Onondaga Community College, located in Syracuse, NY is currently recruiting for a Director Marketing & Communications. The Director of Marketing & Communications provides visionary leadership for the College's enrollment marketing strategy, digital presence, and brand messaging. This role is responsible for shaping and executing innovative, data-driven marketing initiatives that support the College's Strategic Plan, Enrollment Management Plan, and institutional goals.

The Director develops, implements, and oversees comprehensive marketing plans that leverage both traditional and emerging technologies to drive measurable results. This includes advancing the College's digital content strategy, enhancing brand visibility, and ensuring consistent, compelling messaging across all platforms.

Leading a team of marketing and web communications professionals - as well as external vendors, and consultants - the Director ensures that all projects and campaigns are well-coordinated, efficient, and aligned with institutional priorities and stakeholder expectations.

This position plays a critical leadership role in fostering cross-campus collaboration, working closely with departments including Admission/Student Recruitment, Information Technology Services, Enrollment Management, Student Services, the OCC Foundation, and Management Services to support recruitment, retention, and engagement efforts.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Researches, develops, and implements comprehensive, results-driven strategic marketing plans aligned with clearly defined and measurable goals.
• Leads the development, execution, and evaluation of the College's strategic marketing and branding initiatives.
• Utilizes analytics and data reporting to inform strategy, monitor performance, and optimize tactics to achieve desired outcomes.
• Collaborates across departments and divisions to support integrated marketing, enrollment, recruitment, and retention strategies.
• Develops and manages the annual Marketing budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and ongoing fiscal oversight.
• Monitors industry standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices related to marketing, communications, data privacy, and digital engagement; ensures institutional compliance with applicable laws and policies.
• Provides leadership and direction to a team of marketing and web communications professionals, ensuring efficient workflows, strong collaboration, and continuous improvement in performance and outcomes.
• Oversees enterprise-level digital platforms, including the College's website, social media channels, text messaging systems, HTML email communications, live chat, web forms, and content management system (CMS).
• Partners with the OCC Foundation to develop and implement marketing strategies that support advancement efforts, donor engagement, and fundraising goals.
• Stays current with emerging technologies, trends, and innovations in marketing to ensure the College remains competitive and responsive to the needs of diverse audiences.
• Manages relationships with external vendors and agencies, ensuring alignment with institutional strategies and fulfillment of contractual obligations.
• Leads and participates in College-wide initiatives and committees as assigned.
• Supports and provides recommendations related to data acquisition, reporting, and analysis for departmental and cross-divisional initiatives.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalency in advertising, marketing, business, communications, or a related field.
• Six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in advertising, branding, marketing, or communications.
• Demonstrated expertise in website strategy, digital and emerging media, and marketing analytics.
• Proven experience developing, executing, and evaluating strategic marketing and branding plans that achieve measurable results.
• Four (4) years of experience supervising and leading professional staff and/or cross functional teams.
• Experience in an advertising, marketing, or communications agency environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience leading and executing multi-year corporate marketing strategies that align with organizational goals and drive measurable growth.
• Experience in developing and managing integrated, long-term campaigns across digital, traditional, and emerging channels, ensuring consistency in brand positioning while adapting to market shifts.
• Experience working in higher education or complex, mission-driven organization.
• Master's degree in advertising, marketing, communications, business administration, or a related field from a regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalency.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish. English and another language will be considered. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong creative and strategic thinking and planning skills, with a demonstrated focus on outcomes, performance metrics, and continuous improvement.
• Advanced knowledge of modern marketing and communications practices, including brand strategy, digital marketing, website management, content strategy, digital media production, and social media.
• Demonstrated ability to use data and analytics to inform decision-making, optimize campaigns, and communicate impact.
• Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively across diverse audiences and organizational levels.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling messaging.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, lead teams, and drive projects to successful completion.

Additional Information:

• Salary range is: $70,862 - $88,578, commensurate with credentials and relevant experience.
  • Onondaga Community College offers a generous and competitive benefits package including:
  • New York State Local Retirement System (pension) or an Optional Retirement Plan (401a).
• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance plans (qualifying domestic partner included).
• Onondaga Community College participates in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for eligible borrowers.

Application Instructions:

• To be considered, please submit a resume and cover letter at time of application.
• The three (3) references listed on the application must be professional references, two of which must be current or former supervisors. Finalists will be contacted prior to references being checked.
• Offers are contingent upon the completion of a background check, and official transcripts are required upon hire. 

Please contact hr@sunyocc.edu if you have questions.

Apply Here

Onondaga Community College, located in Syracuse, NY, is a college of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York State. Onondaga County is our sponsor. We offer two-year degree programs that serve as transfer opportunities to baccalaureate degree programs at four-year campuses or for direct entry to the workforce. We also offer certificate programs that can generally be completed in one year. Onondaga is a diverse educational learning community. We are committed to creating and maintaining an atmosphere where individuality is not only recognized - but encouraged - to contribute to the fabric of the campus environment. We continue to serve the educational and economic development needs of the region and proudly boast more than 40,000 alumni.

Onondaga Community College does not discriminate against any persons of groups based on race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics or carrier status, military status (including US Veteran status), domestic violence victim status, prior criminal conviction, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Onondaga Community College complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination laws.