Staff Writer, Marketing and Communications: SC Johnson College of Business

Our College:

The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business is comprised of the university’s three accredited business schools, each of which is recognized as among the best in higher education: the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, and the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration. Our academic research; industry and community engagement; and undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs all reflect the future of business: flexible, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary. The college community includes nearly 250 research faculty, 46,000 alumni, and 3,300 undergraduate, professional, and graduate students. The SC Johnson College of Business has an unparalleled resource base from which to draw—within the college, Cornell Tech in New York City, and Cornell University broadly.

Our Team:

The Office of Marketing and Communications plays a strategic role in supporting the success of the college’s short-term and long-term goals for enrollment, alumni relations, philanthropy, brand visibility, and external reputation. Within our office, the communications team is a group of creative and strategy-oriented storytellers who enjoy working across all types of media and channels to showcase the very best of the college of business. We develop and execute messaging and content strategies that connect meaningfully across a broad range of internal and external audiences, including prospective and current students, alumni, and the media.

Cornell communicators share a mission to enhance and preserve the university’s brand and reputation as a top research institution and a leader in higher education, and to support and promote critical programs that serve the university’s teaching, research and public engagement mission. Communication services are carried out through a matrixed organizational system in which University Relations houses the departments of News (Cornell Chronicle), Media Relations (pitching and servicing media requests), Brand (Cornell.edu, multimedia production), Strategic Communications (communications plans, key messaging, campus statements, social media management), and Cornellians (digital alumni publication). Communicators in colleges, schools, and units regularly collaborate with, and consult, University Relations departments. University Relations serves as a partner and resource for all unit communicators.

   

The Staff Writer Opportunity:

Reporting to the Associate Director of Communications, the Staff Writer is a contributing member of the Communications team within Marketing and Communications. This versatile and collaborative writer works closely with teams across the department—including content development, brand visuals, web experience, and marketing—as well as with stakeholders throughout the College of Business and University Relations.

The Staff Writer is a versatile writer responsible for creating messaging that enhances the SC Johnson College of Business brand. They are creative and develop story ideas into written drafts deftly and quickly. The writer should be able to translate complex and academic information into written work that is easily understood by the general public and others in the field. They will develop compelling content for a variety of college-wide internal and external purposes, including news articles, web copy, new and traditional media content and support, special projects, recruitment campaigns and other materials.

The Staff Writer contributes to and supports the following activities:

• Draft compelling stories, articles, copy, and press releases that effectively engage diverse audiences and support university-wide and college-specific strategies.
• Translate complex or technical subject matter into clear, engaging, and accessible written content.
• Conduct interviews and perform research to develop accurate and insightful stories.
• Create content in a variety of formats (e.g., feature articles, newsletters, brochures, web copy) for internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with college and university partners to establish, meet, and review content objectives and expectations.
• Adhere to university branding and editorial guidelines; observe copyright and fair use practices.
• Coordinate with freelance writers and editors when necessary.

The Staff Writer also contributes across the department and may:

• Develop advertising and recruitment copy, including headlines, website text, and event-related materials.
• Assist with media relations by drafting press releases and working with Central Media Relations.
• Contribute written content to marketing and special projects.
• Provide writing assistance for other departmental needs as assigned.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and 2-4 years of relevant experience in journalism, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• The individual should be a detail-oriented, talented writer/editor who can work on deadline while managing multiple projects.
• Excellent written communication, editorial, and research skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Creative problem-solving skills; be agile and adaptable to changing situations.
• Experience modeling values that support inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Experience working in an academic or media environment.
• Experience with WordPress.
• Familiarity with SEO-focused writing and content optimization tools.
• Ability to build positive relationships with a wide variety of individuals within the college, university and within the college stakeholder community.
• Ability to work with supervision and use sound judgment in decision making, including setting and managing priorities and meeting competing deadlines.
• Some travel may be required for face-to-face meetings, interviews or industry events, estimated to be 5% of time or less.

Rewards & Benefits at Cornell:

This is a full-time position based in Ithaca, NY, and is eligible for benefits. When applying, please include a cover letter with your application. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Cornell has been nationally recognized as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives. Cornell’s key benefits include:

• Health Care – Several excellent plan options for medical, dental, prescription drug, and vision care coverage.
• Generous Paid Time Off & Leave Provisions– This includes vacation time, health and personal time, holidays, and parental leave among others.
• Retirement Plans – Employees are eligible for the 403(b) Cornell University Retirement Plan (CURP) which offers superior retirement savings benefits.
• Education – Options include the Employee Degree Program, taking classes to enrich your career skills, New York’s 529 College Savings Program, and Cornell Children’s Tuition Scholarship.

To explore the full range of Cornell Employee Benefits further, please see Cornell Benefits.

   

University Job Title:

Staff Writer I

Job Family:

Communications/Marketing

Level:

E

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$65,447.00 - $75,632.00

Remote Option Availability:

Onsite

Company:

Endowed

Contact Name:

Theresa Lynch

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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2025-08-16