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Job Summary

The Associates is Caltech’s 95 year-old premiere support group devoted to the groundbreaking research and education underway at Caltech. Our growing membership network represents a diverse cross-section of entrepreneurs, business and community leaders, alumni, philanthropists, academics and friends of Caltech. The Caltech Associates plays a vital role in the life of the Institute and in Break Through: the Caltech Campaign, a bold initiative to secure Caltech’s future as a source of transformative discovery for the world.

With regional programming in Pasadena and surrounding areas, Northern California, New York City, Orange County and the Westside, the Caltech Associates provides opportunities to meet faculty and students and exchange ideas with individuals who share similar interests in the world around them. Our members participate in a wide range of dynamic national and international trips, tours and events featuring Caltech faculty and other internationally-recognized experts. These opportunities offer close exposure to revolutionary discoveries and trends in science, engineering, medicine, and the arts. In addition, membership provides unique access to the many Caltech amenities, such as the Athenaeum, in the Pasadena region.

Reporting to the Associate Director, Development and Outreach, the Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications’ key responsibilities focus on the strategic development and implementation of the Associates’ comprehensive marketing and communications plan to drive membership growth, revenue, and engagement. Reporting to the Associate Director of Development & Outreach (ADDO), responsibilities include building public awareness, strengthening digital marketing effort,; facilitating the acquisition and stewardship of the Associates’ membership base and promoting the brand and visibility needed to retain, attract, engage and expand the Associates programs both locally and regionally. The team member in this role will also work closely with other campus marketing and communications areas to coordinate messaging and create collaborative opportunities. 

The Assistant Director is responsible for a wide variety of digital, event and print communications and publications that includes donor appeals, impact storie, and weekly newsletters to increase unrestricted revenue for the program. Other key projects include the writing, editing and project management of marketing materials aimed at growing the membership for the Caltech Associates.

Job Duties

Digital Marketing

• Build the digital marketing and communications platforms aimed to target new creative membership growth and engagement strategies for programmatic campaigns
• Plan and execute all web and database marketing, email, social media and display advertising campaigns
• Measure, analyze, and report performance of all digital marketing campaigns and assesses against goals and conversion tests
• Design, build and maintain our social media presence including, but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Through these streams, develop a deep understanding of the Caltech Associates community and be the champion for this audience
• Identify trends and insights and provide thought leadership and perspective for adoption, where appropriate
• Manage the Caltech Associates website. Use metrics to improve web statistics and develop infrastructure to measure online engagement and create opportunities for increased community building through targeted programming
• Understand and oversee membership, participant surveys and marketing functions to analyze and adjust outreach as needed

Communications and Design Support

• Design, implement and evaluate comprehensive marketing and communications strategies that help drive membership growth and acquisition, advance the mission, and position for building the brand and visibility with internal and external audiences.
• Create and manage the Caltech Associates membership, marketing, communications, and media relations initiatives to ensure delivery of consistent, targeted messages, and work collaboratively with key staff to develop and coordinate ongoing local and regional publicity efforts and community awareness
• Manage the creative design, content, production and distribution of all printed and electronic materials, including weekly newsletter, impact feature stories, publications, calendars, press releases, event-related invitations and materials including remarks and briefings, advertisements and other membership communications vehicles as identified
• Partner with colleagues/vendors as appropriate to identify strategic content for all written material. Support the development and marketing of branded merchandise
• Write, edit, and proofread donor communications and membership marketing materials, including annual summer and year-end appeals, member spotlights and impact stories
• Utilize research to identify key messages and audiences, and work consistently to tell the organization’s stories, weaving them together to create a consistent, unified message to build the Caltech Associates brand

Enhancing Reputation and Visibility

• Work to enhance and extend the Associates brand through all media to promote core values and attributes
• Partner in stewarding the organization’s visual identity to ensure that all items meet the Institute’s style guidelines and format. Maintain a high level of quality control through reviewing, editing, and proofreading own work and work of others
• Manage and coordinate public relations projects and activities; develop and maintain media relationships; write, edit, and oversee distribution of news releases; prepare and place media articles and features about the Caltech Associates. Work with internal staff to identify newsworthy events, programs and other opportunities for press
• Serve as communications lead for online directory, including conducting regular campaigns and outreach to update contact information
• Staff a variety of Associates events and programs
• Additional projects as assigned

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Three or more years of related work experience
• Exceptionally strong written and verbal communications skills
• Highly proficient computer skills, specifically with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, database tracking systems and social media vehicles
• Experience in successfully managing multiple deadlines and a demanding production schedule consisting of creative quality print and electronic publications within a variety of communication vehicles to keep a diverse and layered community informed and excited about Caltech news, programs and activities on a consistent basis
• Excellent interpersonal skills plus outstanding social skills, instincts, and judgment
• Ability to manage several multifaceted projects simultaneously and independently while meeting aggressive deadlines
• Possess high degree of integrity and enthusiasm for the Institute’s mission
• Demonstrate the ability to practice and adhere to organizational values
• Occasional evening and weekend work required

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous work experience in a development organization and experience with volunteer organizations
• Experience with Google Analytics
• Familiarity with Caltech administrative procedures

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter