📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Marketing Specialist
🔹 Company: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
🔹 Location: Topeka, Kansas
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time, Hybrid (9+ days on-site per month)
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: April 3, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: Entry to 2 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site, Hybrid
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Supporting marketing teams in planning, coordinating, and executing marketing campaigns and programs
- Managing logistics, vendor coordination, and ensuring compliance with review processes
- Working 20% strategically and 80% transactionally
- Liaising with external vendors to ensure timely and accurate delivery of services and materials
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a balance of strategic planning and tactical execution, with a focus on supporting dedicated marketing teams.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Supports a Marketing Team by assisting with various tasks to ensure seamless operations and effective implementation of marketing strategies
✅ Analyzes information to measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts and provides insights for improvement
✅ Manages project timelines, milestones, deadlines, and deliverables, coordinating between different departments
✅ Communicates project status, timelines, and any changes or delays promptly and efficiently
✅ Maintains comprehensive records of project timelines, task lists, status updates, and communication logs
✅ Handles administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, managing marketing calendars, and maintaining marketing databases
✅ Coordinates with external vendors to ensure timely delivery and accurate payment
✅ Assists in organizing and coordinating events such as trade shows, product launches, and promotional events
✅ Ensures all marketing activities follow the review/approval process to comply with legal and regulatory requirements
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a mix of strategic planning, project management, and administrative tasks to support marketing teams and ensure campaign success.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field. OR 4+ years related Marketing/Business experience in lieu of bachelor’s degree.
Experience: Entry level to 2+ years business experience including marketing, advertising, product marketing, digital marketing, account-based marketing, sales and sales enablement or project management.
Required Skills:
- Marketing fundamentals
- Project management skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Proficiency in project management software and tools
- Analytical skills
- Organizational skills
- Time management skills
- Detail-oriented
- Coordination and collaboration skills
- Adaptability
- Dependability
Preferred Skills:
- Familiarity with marketing tools, software, and platforms
- Experience with CRM systems
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a strong foundation in marketing principles, excellent communication skills, and proven project management experience.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $30.11 - $35.80 hourly (Non-Exempt 14)
Benefits:
- Base pay is only one component of your competitive Total Rewards package
- Incentive pay program (EPIP)
- Health/Vision/Dental insurance
- 6 weeks paid parental leave for new mothers and fathers
- Fertility/Adoption assistance
- 2 weeks paid caregiver leave
- 5% 401(k) plan matching
- Tuition reimbursement
- Health & fitness benefits, discounts, and resources
Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is estimated based on industry standards for similar roles and may vary above or below the stated amounts.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Insurance, specifically health insurance
Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees
Founded: 1942, with headquarters in Topeka, Kansas
Company Description:
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) is the largest health insurer in the state of Kansas
- As a mutual insurance company, BCBSKS is owned by its policyholders and has a board of directors consisting of Kansans from different areas of the state
- BCBSKS is a financially secure, billion-dollar company that contributes to the Kansas economy through annual claims payments and taxes
Company Specialties:
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Life Insurance
Company Website: www.bcbsks.com
ASSUMPTION: BCBSKS is a well-established company in the health insurance industry, with a significant presence in Kansas.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Entry to mid-level marketing role
Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the dedicated marketing team (LOB)
Work Arrangement: Hybrid, with 9 or more days on-site per month
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential career growth within the marketing department or other departments within BCBSKS
- Opportunities to work on various marketing campaigns and programs, gaining diverse experience
- Possibility to take on more strategic roles as experience and skills develop
ASSUMPTION: This role offers opportunities for career growth and development within the marketing department and the broader organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid, with a mix of on-site and remote work
Office Location(s): Topeka, Kansas
Geographic Context:
- Topeka is the capital city of Kansas, with a population of approximately 130,000
- The city offers a mix of urban and rural environments, with a cost of living that is generally lower than the national average
- Topeka is home to several museums, parks, and cultural attractions, as well as a vibrant arts scene
Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, with flexible hours and remote work options
ASSUMPTION: Topeka offers a mix of urban and rural environments, with a lower cost of living and a variety of cultural attractions.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume submission
- Phone or video screening with the hiring manager
- In-person or virtual interview with the marketing team
- Final interview with the marketing director or another senior leader
- Background check and onboarding
Key Assessment Areas:
- Marketing knowledge and experience
- Project management skills
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Problem-solving and analytical skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with BCBSKS values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant marketing experience and skills
- Demonstrate your understanding of BCBSKS and the role in your cover letter
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that focus on your marketing experience and skills
- Research BCBSKS and the health insurance industry to show your enthusiasm and knowledge
ATS Keywords: Marketing Specialist, Marketing Campaigns, Project Management, Vendor Coordination, Marketing Compliance, Marketing Fundamentals, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Execution, Marketing Team Support
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is likely to involve multiple interviews and assessments to evaluate marketing knowledge, skills, and cultural fit.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Adobe Workfront
- Microsoft Office Suite
- CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot)
- Marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo, Pardot)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
ASSUMPTION: The Marketing Specialist will use a variety of tools and technologies to manage projects, coordinate with vendors, and ensure compliance with review processes.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Integrity
- Excellence
- Innovation
- Collaboration
- Accountability
Work Style:
- Team-oriented and collaborative
- Adaptable and flexible
- Results-driven and detail-oriented
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do your personal values align with BCBSKS's core values?
- Describe a time when you had to manage multiple projects simultaneously. How did you prioritize and ensure successful outcomes?
- How do you approach working with external vendors to ensure timely and accurate delivery of services and materials?
ASSUMPTION: BCBSKS values a strong cultural fit, with an emphasis on integrity, excellence, innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, with tight deadlines
- Coordinating with external vendors to ensure timely and accurate delivery of services and materials
- Ensuring all marketing activities follow the review/approval process to comply with legal and regulatory requirements
- Adapting to changes in market conditions, trends, and organizational priorities
- Working in a hybrid environment, balancing on-site and remote work
ASSUMPTION: This role may present challenges related to project management, vendor coordination, compliance, adaptability, and working in a hybrid environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Marketing Coordinator vs. Marketing Specialist: Marketing Coordinators typically have more administrative responsibilities, while Marketing Specialists focus on strategic planning and project management
- Marketing Specialist vs. Marketing Manager: Marketing Managers oversee marketing teams and strategies, while Marketing Specialists support these teams and execute campaigns and programs
- Career Path: Marketing Specialist → Marketing Manager → Marketing Director → Vice President of Marketing
ASSUMPTION: This role is similar to a Marketing Coordinator but with a stronger focus on project management and strategic planning. It is a stepping stone to more senior marketing roles.
📝 Sample Projects
- Planning and executing a multi-channel marketing campaign to launch a new health insurance product
- Managing the logistics of a large-scale event, such as a health fair or community outreach event
- Coordinating with external vendors to produce marketing materials, such as brochures, posters, and digital ads
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the range of responsibilities and tasks that a Marketing Specialist may encounter in this role.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the most pressing marketing challenges facing BCBSKS, and how does this role contribute to addressing them?
- How does this role collaborate with other marketing teams and departments within BCBSKS?
- What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within the marketing department and the broader organization?
- How does BCBSKS support work-life balance for its employees, particularly those in hybrid or remote roles?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions help applicants understand the role's responsibilities, priorities, and growth opportunities, as well as the company's culture and values.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant marketing experience and skills
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that focus on your marketing experience and skills
- Research BCBSKS and the health insurance industry to show your enthusiasm and knowledge
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
