Director of Digital and Creative Strategy

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Director of Digital and Creative Strategy

Job Profile Title

Director B, Business and Finance, Communications and Marketing

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Marketing and Communications, the Director of Digital and Creative Strategy at Penn Dental Medicine will serve as a senior-level role that blends creative talent with digital strategy, web architecture, technical implementation, and data-driven communications. Penn Dental Medicine seeks a visionary and technically adept individual who will be responsible for elevating Penn Dental Medicine's visual brand identity across all platforms, publications, practices, and divisions — ensuring a cohesive, compelling, and consistent look and feel that reflects the institution's excellence.
This role requires exceptional judgment, strategic thinking, collaboration, and the ability to manage complex initiatives and functions in a fast-paced academic environment.

Job Description

Brand Leadership & Visual Identity

• Leads the development, governance, and evolution of Penn Dental Medicine's visual brand, ensuring adherence to the University of Pennsylvania's brand guidelines, while developing a distinct aesthetic for Penn Dental Medicine ensuring a cohesive brand experience across a complex portfolio of audiences and channels.
• Establish a clear, consistent visual identity system across all assets produced by and for Penn Dental Medicine.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive brand standards guide specific to Penn Dental Medicine's communications ecosystem.
• Lead all creative development for high profile and milestone celebration(s), including branding, environmental, digital and print materials.

Penn Dental Medicine Journal

• Oversee design and art direction for the Penn Dental Medicine Journal, a high-profile print publication produced twice annually.

Web development, strategy, and design

• Lead the digital and visual strategy for Penn Dental Medicine's web properties. Ensure websites and digital platforms support institutional, academic, research, clinical, admissions, advancement, and reputational objectives.
• Build, maintain, and optimize web properties using Drupal and WordPress (and other open-source CMS platforms as needed).
• Apply strong UI/UX principles to all digital properties to ensure accessibility, usability, and visual consistency.
• Partner with IT and web development staff on technical implementation and site governance.

Digital Communications

• Leverage Salesforce and related marketing cloud tools to support data-driven communications strategies, audience segmentation, and campaign tracking.
• Utilize Slate (Technolutions) to support strategic marketing and communications.

Partnerships

• Serve as Penn Dental Medicine's lead creative representative in cross-university creative and communications networks.
• Collaborate actively with creative directors, designers, and communication leaders across Penn's schools and centers to share best practices and pursue collaborative opportunities.

Project Management and Data Analysis

• Manage multiple concurrent design projects from concept through final delivery, maintaining high standards of quality and consistency.
• Develop and manage creative briefs, project timelines, and stakeholder review processes.
• Use web analytics, audience insights, user behavior, and performance data to evaluate digital experiences and inform ongoing improvements to content, design, navigation and engagement.

Other duties as assigned

• Provide and maintain expertise in innovative solutions focused on the responsible stewardship of Penn Dental Medicine and its community experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5 to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required
• Strategist with flexibility and adaptability with high technical aptitude preferred

• Expert proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat) for both print and digital deliverables
• Demonstrated experience with web design and technical requirements using Drupal and/or WordPress
• Demonstrated technical fluency to work with developers, IT teams, and external technology partners, including working knowledge of HTML, CSS and responsive design principles
• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1) and inclusive design practices
• Experience with Salesforce (Marketing Cloud or equivalent) and/or Slate for digital communications, audience management, and campaign deployment
• Proven ability to manage large-scale, multi-channel creative campaigns from strategy through execution
• Strong portfolio demonstrating range across print, digital, web, environmental, and brand identity work
• Deep understanding of and experience with institutional brand standards and visual identity systems
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; ability to lead creative conversations with senior stakeholders

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Application requirements

Resume and cover letter

A portfolio submission demonstrating excellence in print, digital, and environmental design

Department / School

School of Dental Medicine

Pay Range

$92,592.00 - $105,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

About Us

The University of Pennsylvania’s special character is reflected in the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community and help create an educational and working environment that best supports the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship. The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.