Web Content and User Experience Strategist

Description

Earlham College is a Top 100 National Liberal Arts College located in Richmond, IN, a small city that's just a short drive away from several major metropolitan areas including Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Richmond and Earlham have a symbiotic relationship. Through research, studies, internships and volunteering, Earlhamites offer Richmond expertise and service as Richmond offers our students the chance to gain valuable, real-world experience. Our community assumes no religious affiliation but follows Quaker principles and practices, which include respect for persons, integrity, a commitment to peace and justice, simplicity, and consensus-based community decision-making. Earlham is committed to and proud of being a diverse and inclusive place most clearly visible in our student body: 20% of our student body are international, coming from 60 nations in 2022, and 24% are domestic students of color. Faculty and staff also bring tremendous diversity to the College; many have lived and worked outside the United States, and they make a point of drawing on those experiences in their interactions with students. Additionally, Earlham makes it a priority to serve as a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ communities and has a four-star rating on the Campus Pride Index. Our community is characterized by respect for every person and a commitment to social justice. Equity and inclusion are central to Earlham's institutional priorities and our leadership is committed to widening the path to an Earlham education.

Earlham College is seeking a Web Content and User Experience Strategist to join our team.

Summary: 

This role is responsible for developing and executing strategies that ensure the college's web content is clear, consistent, easily navigable, and optimized for user experience (UX), search engines (SEO), conversions, and eventually, personalization. The role will also include content planning, writing, editing, and oversight of web content development, primarily related to enrollment, fundraising, and retention initiatives. The ideal candidate will be well-versed in best practices for web content management, web content writing, conversion optimization, user-centered design, and analytics, with a strong ability to work collaboratively within a cross-functional team and with other departments to achieve the College’s marketing and communications goals.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Content strategy and planning:
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive content strategy for the College’s website that aligns with marketing and communications goals.
  • Coordinate content workflows to ensure timely, relevant, and strategic publication of web content.
  • Collaborate with departments across campus to ensure the website reflects up-to-date institutional priorities, events, and initiatives.
  • Identify opportunities for personalization on the website.
  • Brainstorm ideas with the team to help drive traffic to key pages and align messaging across our marketing assets.
  • Develop a landing page strategy to support paid marketing campaigns.
• Content creation and editing:
  • Write, edit, and proofread high-quality web content for clarity, accuracy, tone, and brand alignment.
  • Ensure web content is optimized for readability, SEO, and accessibility (ADA compliance).
  • Regularly update and refresh web content to maintain relevance and engagement.
• User experience (UX), SEO and conversion optimization:
  • Ensure web content is designed with user experience in mind, working closely with the web developer to enhance site navigation, functionality, and content presentation.
  • Optimize web content for search engines (SEO) using keyword research, metadata, and best practices to improve visibility and engagement.
  • Optimize web content for conversions (primarily inquiries, visits, and applications) including strategic positioning of calls to action, as well as make recommendations to help increase form submissions and find opportunities to get additional first-party data that could contribute to personalization efforts.
• Analytics, tracking, and reporting:
  • Monitor and analyze website performance using tools like Google Analytics, and use data-driven insights to inform content decisions and improve user experience.
  • Track KPIs related to content effectiveness, website traffic, and conversion rates, reporting progress to leadership.
  • Implement/monitor UTMs team-wide to track effectiveness of campaign traffic to the website.
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration:
  • Work closely with admissions, institutional advancement, and other departments to ensure content meets their needs and reflects Earlham College’s values and voice.
  • Provide training and guidance to campus partners on best practices for web content creation and maintenance.
• Brand stewardship:
  • Uphold and evolve the College’s voice, brand, and digital identity across all web content.
  • Ensure consistency in messaging, tone, and style, working with the broader marketing and communications team.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience:
  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, English, digital media, or a related field.
  • Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in web content management, digital marketing, or a related field, preferably in higher education or nonprofit settings.
• Technical Skills:
  • Proficiency in content management systems (CMS), especially WordPress or similar platforms.
  • Proficiency with web analytics and keyword research tools (Google Analytics, SEMrush, AHREFs, etc.) and SEO best practices.
  • Familiarity with, preferably proficiency in, A/B testing and personalization.
  • Basic understanding of HTML/CSS for content formatting and editing.
  • Knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG, ADA compliance).
  • Familiarity, preferably experience, with Figma, Adobe XD or similar design/prototyping tools
• Content Strategy & Writing Skills:
  • Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a keen eye for detail.
  • Ability to craft compelling, on-brand messaging for diverse audiences.
  • Experience developing and executing content strategies that drive engagement and conversion.
• Collaboration and Communication:
  • Build and maintain a collaborative relationship with key members of the Admissions and Institutional Advancement teams and the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications to identify opportunities to increase conversions and yield on the website in support of new and existing recruitment efforts.
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high quality and attention to detail.
• Creative Thinking:
  • A creative mindset with the ability to think strategically and innovate within a higher education setting.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and an adaptable approach to challenges.

Benefits Working at Earlham:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance*
• Company paid Long-Term Disability after 1 year of full-time service*
• Basic and Voluntary Life insurance*
• Employee Assistance Program*
• Campus Store Discount
• Free ticket vouchers for Richmond Symphony Orchestra
• Wellness Center Free Membership or Discount for eligible employees
• Athletic Games-Free entry to all home games
• Free entry into most Theatre/Music shows
• Tuition Benefits for Immediate Family for eligible employees*
• 403(b) Retirement* – For eligible employees, Earlham will contribute a non-elective contribution equal to 5% of gross pay after 2 years of service. After 3 years of service, this non-elective contribution increases to 8%. Vesting credit is available for new employees with previous service in the education sector with required documentation.
• Many Wayne County Chamber of Commerce member businesses offer discounts to anyone with an Earlham ID

*All employee benefit offerings are subject to employee eligibility per plan documents.

The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

To Apply

• Please submit the following application materials through our  Earlham Careers Portal
• Cover letter
• Resume
• List of Three References with Contact Information

Earlham College is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or religion in its employment policies. In addition, Earlham explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, in accordance with Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, and other applicable state and federal laws. As an institution with a Quaker identity, Earlham encourages applications from members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Earlham's Work Authorization Policy

Earlham utilizes E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility for all newly hired employees within the United States.