Manager, Marketing & Communications

Pay Grade: 31E

Context Of Job

The Innovation Space is one of the nation’s leading and largest incubators and accelerators for life science, clean tech, and advanced materials startups in the physical sciences. With best-in-class lab space, collaborative office space and virtual programs accessible anywhere in the world, Innovation Space is supporting innovation on a global scale. Located on the historic Experimental Station campus in Wilmington, Delaware, The Innovation Space is comprised of 130,000 ft2 of state-of-the-art lab and office space with access to cutting edge equipment alongside a suite of entrepreneurship programs and opportunities supporting startup growth.

The Manager, Marketing & Communications will be seconded from the University of Delaware to the Innovation Space. The Manager - Marketing & Communications will receive overall strategic guidance from the President & CEO of the Innovation Space as well as administratively from the Research, Scholarship & Innovation office (particularly the Sr. Director for Research Communications) for UD-specific matters.

Under the direction of The Innovation Space’s Chief Growth Officer, the Manager, Marketing & Communications will collaboratively lead day-to-day initiatives related to marketing and communication. This role primarily reports to the Chief Growth Officer but involves work with agency partners and team members across the Innovation Space.

Major Responsibilities

• Design and implement marketing campaigns in alignment with The Innovation Space’s goals and marketing objectives across The Innovation Space's programs and offerings.
• Create and/or oversee the creation and distribution of engaging content that aligns with The Innovation Space’s mission and objectives across various platforms including The Innovation Space website, social media, and newsletters.
• Collaborate with public relations partner to support media relations, pitch stories to journalists, and coordinate press releases to build positive brand awareness.
• Monitor paid search campaigns via Google Ads, ensuring optimal performance in terms of traffic, conversions, and ROI.
• Implement recommendations from agency partner to improve organic search visibility through SEO best practices, including keyword research, on-page optimization, and content strategy development.
• Develop and maintain marketing funnel materials including landing pages, lead-gated content, and email nurture campaigns for lab space and programmatic offerings.
• Develop and maintain collateral including flyers, digital signage, and slide decks for multiple target audiences including startup founders, partners, and stakeholders
• Ensure all communications adhere to Innovation Space brand usage guidelines, messaging documents, and brand voice guidelines.
• Assist in budget development for marketing and communications efforts and provide projections and recommendations.
• Track, measure, analyze and report on effectiveness of marketing initiatives, recommending optimizations where needed.
• Stay up to date on industry trends, digital marketing tools, and best practices for web and social media management.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by Innovation Space leadership.
• May require occasional evening and/or weekend hours and travel up to 25% of time
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications or Marketing or related field and five years of experience in digital advertising, collateral development, storytelling, media relations, and other related domains.
• An enthusiasm for learning, an understanding of the innovation process, and an interest in science-based startups.
• Proven experience in creating and managing content for digital channels, including websites, social media, and email campaigns, to effectively target and convert key audiences.
• Demonstrable expertise in digital marketing strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and email marketing.
• Proficiency in utilizing marketing automation platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce, or Marketo) and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) to measure campaign performance, optimize engagement, and drive data-informed decision-making.
• Exceptional project management skills with the ability to simultaneously move multiple projects forward and meet deadlines
• Excellent writing, communication, and organizational skills with particular attention to detail.
• Ability to think creatively and innovatively and advance ideas from concept to implementation
• Analytical skills to forecast and identify trends and challenges
• Ability to work independently and within a team, anticipate issues and needs, and proactively seek resolutions while being resourceful.
• Familiarity with Wordpress and basic web coding experience are a plus.