Communications Specialist

Job Description Summary

Reporting directly to the AVP of Strategic Marketing and Communications, the Communications Specialist serves as primary writer and editor for internal and external communications including press releases, newsletters, news stories, social media content, and event calendars to raise awareness of the university to internal campus community, regional audiences, and local media. This role writes, edits, and distributes campus community announcements, including the alumni magazine (Voice), campus community updates, and social media content.

The Communications Specialist prepares background materials for university spokespeople and pitches faculty as experts to media outlets at the local, regional, and national levels to support reputational branding efforts. Additionally, the Communications Specialist manages and updates the faculty experts guides, media lists, and media placement reports.

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 5 years of experience in news and feature writing
• Knowledge of regional news media and what constitutes a story of media interest
• Familiarity with AP/Chicago style
• Sound professional judgement and decision making
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and respond appropriately to time‑sensitive issues

• Ability to connect faculty excellence and research and university initiatives to news trends where La Verne faculty/staff can be quoted/referenced
• Stay up-to-date on developing higher education trends and communication strategies
• Availability to work or weekends
• Ability to multitask and quickly address unanticipated media inquiries or events while meeting deadlines

• Mid-Senior level

• Full‑time

• Marketing, Public Relations, and Writing/Editing

• Higher Education