HWS Store Student Vice President of Marketing

Position Title: HWS Store Student Vice President of Marketing 

Semester/Year: 2026 Fall Semester

Total Positions Available: 1

Supervisor: Kristen Tapscott

Pay rate: $16

Hours per week: 20

Start Date: August 31, 2026

End Date: December 11, 2026

Summary

Under the general guidance of the Director of the College Store and Store Experience and in partnership with the Student Chief Executive Officer (Student CEO), the Student Vice President of Marketing serves as the student leader responsible for developing and implementing marketing and promotional strategies for the College Store.

The Student Vice President of Marketing supports the visibility, branding, and engagement of the College Store across campus through social media management, promotional campaigns, and student outreach. This role works to increase awareness of store merchandise, events, and services while ensuring the College Store reflects the interests and spirit of the Hobart and William Smith student community.

This position provides hands-on leadership experience in marketing strategy, digital communications, brand development, and retail promotion within a student-powered campus retail environment.

Qualifications

• Current Hobart and William Smith student in good academic standing.
• Strong interest in marketing, communications, business, media, entrepreneurship, or a related field.
• Demonstrated creativity and ability to develop engaging promotional content.
• Strong organizational, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to balance leadership responsibilities with academic commitments.
• Experience using social media platforms for communication or promotion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with social media content creation, digital marketing, or brand promotion.
• Interest in retail marketing, consumer behavior, or campus brand engagement.
• Experience working on collaborative student projects, marketing initiatives, or campus programming.
• Ability to analyze engagement data and use insights to improve marketing efforts.
• Interest in developing innovative ideas that enhance the College Store experience for the HWS community.

Responsibilities

Marketing Strategy, Promotion, and Student Engagement (70%)

• Develops and implements student-focused marketing campaigns that promote College Store merchandise, sales, and events.
• Manages the College Store’s social media presence by creating engaging content, maintaining a consistent posting schedule, and highlighting new products, promotions, and campus collaborations.
• Collaborates with the Student CEO and College Store leadership to align marketing initiatives with store priorities, seasonal promotions, and merchandising efforts.
• Coordinates promotional efforts for special events including pop-up retail opportunities, Orientation activities, Homecoming, and other major campus programs.
• Supports the development of in-store promotional materials and visual displays that enhance the store environment and encourage customer engagement.
• Serves as a visible ambassador for the College Store by engaging with student organizations, campus partners, and the broader HWS community.
• Gathers student feedback regarding merchandise preferences, pricing, and store experience to inform marketing strategies and product promotion.
• Leads or contributes to student-driven marketing initiatives including brand campaigns, merchandise launches, and campus engagement strategies.
• Coordinates outreach efforts that highlight student-designed merchandise, collaborations with campus groups, and partnerships with local makers.
• Participates in general responsibilities around the store as needed, such as inventorying, assisting with sales, and ensuring upkeep of the store.

Marketing Analytics and Strategic Initiatives (30%)

• Monitors social media engagement and marketing performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of promotional campaigns.
• Assists in analyzing store traffic, promotional outcomes, and engagement data to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Provides recommendations to the Student CEO and College Store leadership on marketing strategies that increase student awareness and participation.
• Supports the development of marketing initiatives designed to strengthen the identity and visibility of the College Store across campus.
• Participates in brainstorming and planning sessions related to new promotional ideas, product launches, and experiential retail opportunities.

Minimum Required Knowledge

• Knowledge of social media platforms, digital marketing practices, and student engagement strategies.
• Familiarity with marketing communication techniques including content creation, promotional messaging, and brand storytelling.
• Ability to collaborate with student leaders and campus partners to support marketing initiatives and outreach efforts.

Compensation includes the hourly student wage plus academic credit in coordination with Business Management faculty. Depending on the commitment of hours, the student can elect either:

• INT 199 (.5 credit) for 120 hours or less, with no essay required.

      Or

• INT 299 (1 credit) for 240 hours or less, with an academic essay and presentation required at the end of the experience

Students hired into on-campus jobs must complete federal employment paperwork, including the Form I9. Students must present original documents indicating they are eligible to work in the U.S. Photocopies of documents cannot be accepted. Students should ensure they have their documents on campus or have a plan to get their documents to campus if they are hired to work on campus.