Shape the Future of Higher Education Digital Experiences as a Digital Lead
Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications is on the hunt for a visionary and collaborative Digital Lead to serve as a critical bridge between central marketing and decentralized academic units. In this high-impact hybrid role based out of University Park, PA, you will act as a trusted digital advisor, guiding senior university leaders and administrative teams toward enterprise-wide digital maturity. If you possess a keen understanding of complex digital ecosystems and thrive on translating strategic goals into modern, seamless user experiences at scale, this is your chance to make a lasting impact on a world-class institution.
Job Overview
- Position: Digital Lead
- Company: Penn State University
- Location: University Park, PA (Hybrid work arrangement)
- Salary Range: $86,300 – $129,500 a year
- Job Type: Full-time
Primary Responsibilities
- Strategic Partnership: Act as the primary digital advisor to assigned academic units, research institutes, and administrative divisions, translating overarching university goals into actionable, high-performing digital strategies.
- Cross-Functional Coordination: Serve as the chief point of contact for unit-specific digital needs, working seamlessly with central web developers, UX/UI designers, content strategists, and analytics teams to resolve issues and launch web initiatives.
- Enterprise Standards & Alignment: Ensure all localized websites, landing pages, and digital touchpoints strictly align with Penn State’s global governance standards, design systems, visual identity guidelines, and web accessibility mandates.
- Digital Experience Enablement: Empower and advise local teams on how to maximize Penn State’s sophisticated Digital Experience Platform (DXP), incorporating advanced content management system (CMS) tools, web analytics, and smart personalization features.
- Marketing Technology Integration: Partner with dedicated CRM and marketing automation teams to deeply integrate platforms like Salesforce and Slate, driving better student lifecycle engagement, optimized digital campaigns, and accurate performance tracking.
Eligibility Criteria
To excel in this role, candidates must meet the foundational requirements established by Penn State University. Applicants are required to hold a Bachelor’s Degree paired with a minimum of 6+ years of relevant professional experience, or an equivalent, accepted combination of advanced higher education and deep digital marketing background. Robust technical literacy combined with a proven history of managing multifaceted digital projects is mandatory for immediate success in this environment.
Preferred qualifications place a heavy emphasis on candidates who bring a sophisticated understanding of complex digital ecosystems. Ideal candidates will have demonstrable experience navigating decentralized or matrixed environments—such as higher education, state or federal government, or massive corporate enterprises. Mastery of robust CMS tools, web analytics dashboards, and enterprise marketing software is highly favored.
Furthermore, standout applicants will exhibit fluency in cutting-edge marketing technologies, specifically enterprise CRM platforms like Salesforce and Slate along with standard marketing automation workflows. Strong capabilities in change management, executive communication, and stakeholder facilitation are vital, as you will regularly translate complex systems into actionable instructions for non-technical senior executives.
Work Environment and Team Culture
The Office of Strategic Communications functions as a fully integrated, award-winning, and best-in-class internal public relations and marketing agency. Serving a massive institutional ecosystem of nearly 90,000 students and a worldwide alumni network exceeding 700,000, our team is defined by innovative digital strategies, breakthrough creative campaigns, and clear data-driven outcomes. We value diversity, individual uniqueness, and an authentic culture of mutual respect and belonging. This role provides a flexible hybrid balance, blending energetic, collaborative on-campus sessions in University Park with structured focus days working remotely.