CUMU Communications and Member Engagement Coordinator

The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) is a national membership organization of colleges and universities committed to advancing social and economic mobility, regional prosperity, and community well-being.

CUMU connects institutions to transform shared knowledge into collective impact. Our members are leaders in strengthening their cities and regions through education, research, and community partnerships. Through convenings, research, programming, and national engagement, CUMU highlights the important role urban and metropolitan campuses play in addressing the challenges and opportunities facing communities today.

Towson University (TU) serves as CUMU’s administrative home. TU has earned distinction as both a top-100 public university and one of the nation's great colleges to work for. Located north of Baltimore, TU currently enrolls over 19,000 students and is the second-largest university in the prestigious University System of Maryland. Towson University fosters a climate that is grounded in respect to cultivating the intellectual and personal growth of the entire university community.

CUMU is seeking a Communications and Member Engagement Coordinator to help elevate the national visibility of CUMU and its member institutions. This position has two core areas of responsibility: communications and member engagement.

The coordinator will play an important role in CUMU’s communications efforts. This includes working closely with staff to develop and manage communications campaigns that highlight member achievements and innovative work across the network; manage and coordinate across core channels such as the website, newsletter, direct emails, and LinkedIn; and translate programs, research, and member initiatives into clear and compelling content for national audiences.

The coordinator will also support how CUMU connects with and strengthens its member campuses. This includes supporting member recruitment, onboarding, and retention; contributing to data collection and analysis related to those efforts; and looking for ways to make channels more interactive and responsive to members.

Because CUMU is a small and collaborative organization, this role blends creative communications work with hands-on execution. The Communications and Member Engagement Coordinator will have opportunities to contribute ideas, develop new approaches, and help shape how CUMU tells the story of urban and metropolitan campuses nationally. The position is fully remote and operates primarily during standard U.S. business hours, Monday through Friday, with occasional flexibility for events or deadlines. The position reports to the Director of Learning and Engagement, and works closely with the CUMU team. The Coordinator will attend and support the CUMU Annual Conference each year and will occasionally travel with staff for conference planning, membership outreach, or other organizational activities.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Digital Engagement: Draft content for and manage the Because Place Matters newsletter, LinkedIn presence, and direct email communications
• Website:Manage and maintain CUMU’s website (WordPress), ensuring that content is current, accurate, and visually engaging.
• Graphic Design & Visual Assets: Create graphics for email, web, and print; edit webinar/interview videos; design conference materials (badges, signage, slide decks).
• Member Engagement: Support onboarding and retention processes, membership outreach, and development of membership materials (one-pagers, presentations, recruitment messages).
• Events & Conference Content: Support conference communications; photograph events; develop and organize visual/digital content for conference and post-event sharing.
• Operations & Systems Support: Manage the communications calendar; track metrics; maintain organized system for digital assets; and manage relevant communications, membership, and events related information and processes within CUMU’s association management system.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's Degree.
• 2 years of experience in communications, marketing, digital engagement, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear and engaging language.
• Experience supporting communications or marketing campaigns.
• Experience managing social media, particularly LinkedIn.
• Experience managing website content, ideally using WordPress.
• Comfort with basic graphic design and communications tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar platforms.
• Familiarity with communications tools such as Mailchimp or similar email platforms.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a remote work environment.
• Interest in higher education, community engagement, or nonprofit work is preferred.

Salary and Benefits

Salary of $60,000-$65,000. Contractual employees scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week may be eligible for subsidized health benefits coverage.

For consideration, please submit a letter of interest and resume with your online application. This position will be open for a minimum of 14 days.