Summary of the Email Marketing Manager, Alumni Marketing job at Harvard University

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard Business School?

Harvard Business School, located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, was founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University. It is among the world's most trusted sources of management education and thought leadership. For more than a century, the School's faculty has combined a passion for teaching with rigorous research conducted alongside practitioners at world-leading organizations to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. Through a dynamic ecosystem of research, learning, and entrepreneurship that includes MBA, Doctoral, Executive Education, and Online programs, as well as numerous initiatives, centers, institutes, and labs, Harvard Business School fosters bold new ideas and collaborative learning networks that shape the future of business.

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Email Marketing Manager is a hands-on digital marketing professional responsible for producing, managing, reporting on, and improving alumni and donor-facing email and SMS communications. Reporting to the Assistant Director, Email Marketing, this position serves as the team's primary Salesforce Marketing Cloud subject matter expert and go-to resource, including Email Studio and Mobile Connect, for campaign production, automation, troubleshooting, audience segmentation, reporting, and platform best practices. The role also supports Cvent production, Workfront and calendar management, data-quality initiatives, basic Contentful updates, and cross-functional projects across Alumni Engagement and Development.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Email and SMS Production and Salesforce Marketing Cloud Support 

• Builds, tests, schedules, and deploys email campaigns for event invitations, newsletters, appeals, donor and stewardship communications, and other alumni-facing initiatives using Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email Studio and Cvent.
• Builds and manages SMS campaigns in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Mobile Connect, including audience selection, consent and opt-out requirements, message setup, testing, scheduling, deployment, and performance tracking.
• Serves as the team's go-to Salesforce Marketing Cloud resource across Email Studio and Mobile Connect, providing day-to-day guidance, troubleshooting issues, maintaining platform standards, and recommending improvements.
• Develops responsive HTML/CSS emails using personalization, dynamic content, reusable components, and variable data.
• Leads quality assurance and user acceptance testing for email and SMS communications, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, deliverability, tracking, and brand consistency.

Audience, Automation, and Data Management 

• Develops and maintains automated, triggered, recurring, and lifecycle communications supporting alumni engagement, events, fundraising, stewardship, and retention.
• Manages recurring programs such as donor acknowledgments, Investor Society and first-time donor welcome emails, and recurring gift reminders.
• Executes list pulls, audience segmentation, data extension management, suppression logic, and personalization; validates data and resolves issues with appropriate partners.
• Applies email subscription, SMS consent and opt-out, bounce management, privacy, and data integrity practices consistent with University policy and applicable requirements, including CAN-SPAM, TCPA, and GDPR.

Reporting, Testing, and Optimization 

• Pulls email metrics each week and prepares accurate data summaries for review by the Assistant Director, Email Marketing, using Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Cvent, Excel, and related analytics tools.
• Pulls and organizes event-registration data to support the Assistant Director and team in developing event promotion strategy.
• Checks campaign and registration data for completeness and flags notable changes, trends, or issues for further analysis by the Assistant Director, Email Marketing.
• Supports A/B test tracking and documentation and provides results for use in future campaign planning.

Project Coordination, Web Support, and Team Support 

• Manages assigned email projects from intake through completion, maintaining project setups, stakeholders, deadlines, approvals, dependencies, and status updates in Workfront.
• Partners with IT and the email team on the Workfront improvement project to strengthen intake, workflow, project tracking, and team adoption.
• Maintains the internal email calendar and provides calendar coverage when the Assistant Director, Email Marketing is unavailable.
• Partners with project managers and stakeholders to clarify requirements, anticipate risks, and deliver communications on schedule.
• Maintains templates, process documentation, checklists, and training resources that support consistency, cross-training, and business continuity.
• Provides basic web support and publishes or updates content in Contentful, coordinating with the web team on requests requiring additional development, design, or technical expertise.
• Stays current on marketing automation, email accessibility, deliverability, privacy, and analytics trends; contributes to team initiatives and performs other related duties as required.
• Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent is required.
• 5+ years of directly related and specific experience in email marketing, marketing automation, digital campaign management, or a related field, including experience managing email or web projects is required.
• Education beyond high school may count toward experience.
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) experience is a must.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Demonstrated hands-on experience building email campaigns, managing audiences and data, and producing performance reports in Salesforce Marketing Cloud or another enterprise marketing automation platform.
• Advanced hands-on experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email Studio required; experience with Mobile Connect and Cvent strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of HTML/CSS for email, responsive design, accessibility, deliverability, segmentation, dynamic content, personalization, cross-client rendering, and SMS consent practices.
• Experience using Contentful or a comparable content management system to publish and maintain web content preferred.
• Strong analytical, project management, organizational, and communication skills, including experience preparing accurate email and event-registration data summaries for internal review.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills and experience with Workfront or another cloud-based workflow system.
• Experience administering enterprise marketing automation platforms and supporting CRM integrations, system transitions, or data migrations preferred.
• Sound judgment, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while collaborating across technical, creative, data, and business teams.
• Experience in higher education, alumni engagement, fundraising, or another complex constituent-based organization preferred.

Additional Information

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week, overtime eligible position.
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity
• Other Information:
  • This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of remote and onsite work at our Boston, MA based campus. HBS expects all staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week and departments provide onsite coverage Monday – Friday. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs and are subject to change with appropriate advanced notice.
  • We may conduct candidate interviews virtually (phone and/or via Zoom) and/or in-person for this role.
  • A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity.

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Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 056. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.