The Tombras Touchpoints Program Manager provides operational and program leadership for the Tombras School’s engagement, outreach, and special programs. Working closely with the Charles Tombras Sr. Endowed Professor and the school director, this position develops and implements initiatives that advance the school’s strategic goals, strengthen relationships with internal and external stakeholders, support student success and professional development, enhance recruitment and brand visibility, and assist with academic operations.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree (Any Field. Preferred: Advertising, Public Relations, or Closely Related Field.)

Experience: 4 years of experience executing programs or projects.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Strong oral and written communications skills, including editing and writing experience across long- and short-form print, web, video, or social media pieces and platforms.

• Exceptional organization skills and demonstrated ability to manage a series of projects concurrently.

• Strong knowledge of the academic and applied fields of advertising and public relations.

• Ability to work with diverse audiences.

• Excellent time management skills.

• Advanced knowledge of industry-standard publishing tools including Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Dreamweaver, Microsoft Office suite, WordPress, etc.

• Ability to direct vendors, including printers, writers, photographers, media buyers, and multi-media teams.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Master’s Degree

Experience: 6 years of experience executing programs or projects in a higher education setting. Relevant experience in multiple specialty areas, such as event planning, design, copywriting, social media strategy, or media planning.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Expertise in multiple specialty communications areas (design, writing, media relations, marketing, communications strategy, etc.).

• Ability communicating and marketing initiatives at an institution of higher education, government agency, or company.

• Evidence of strategic visioning to reach and engage diverse populations.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

UT market range: MR 11

• Anticipated hiring range: $65,000 - $68,000

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Community Engagement & Outreach

• In collaboration with the Tombras Endowed Professor, develop new outreach and engagement initiatives and implement existing programs that support the school’s strategic goals.

• Lead execution of the Tombras Touchpoints Strategy, ensuring alignment with goals for prospective, undergraduate, and graduate student engagement.

• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to expand the Tombras School’s visibility, partnerships, and impact.

• Prepare and submit nominations and applications for internal and external awards and recognitions. This includes identifying relevant award opportunities both in industry and academia, collecting relevant information, and compiling the application packets in compliance with award criteria.

• Provide operational leadership for the Tombras School summer program, The Content Creator's Toolkit, including recruitment, space coordination, and supervision of student assistants.

• Liaise with CCI’s Communication and Marketing team to ensure branding, messaging, and communication strategies are implemented consistently in the school. This includes preparing marketing materials, submitting marketing requests, meeting with the appropriate team members to discuss program needs, and serving as the point person for school faculty and staff for branding questions.

• Plan and execute Tombras School visits, tours, and participation in school fairs; represent the school directly or arrange for appropriate faculty, staff, or student representation at external fairs and events.

• Represent the school at university and community events, including open houses, fairs, and other outreach activities.

• Prepare and deliver presentations about the Tombras School and Tombras Touchpoints initiatives to a variety of audiences.

• Track, collect, prepare, and analyze assessment and evaluation data for outreach and engagement programs, making improvement recommendations to the Tombras Endowed Professor and Director of the Tombras School.

• Drive broader college outreach and engagement initiatives by aligning school-level efforts with the CCI Director of Access and Engagement.

• Manage large-scale school events such as the annual showcase and speaker series.

• Drive execution of the purpose project by monitoring deliverables, tracking timeline milestones, and providing progress updates to key stakeholders.

• Partners with faculty to research, design, develop, and evaluate training, workshops and other learning opportunities for students and community partners.

• Create learning activities and content to support outreach and engagement initiatives.

Student Success

• Manage the Tombras School Ambassadors program, including recruitment, training, scheduling, and supervision of student ambassadors.

• Manage the Tombras Talks workshop series, including planning, coordination, and execution.

• Coordinate with CCI’s Office for Academic Affairs and Student Success to ensure Tombras students are informed about and connected to available college- and university-level opportunities and resources.

• Plan and deliver additional professional development opportunities for students.

• Communicate with student support resources and professional development opportunities to faculty.

Academic Program Support

• Supervise the Academic program coordinator in their assessment and event planning responsibilities.

• Co-chair of the school’s access and engagement committee.

• Serve on the college’s access and engagement committee and on university-related committees as needed.

• Assist the director and the school’s assessment and curriculum in collecting assessment data and documentation for program reviews, evaluations, and catalog updates.

• Support the director in providing learning and development opportunities for faculty, especially as relates to industry changes and institutional policies and standards.