Communication Specialist

Current Employees:
If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category: Academic Staff

Employment Type: Terminal (Fixed Term)

Job Profile: Communications Specialist

The Departments of Botany and Integrative Biology in the College of Letters & Science are coming together to form the new Department of Biology, creating an exceptional opportunity for a Communications Specialist to play a foundational role in shaping and sharing the identity of this new department.

In this new position, the Communications Specialist will work collaboratively with the Department Chair, faculty, staff, and campus partners to develop and implement strategic communications to promote the department’s mission, priorities, and achievements. This position will play a central role in communicating about the formation and growth of the new department, strengthening alumni engagement, and sharing compelling stories of research, teaching, students, alumni, and impact.

In this pivotal moment, the Communications Specialist will help craft the messaging to shape how internal and external audiences view the Department of Biology.

In this role, the Communications Specialist can expect to:

• Plan and execute editorial content according to established goals and objectives
• Develops new ideas and strategies for showcasing Biology, and provide project management and execution of communication programs, initiatives, and tactical plans
• Work closely with the multiple communities of Biology in the department to develop ideas for storytelling
• Write, edit, and publish content for various communication projects and marketing platforms to align with strategic initiatives and established communication campaigns
• Monitor reach and effectiveness of communication campaigns, projects, and initiatives
• Communicate with stakeholders to verify requests and identify editorial resources
• Interact with alumni, advancement officers, donors, faculty, and staff to cultivate and maintain relationships that promote the growth of the teaching and research mission of the department, paying close attention to the priorities and needs of the department
• Potential to supervise student communication intern(s)

The ideal candidate is a strategic, innovative and creative communicator who can think critically about different audiences and craft targeted, effective messages across a variety of platforms, including emerging social media platforms. They will be comfortable managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and taking initiative in a dynamic and evolving environment. This role requires the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, balancing day‑to‑day execution with big‑picture thinking.

The anticipated hybrid work schedule will be up to two days remote, with three days onsite after an initial training period.

The initial term of this appointment is 2 years, with the possibility of being extended based on funding.

The new Department of Biology represents the combined efforts and talents of the current integrative biology and botany departments, which also include the Wisconsin State Herbarium, Botany Garden and Greenhouse, UW Zoological Museum, and Newcomb Imaging Center. The Departments of Botany and Integrative Biology are highly ranked and leaders in their fields, with expertise ranging from cells to ecosystems. Our departments are multidisciplinary and highly collaborative.

We are committed to providing the best training and education in the field of Biology for UW–Madison undergraduate and graduate students and are home to introductory biology gateway courses and 5 undergraduate majors.

• Monitors reach and effectiveness of communication campaigns, projects, and initiatives
• Provides project management and execution of communications programs, initiatives, and tactical plans
• Plans editorial content according to established goals and objects
• Communicates with stakeholders to verify requests and identify editorial resources
• Writes, edits, and publishes content for various communication projects and marketing platforms to…