Manager, Communications and Marketing, College of DAAP

About the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP)

The University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) is a nationally recognized leader in creative education. Ranked among the top programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Business Week, Design Intelligence, and others, DAAP continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation's most prestigious design schools. What sets us apart is the way our students transform ideas into impact, not only in the studio, but in the world.

Job Overview

The College of DAAP invites applications for the position of Manager of Communications and Marketing. This position manages the college's communications and marketing operations and translates college priorities into effective, coordinated, and high-quality communications and marketing initiatives.

The DAAP Manager of Marketing and Communications is first and foremost an exceptional project manager and team leader who brings structure, momentum, and clarity to a complex and highly creative environment. The position oversees multiple concurrent projects, establishes priorities and workflows, coordinates resources and timelines, and ensures that work moves efficiently from concept to completion.

The ideal candidate combines strong project management and systems-thinking skills with demonstrated expertise in marketing, design, communications, public relations, and digital media. The Manager leads and mentors a student-supported production team, builds strong relationships across the college and university, and brings an energetic, agile, and solutions-oriented approach to a fast-paced creative environment.

Essential Functions

Project and Team Leadership

• Lead multiple communications and marketing projects from concept through completion, establishing priorities, timelines, responsibilities, and deliverables.
• Utilize current systems, workflows, and processes that keep projects organized, efficient, and moving forward.
• Lead and mentor the Marketing and Communications production team, including student employees, providing direction, feedback, and professional development.
• Foster a collaborative, creative, accountable, and supportive team culture.

Design and Creative Direction

• Provide creative direction across print, digital, web, social media, video, email, events, and other communications.
• Apply strong professional design expertise and visual judgment to ensure high-quality, consistent, and accessible communications.
• Guide photographers, multimedia storytellers, social media, designers, and journalist specialists in developing integrated communications and campaigns.
• Ensure communications reflect DAAP's identity as a leading creative college.

Marketing, Recruitment and Communications

• Develop and implement marketing and communications strategies that support DAAP's priorities, reputation, recruitment, research visibility, events, and engagement.
• Identify opportunities, understand audiences, and translate emerging marketing, social media, technology, and creative trends into effective strategies.
• Lead storytelling, public relations, media relations, and content development across web, social media, email, print, newsletters, and other channels.
• Use audience insights and performance data to evaluate and refine communications strategies.

Additional Essential Functions

Events and Special Programs

• Lead communications and marketing support for DAAP events, lectures, exhibitions, receptions, and special programs.
• Coordinate event communications, promotional materials, production needs, and audience engagement.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, vendors, University partners, and external collaborators to support successful events.
• Ensure event communications and materials are consistent, accessible, visually strong, and aligned with UC DAAP's brand.

Digital and Web

• Oversee DAAP's website, social media, email, and other digital platforms and ensure a consistent, engaging digital presence.
• Provide direction for website content, development, usability, accessibility, and ongoing improvement.
• Monitor digital performance and use analytics and audience data to inform marketing, recruitment, and communications decisions.
• Stay current with emerging digital technologies, AI-enabled tools, and evolving approaches to digital communication.

Relationships, Partnerships and Administration

• Build strong relationships across DAAP and the University and serve as a trusted communications and marketing partner to college leadership and stakeholders.
• Translate stakeholder needs and competing requests into clear priorities and actionable plans.
• Coordinate with University Marketing + Communications, vendors, external partners, and other campus collaborators.
• Assist with budgets, sponsorships, resources, and other administrative responsibilities related to communications and marketing operations.

Required Education

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field.
• Nine (9) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of education requirement.

Required Experience

Five (5) years of relevant experience.

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Exceptional project management skills, with demonstrated success managing multiple complex projects, priorities, stakeholders, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Strong marketing instincts, with an understanding of audiences, higher education recruitment, emerging trends, and effective digital engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to use and build systems, workflows, and processes that improve team efficiency, accountability, and execution.
• Demonstrated experience in graphic design and visual communications, with strong visual judgment and understanding of design principles, branding, typography, layout, and creative direction.
• Demonstrated experience leading, supervising, mentoring, or developing students and/or creative teams.
• Experience in public relations, communications, storytelling, media relations, website development, and/or digital communications.
• Experience with event planning and production, including communications, promotion, coordination, and audience engagement.
• Strong systems thinker and relationship builder who is collaborative, enthusiastic, adaptable, solutions-oriented, and able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a fast-paced creative environment.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

Application Process Information

Please submit an online application and include:

• Resume and cover letter to be considered for this position. The cover letter should not exceed one (1) page and should detail your interest and qualified experience, skills, or education required for this position.

Please use the additional documents feature as needed for these items.