Marketing Associate

Marketing Associate

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid: 2+ days/week in office, North Chicago area)

Reports To: Chief Revenue Officer

Type: Full-Time Individual Contributor

Compensation: $56,500-$90,000 + performance-based bonus

Who We Are:

Human Capital Research Corporation (HCRC) is a leading provider of analytic services and strategic insights that help colleges and universities improve institutional effectiveness and student success. HCRC partners with institutions to assess market potential, inform program development, optimize pricing and financial aid, and evaluate academic and administrative performance. Our solutions are deeply data-driven and help universities make evidence-based decisions that advance access, equity, and outcomes.
About the Role:

We're hiring a Marketing Associate to join our Demand Generation team. This entry-level position is ideal for a driven and creative early-career marketer who wants to be "close to the action" and take ownership of impactful campaigns from day one.

This is a B2U (Business-to-University) role-focused on marketing to higher education institutions and their leadership, not consumers. You'll help craft and execute multi-channel marketing efforts that reach university decision-makers through email, social media, digital campaigns, webinars, and more. You'll work closely with Sales, Client Services, and senior leadership, gaining mentorship and real-world experience while learning how to drive results in a mission-aligned environment.
Key Responsibilities:

• Create campaign assets and content (email copy, landing pages, social posts, event promos, etc.) tailored to specific personas within higher education.
• Coordinate and execute multi-channel marketing campaigns, including email, social, digital advertising, events, and webinars.
• Support persona-based and account-based marketing (ABM) efforts, including customized nurture sequences for key accounts.
• Manage and publish to social media channels (LinkedIn primarily) to promote thought leadership, brand awareness, and campaign amplification.
• Track campaign performance and marketing KPIs using Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Google Analytics, and other platforms.
• Assist in managing marketing tech systems, ensuring campaigns are properly launched, tracked, and optimized.
• Collaborate with Sales and Revenue Operations to align marketing activities with pipeline goals and client outreach strategies.
• Research and segment audiences, helping to refine target personas and messaging for various stages of the university partner journey.
• Bring creative energy and curiosity, contributing ideas that keep our marketing fresh, relevant, and ahead of the curve.

Who You Are:

• Excellent writer and communicator-you can write clear, compelling copy across formats and channels.
• Tech-savvy and data-aware-you have experience (or strong interest) in marketing automation tools like Salesforce Marketing Cloud and analytics platforms.
• Social media literate-you understand how to engage professional audiences on platforms like LinkedIn.
• Familiar with B2B/B2U marketing-ideally with exposure to nurture campaigns, account-based marketing, or persona-driven messaging.
• Self-starter with drive-you take initiative, welcome coaching, and are excited to grow in your career.
• Organized and execution-focused-you're able to manage timelines, prioritize tasks, and deliver high-quality work under deadlines.
• Collaborative and curious-you enjoy working with others and asking good questions to get better outcomes.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field.
• 0-3 years of relevant experience, including internships or graduate-level work.
• Experience with marketing automation and CRM systems (Salesforce preferred).
• Familiarity with social media tools, digital advertising, and content creation.
• Strong interest in working in the higher education space or other mission-driven industries.
• Comfortable working in Microsoft-based environments (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, etc.).

Why Join Us?

• Accelerate your growth-this role offers real responsibility, exposure to executive leadership, and ongoing mentorship.
• Contribute to a mission-your work supports colleges and universities in reaching and serving more students.
• Be part of a high-growth startup-we move fast, think big, and value your ideas.
• Enjoy hybrid flexibility-work from our North Chicago office 2+ days/week while enjoying some remote flexibility.
• Thrive in a values-driven culture-we believe in integrity, curiosity, partnership, and making a difference.

HCRC is an equal opportunity employer.