Job Summary
Central Washington University is recruiting a Client Relations Management (CRM) Communications Coordinator to join our Marketing and Communications team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a competitive salary plus the awesome CWU benefits.
Who we are:
We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.
Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~8,300 students.
Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, for seven out of eight years, CWU was a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. RentCafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025.
Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.
Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A
What we offer:
Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator.
The Role:
The Client Relations Management (CRM) Communications Coordinator develops and implements communication plans within the Slate Client Relations Management (CRM) and other communications systems at Central Washington University (CWU), supporting graduate student recruitment and student success and retention initiatives. This position brings a cohesive structure and voice to communications within the CWU communications framework.
This position also supports the recruitment communications team as needed. This position develops strategic communication approaches in collaboration with campus partners to support graduate recruitment and student retention goals. It ensures communications are aligned with institutional priorities and support effective engagement of target audiences across communication platforms.
The CRM Communications Coordinator partners with academic and administrative departments to support communication needs and ensure alignment with institutional messaging, brand standards, and engagement strategies. This includes collaboration with the Office of Graduate Studies, Auxiliary Marketing, student services units, Academic Affairs, and other university stakeholders.
This role evaluates communication effectiveness through key performance indicators, monitors and optimizes campaign performance, and provides recommendations to improve future communication strategies. It also reports results to campus partners and Marketing and Communications leadership and supports ongoing benchmarking and review of best practices.
All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success and institutional excellence. The CRM Communications Coordinator supports this by promoting a welcoming and engaging experience for prospective students, families, and the current CWU community.
Job Duties
Communications Management:
- Develops marketing and communications plans for the Slate CRM and other communication platforms to communicate with prospective and current CWU students.
- Identifies specific audiences and key messaging for marketing campaigns.
- Builds and formats communications within communications platforms using the email builder and HTML templates.
- Consults with clients to build strategic communications plans, setting goals to support the overall recruiting and retention strategies of the university.
- Coordinates across academic and administrative departments to successfully achieve project goals.
- Assists in the production of print materials and campaigns, collaborating with the Creative Services team.
- Manages the daily project management needs and assigns tasks.
- Drafts marketing and communications content, including emails, digital, and print content.
- Communicates clearly and effectively with the Office of Graduate Studies, Auxiliary Marketing, Academic Affairs, student success departments, and other university partners to understand communications needs.
- Follows CWU brand standards and assists in developing a cohesive voice for the university within the brand standards.
- Partners with academic and administrative departments to support communication strategies and operational processes related to graduate recruitment and current student engagement, retention, and persistence initiatives.
Reporting and Analytics
- Measures project success and creates key performance indicator reports.
- Monitors and optimizes campaign performance to maximize communication plan success.
- Makes recommendations for future campaign modifications, to enhance campaign success.
- Reports regularly to the campus partners and Marketing and Communication leadership.
- Performs regular market research on best practices and benchmarking to ensure communication plans and practice are current and compete with industry partners.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- At least 4 years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, or a related field and/or a bachelor's degree in marketing, communications or related field.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Excellent attentiveness to details (proofreading, editing).
- Demonstrated ability and/or experience working with students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and experiences.
- OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in higher education.
- Experience using a CRM system and Structured Query Language (SQL) within a relational database.
- Experience with HTML formatting.
- Commitment to fostering a diverse, creative, and supportive learning environment.
- Experience with project management software.
- A record of promoting institutional excellence.
- Experience or interest in mentoring students from a variety of backgrounds.
Don't meet every single requirement? At CWU, we're committed to creating a welcoming and genuine workplace. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification, we still encourage you to apply. This could be the opportunity you're looking for!
Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule
Salary: The Hiring Department's expected hiring range is $54,000 - $65,000 annually. Individual placement within the hiring range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the full annual salary range for this position is $53,698 to $77,862.
Schedule/Appointment: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (1 hour lunch)
Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator.
An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.
How To Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the on-line application and attach:
- A detailed cover letter clearly demonstrating how your education and experience: (a) meet the required (and, as applicable, preferred) qualifications, and (b) demonstrate the ability to perform the responsibilities as described by the posting;
- Resume including work history, education, training; and
- Contact information for three professional references.
Screening Begins: June 17, 2026
**Priority will be given to applications received by the screening date. Incomplete applications may not be considered.
CWU is an EEO/AA/Title IX/Veteran/Disability Employer.