OverviewStudent Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) is a national nonprofit working to ensure that every college student can access the resources they need to succeed. We partner with colleges and student leaders across the country to connect students to public benefits like SNAP and Medicaid, strengthen campus systems for basic needs support, and advocate for policies that improve college affordability.SBNC combines student leadership, research, and technology to reduce barriers to accessing benefits. Our platform Navvy helps colleges identify students eligible for benefits and connect them to application support. Through peer navigator programs and national partnerships, SBNC has helped unlock millions of dollars in food assistance for students nationwide.As SBNC expands its national reach and technology platform, we are seeking a Head of Marketing to build and lead the organization’s marketing strategy. SBNC has never had a dedicated marketing function. This role will build the organization’s marketing strategy, systems, and growth channels from the ground up. The Head of Marketing will operate as a one person marketing team, responsible for identifying the most effective channels to reach students, colleges, and partners—and building the campaigns, content, and systems needed to scale awareness and adoption of SBNC’s tools and programs. The right candidate will be comfortable moving between big-picture strategy and hands-on execution, from designing SEO strategies to launching email campaigns and publishing content. This position reports to the Executive Director and works closely with SBNC’s product, research, and program teams.Top-Line OutcomeThe Head of Marketing will design and execute a marketing strategy that:Increases the number of students completing benefits screeners and accessing public benefits through SBNC’s toolsExpands adoption of Navvy among colleges and partner organizationsEstablishes SBNC as a leading national voice on student basic needs and public benefits accessThis role will translate complex topics including higher education systems, public benefits policy, and technology products into clear and compelling messaging for multiple audiences.Core Responsibilities1 Marketing Strategy and GrowthBuild SBNC’s marketing strategy from the ground up and identify the most effective channels to reach students, campuses, and national partners.Responsibilities include:Designing SBNC’s overall marketing and growth strategyIdentifying priority audiences and messaging strategies across students, campus administrators, funders, and policymakersBuilding marketing systems that can scale as SBNC grows including campaign planning, analytics, and content pipelinesCollaborating with product and research teams to align marketing efforts with Navvy’s growth and program expansionDeveloping measurable goals for marketing performance and tracking results over time2 SEO AEO and Website StrategyLead SBNC’s search strategy to expand awareness of student benefits and drive engagement with SBNC’s digital tools.Responsibilities include:Building and executing SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) strategies across SBNC’s websitesMaintaining and improving performance for sites such as CollegeSNAPProject.org, CollegeMedicaid.org, and StudentSNAPStories.orgUsing analytics and search insights to increase the number of students completing the benefits screener through these sitesManaging website content updates related to research findings, program launches, and student resourcesLeading a rewrite of SBNC’s main website to reflect the organization’s evolving strategy and technology workThese sites currently generate 100+ daily benefits screener submissions, and this role will focus on expanding that reach.3 Email Social and Campaign MarketingDevelop and execute campaigns that engage students, campus partners, and the broader higher education ecosystem.Responsibilities include:Creating and managing email campaigns for multiple audiences including campus partners and studentsDeveloping campaigns that support student follow-through on benefit applications and program engagementCreating social media content particularly LinkedIn to amplify SBNC’s work and research insightsSupporting the Executive Director’s public presence through content development and strategic messagingUsing engagement data to refine messaging and campaign performance4 Thought Leadership and Public NarrativePosition SBNC as a leading voice on student basic needs, public benefits access, and college affordability.Translating research findings, product insights, and student experiences into compelling public narrativesSupporting the development of op-eds, media commentary, and thought leadership contentIdentifying opportunities to contribute to conversations across higher education, technology, and public policy sectorsAmplifying student experiences navigating public benefits systems5 Marketing Analytics and Performance MeasurementEnsure that SBNC’s marketing strategy is data-driven and continuously improving.Defining key performance metrics across SBNC’s marketing funnel, from search traffic to benefits screener completion and program engagementWorking with SBNC’s Operations Manager and Data Evaluation team to build dashboards that track marketing performance across channelsUsing analytics to identify high-performing content, campaigns, and search strategiesRunning experiments to improve conversion rates across websites, email campaigns, and student engagement toolsUsing data to inform messaging, campaign strategy, and channel prioritizationQualificationsWe are looking for a marketing leader who can design strategy and execute it directly in a startup-style environment. Ideal candidates will have:10+ years of experience in marketing, communications, journalism, or a related fieldDemonstrated experience building marketing strategies from scratch and executing themProven experience developing SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) strategiesExperience creating email and social media campaigns for multiple audiencesExceptional writing skills and the ability to translate complex topics into content that drives engagement and actionExperience translating complex topics—particularly in higher education, technology, or public policy—into accessible messagingExperience using analytics tools (Google Analytics, Search Console, marketing dashboards, or similar) to track campaign performance and inform strategyComfort working in a fast-paced startup environment where the marketing function is being built from the ground upExperience with any of the following is particularly valuable:Higher education marketing or communicationsTechnology or AI product marketingPublic policy or economic mobility organizationsMedia outreach or op-ed placementGrowth marketing or analyticsThe ideal candidate enjoys building marketing systems from scratch, experimenting with different channels, and using data to refine strategy over time.BenefitsFlexible paid time off PTO5 weeks of company closuresOne week company wide closure in MarchOne week company wide closure in JulyOne week company wide closure in NovemberTwo weeks company wide closure in DecemberAdditional holidays401K retirement planDependent Care Flexible Spending Account DCFSAUnited Healthcare health insurance100% employee coverage50% employee coverageFully remote and flexible work environmentWhy This Role MattersMillions of college students are eligible for public benefits but never receive them due to lack of awareness and complex application processes.SBNC is working to change that by combining student leadership, research, and technology to build systems that connect students to the resources they need.The Head of Marketing will play a critical role in ensuring that the insights, tools, and solutions emerging from this work reach the students, campuses, and partners who need them most.
