Senior Project Coordinator, Marketing and Communications

Job Summary:

Provides direction in reviewing & recommending policy & procedure designed to enhance operational excellence of a program/project in order to ensure success. Ensures the effective, compliant, & efficient daily management of all operational, financial, & business functions in support of the business area's mission & in coordination with central offices such as HR, Budget, Facilities, IT, & Provost. Represents program/project on internal & external administrative affairs by recommending alternatives & suggestions.

The Senior Project Coordinator is responsible for ensuring all marketing and communications requests and projects move seamlessly from start to on-time completion. This entails creating, maintaining, executing and monitoring project plans and timelines to track and prioritize responsibilities between various marketing and communications team members, internal clients, and external writing, design, printing and production vendors.

Principal Accountabilities:

Administration:

• Manages day-to-day marketing and communications project operations for the Northwestern Alumni Association, Reunion and Annual Giving. 
• Ensures that project mission, values, guidelines, policies & procedures are implemented & maintained. 
• Utilizes project management software; prepares reports and timelines. 
• Reviews processes and recommends ongoing improvements to drive efficiency and quality control. 
• Identifies service improvement opportunities that will better enable program/project to achieve its goals and objectives. 
• Acts as liaison with University licensing to submit and gain approval on trademark usage.

Budgets & Financial:

• Participates in vendor budget preparation. 
• Maintains freelance/contractor budget and associated analysis/reports.

Communication, Outreach & Recruitment:

• Manages development of coordinated, consistent marketing and brand messages. 
• Takes meeting notes and develops, distributes conference reports in timely manner. 
• Manages communication projects from start to finish, working with editorial, design, and digital team members to deliver quality communications to internal clients – on time and on budget. 
• Creates and nurtures relationships with University departments and external organizations to develop a network of enthusiastic partners/vendors engaged via active participation in the success of project. 
• Reviews market trends to recommend future plans to increase revenue, participation, engagement, etc.

Evaluation:

• Observes program sessions and interacts with participants for purpose of gaining consumer insight, growing and strengthening program knowledge, and optimizing client satisfaction.

Grants & Contracts:

• Prepares requests for proposals, oversees the RFP process and invoicing for printers and mail house production firms.

Program Development:

• Manages (NAA, AG and Reunion-related) program/project curriculum, seminars, presentations, workshops, learning experiences, chat rooms, websites, social networking, etc. based on goals/objectives. 
• Identifies & obtains external expertise as needed and works with content experts for current and new programs. 
• Reviews programs/projects to increase efficiencies to support growth. 
• Leads program/project updates and improvements.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience. 
• 2 years program/project administration or other relevant experience. 
• Detail oriented, proactive, resourceful, ability to break large efforts into smaller tasks for prioritization and completion, ability to multi-task, strong communication and business writing skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3 years program administration or similar experience. 
• 1-2 years project management or marketing communications experience. 
• Experience in a communications agency, with exposure to copy and design is a plus. 
• Curiosity, good listener/synthesizer