Marketing Writer

The University of Iowa’s Office of Strategic Communication is seeking a Senior Marketing Writer to shape a clear, consistent brand voice that turns interest into action for students and families.

You’ll join a cross-disciplinary creative team that experiments, iterates, and consistently pushes the boundaries of higher ed marketing. From sharpening our voice to crafting clear calls to action, you’ll guide audiences through every stage of their journey across web, email, video, and print.

There is an expectation that the person in this position will maintain effective, civil, and respectful working relationships with the University of Iowa campus community and uphold the University’s commitment to creating welcoming and respectful environments for all.

This position is eligible for hybrid work (combination of on campus and remote) within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually, and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location. 

Job Duties and Tasks

• Develop, refine, and steward brand voice principles and guidelines to ensure consistency across channels and audiences.
• Serve as the primary writer for uiowa.edu, planning, writing, and maintaining content within the CMS that meets audience needs and advances engagement goals.
• Use the brand messaging framework to create audience-focused copy aligned to the buyer journey, with clear calls to action that move people to the next step.
• Distill web strategy insights into clear, SEO-aligned web page copy that reflects audience research and messaging priorities
• Write clear, persuasive copy for a range of marketing materials, including websites, landing pages, email campaigns, digital ads, videos, and print collateral.
• Plan and conduct audience interviews and translate the insights into clear, actionable messaging and copy.
• Source, validate, and integrate proof points (quotes, outcomes, data, rankings) to strengthen key messages and increase credibility.
• Collaborate with strategists, designers, developers, and other writers to plan and execute integrated marketing efforts that support recruitment, retention, and brand awareness.
• Lead or participate in trainings and workshops on brand voice, messaging application, web writing patterns, on-page SEO, and/or accessibility.Model and coach contributors on you-focused, benefit-first messaging and reinforce consistent use across deliverables.
• Model and coach contributors on you-focused, benefit-first messaging and reinforce consistent use across deliverables.
• Proofread and edit materials to ensure accuracy, clarity, grammar, and overall quality.
• Manage reviews and deadlines, incorporate feedback efficiently, and keep work moving to approval.

To obtain the full job description including key areas of responsibility, technical competencies, and desirable qualifications, please contact Adrian Cunningham at adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu.

Education or Equivalency Requirement

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, Communications, Advertising, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Qualifications

• 1-3 years of professional experience in marketing writing/brand messaging with measurable outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to use research, data, and performance metrics (SEO, analytics, A/B testing) to inform and strengthen copy.
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a strategic writer, representing a brand’s voice with authority, clarity, and consistency.
• Experience writing user-focused, action-oriented web copy that moves readers to the next step.
• Experience writing within structured website environments using templates, content models, content matrices, and typical navigation patterns to ensure clarity, consistency, and usability.
• Understanding of conversion paths and how different page types (informational, program, landing) support the user journey, with calls to action matched to each.
• Experience working directly in, or within the context of, a CMS such as WordPress or Drupal.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in cross-functional teams so content and design work together to create a seamless experience.
• Skilled at weaving in real-world examples, testimonials, and proof points to bring claims to life and build trust.
• Strong command of language and style, with the ability to balance brevity with necessary detail, self-edit with care, and proofread for accuracy.
• Applicants must include a link for an online portfolio that includes 8-12 samples that represent the quality, relevance, creativity and range of applicant’s work.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience planning and executing complex, large-scale website redesigns.
• Experience building and maintaining style guides and messaging toolkits that scale across teams.
• Experience implementing comprehensive content strategies and using content matrices for efficient, scalable content production.
• Ability to write and structure content to meet WCAG 2.1 AA across web pages and accessible PDFs.
• Experience providing trainings and workshops on brand voice, messaging application, web writing patterns, on-page SEO, and/or accessibility.
• Proven ability to navigate complex organizations, align stakeholders, secure decisions, and remove roadblocks to delivery.

Application Details

In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Link for an online portfolio including 8-12 samples

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. For questions, contact Adrian Cunningham at adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu.

Benefits Highlights

• Regular salaried position. Pay Level 4A. Located in Iowa City, Iowa.
• Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans.
• For more information about Why Iowa? Click here.

About Iowa

Joining the University of Iowa means becoming a vital part of the Hawkeye community, where your work directly impacts education, research, and student success. Enjoy exceptional health coverage, university-paid life insurance, robust retirement plans, and generous leave policies. Benefit from 24/7 support services, well-being resources, and access to UI Health Care specialists. Grow professionally with advanced training, leadership development, and tuition assistance. Iowa City offers a great quality of life with world-class performances at Hancher Auditorium, Big Ten athletics, top-ranked public schools, and outdoor recreation. Join us in making a difference at a leading Big Ten university and premier public research institution.