Communications Specialist

The Communications Specialist will serve as a member of the College's Office of Strategic Communications & Advancement (SCA) team and will report to the Director of Communications. This colleague will compose written content for newsletters, press releases, websites, social media channels, magazines, letters, memoranda, and various digital and print projects for internal and external audiences of the College of Letters & Science and its departments, programs, centers, and institutes, working with College and University colleagues, alumni, students, and the public.

The Communications Specialist will provide writing, interviewing, copy editing, fact-checking, and proofing support for strategic communications and advancement materials for the College and its units. This colleague will proactively identify and research new story and content ideas and package ideas into effective written and visual content for various College and unit platforms. This will require the Communications Specialist to interface with many College and University units and offices and to develop, cultivate, and maintain relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders in order to facilitate content generation.

Principal Duties:

90% Content Creation, Strategy, Messaging, and Positioning

• Compose written content for newsletters, press releases, websites, social media channels, magazines, letters, memoranda, and various digital and print projects for internal and external audiences of the College and its units.
• Work closely with the SCA team to proactively identify and research new story and content ideas.
• Plan, write, interview, edit, fact-check, and package ideas into effective written and visual content for various College and unit platforms.
• Effectively interface with colleagues in many University and College units, alumni, students, and constituents in order to develop, cultivate, and maintain relationships that facilitate content generation.
• Analyze and refine processes in order to achieve continuous improvement.

10% Other Related Work

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Assistant Dean of Strategic Communications & Advancement and the Director of Communications.

• A bachelor's degree is required in journalism, English, communications, or a related field.  
• A minimum of three years of professional experience as a content creator is required.

Preferred Requirements:

• A passion for storytelling driven by the College's mission and goals.
• Expertise in writing, editing, fact checking, interviewing, and active listening skills, including the ability to adapt tone and style to different media channels and for different audiences.
• Experience executing communication plans and strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to develop strategy, messaging, and positioning for communications and advancement.
• Ability to handle multiple priorities, meet tight deadlines, take initiative, work independently, and self-start.
• Excellent ability to work as a positive, inspired, collaborative team member with colleagues in the University, College, and in the College's units.
• Ability to navigate a complex academic community, including the ability to build bridges and strong collaborative relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders to achieve objectives.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Knowledge of the purpose and mission of the College of Letters & Science.
• Commitment to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule to complete time-sensitive projects and to attend occasional evening and/or weekend events, as needed.
• Proficiency with MS Office.
• Proficiency with AP Style.