,400
Hours: Standard University business hours
8:30am - 5:00pm (academic year)
8:00am - 4:30pm (summer)
Hours may vary based on operational needs.
Job Type: Full Time

Job Description:

This role provides critical leadership for the digital event platform ecosystem used across Syracuse Universitys schools, colleges, units and central advancement departments, overseeing event technology strategy, data analytics, compliance and quality standards across all digital engagement initiatives. Reporting to the Director of Digital Experience, this position leads the Universitys digital event marketing program including continuous improvement of the platform and use of the platform, establishing event build standards, data workflows and compliance protocols that support constituent engagement and institutional fundraising goals.

The Assistant Director serves as the divisions subject matter expert on event marketing technology, advising leadership and campus partners on platform capabilities, vendor partnerships and emerging tools. The role supervises a Digital Engagement Coordinator and leads the growth and development of the digital engagement vertical. As a key member of the Digital Experience team, the role partners with schools, colleges, units and central advancement teams to translate engagement objectives into effective digital event marketing strategies that advance the Universitys philanthropic mission.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree in information systems, human computer interaction, or related field.
• 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in digital engagement tools and data, or related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in user experience and user interface.
• Strong knowledge of AP style and editorial standards.
• Working knowledge of WCAG accessibility guidelines and their application to digital content.
• Experience with web accessibility/WCAG compliance.
• Experience with event data analysis and translating metrics into actionable insights.
• Proven project management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience supervising staff or leading projects.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and digital content management systems.
• Experience working with digital engagement tools, including email marketing and event management systems.
• Anthology Encompass experience preferred.
• Experience working with constituent resource management platforms.
• Blackbaud CRM experience preferred.
• Experience with HTML coding.
• Understanding of data privacy regulations (CAN-SPAM, GDPR) as they apply to email communications.
• Some assignments and support may require work during non-business hours, including nights and / or weekends.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Good communication and organizational skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to communicate corrections, determine desired intent and provide guidance to campus partners is crucial.
• Ability to provide timely responses to campus partners is critical, even after hours.
• Ability to evaluate, set priorities and execute on the fly.
• Be a self-starter and a creative and strategic thinker.
• High attention to detail and excellent organizational skills is necessary.
• Ability to quickly maneuver in a fast-paced environment is essential.
• Ability to handle knowledge that has not been widely distributed carefully and keep information confidential.
• Ability to multitask, including coordinating multiple projects in addition to other daily duties is necessary.
• Proficient in developing instructions and documentation.
• Experience in higher education advancement, nonprofit fundraising, or institutional communications.
• Knowledge of donor engagement strategies and fundraising communications.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the Universitys subject matter expert on digital event technology and engagement platforms.
• Lead the direction and continuous improvement of the digital event marketing ecosystem across the Universitys schools, colleges, units and central advancement operations.
• Define the event marketing technology roadmap, establish build standards and compliance protocols and advise campus partners and leadership on platform capabilities, system interoperability protocols and data transfer workflows that ensure event data captured is accurate, complete and actionable.
• Ensure online giving components of event marketing meet standards and are appropriate for the accompanying event.
• Establish and enforce standards for PCI compliance, data transfer and WCAG accessibility across digital event marketing, registration and engagement platforms and builds.
• Lead the analytics and performance measure program for digital engagement and event marketing initiatives.
• Design and maintain standardized reporting frameworks that track registration conversion rates, attendee engagement, registration abandonment patterns, event capacity utilization, giving integration outcomes and post-event engagement metrics.
• Work with partners to determine and report on event ROI.
• Evaluate data quality metrics and data transfer accuracy to ensure quality data is provided to constituent records for entry into CRM.
• Present performance insights and strategic recommendations to division leadership, benchmarking results against University and divisional goals and industry standards.
• Evaluate emerging event marketing platforms, vendor partnerships and integration opportunities to ensure the Universitys digital engagement tools remain current and effective.
• Research and recommend new capabilities, including event personalization, attendee journey mapping and real-time engagement tools.
• Represent the Digital Experience team on University and division committees, as requested and participate in cross-functional planning efforts as assigned.
• Maintain working proficiency in the divisions email communications platforms, processes and standards.
• Serve as backup to the Assistant Director of Digital Communications during periods of high demand, including major fundraising campaigns and high-volume send periods, ensuring continuity of service to AEA and campus partners.
• Stay current on email strategy, compliance requirements and audience segmentation frameworks to provide informed support when needed.
• Supervise, train and develop a Digital Engagement Coordinator, establishing clear performance expectations, professional development goals and growth pathways.
• Supervise any student or temporary employees.
• As the digital engagement vertical scales, lead workforce planning efforts, and identify and define additional staffing needs.
• Establish team workflows, documentation standards and quality assurance processes that ensure consistency and efficiency as event volume and complexity increase.
• Foster a team culture of continuous improvement, accountability, strategic thinking and ensure team members are masters of our CRAFT values.

Application Deadline: 03/18/2026
To apply, visit https://www.sujobopps.com/postings/112536