Communications Specialist

Founded in 1965,
UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs.

It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

The UC Irvine Human Resources (HR) enterprise is comprised of three unique business units:
Campus, Health, and Health Sciences. HR's vision is to empower people to drive a culture of innovation, learning, and service that enables the success of individuals within the UCI community and those who aspire to join.

https://hr.uci.edu/

Under the general direction of the Senior Director for Communications & Special Events, the Communications Specialist independently oversees comprehensive communications strategies and programs for UC Irvine Human Resources. The role is both hands-on and strategic, requiring a wide variety of communications media, including written, visual, digital, and electronic, and associated technical applications. The incumbent works with management to develop and execute organizational communication and market branding strategy for a highly visible program, and works closely with stakeholders to understand their business, diagnose communication challenges and opportunities, and define holistic campaigns that accomplish strategic objectives.

On a hands-on basis, the Communications Specialist independently authors and edits organizational messages and communications, produces and distributes enterprise-wide communications through Zot Mail, UC Irvine's institutional communication platform, and designs and formats newsletters and other publications for internal and external audiences. The incumbent applies graphic design skills to develop visually compelling materials that align with UC Irvine's brand standards and HR's communication objectives.

At the project and program level, the Communications Specialist oversees the work of external contractors and vendors, ensuring deliverables meet quality standards, timelines, and strategic goals. This role serves as a trusted partner and subject matter expert, working closely with HR leadership, management, and key stakeholders across the institution to understand business needs, diagnose communication challenges and opportunities, and crystallize clear, compelling key messages.

The incumbent leads the design and execution of holistic, integrated communication campaigns spanning written, visual, digital, and electronic media to advance the department's strategic objectives.

The Communications Specialist partners with management to develop and execute organizational communication and market branding strategies for a highly visible program, ensuring consistent, cohesive, and impactful messaging across all channels and audiences. This position requires a high degree of independent judgment, creativity, and initiative, balancing direct production responsibilities with strategic oversight to support UC Irvine Human Resources' mission and goals.

The incumbent also plays a key role in co-producing major tentpole events in partnership with the Senior Director, including the annual UC Irvine Service Awards held every June, as well as other events scheduled throughout the year. This requires close coordination, project management, and…