Communications Specialist

Advertising

Summary:

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Division of Student Affairs is seeking a creative, collaborative, and strategic Communications Specialist to help elevate our communications and marketing efforts. This position will develop compelling content and communications that engage students, faculty, staff, and other university audiences while supporting the Division’s goals and initiatives.

Unit: Student Affairs (Vice Provost) MBU

Department: DSA Shared Services

Department
Summary: The Communications and Marketing team works collaboratively with all units in the Division of Student Affairs to share the remarkable programs, initiatives, and services provided by DSA to help students have the best experience possible  work includes building and updating websites, developing and implementing a comprehensive social media strategy, creating marketing assets for all units including graphic design and illustration work, taking photos and videos, writing and sending large scale communications to students, and producing the DSA Annual Report

The Communications Specialist provides professional communications services requiring an in-depth knowledge of one or more communications specialties. This position translates organizational goals and priorities into strategic communications and media deliverables that support the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) and its units.

As a central communications position, this role supports multiple areas throughout DSA and manages projects from initial concept through completion. The position has a primary focus on graphic design, photography, social media videography, social media account management, special event support, special projects, and illustrative work
. The Communications Specialist collaborates with internal clients, senior leadership, communications and marketing professionals, student employees, and other stakeholders to develop engaging and effective communications.

The position works under limited supervision and is expected to make moderately complex decisions independently while referring unprecedented or highly complex issues to the Director of Communications and Marketing or other appropriate leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, marketing, graphic design, journalism, or a related field and years of related professional experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

• Meet with internal clients to review project requests, develop project plans, and see a project through to completion.

• Develop social media plan for DSA social media accounts, implement plan, track analytics and use analytics to inform content schedule.

• Work with Director on special events, attend events as a representative of team, and ensure events run smoothly.

• Work closely and in a developmental manner with student staff to complete projects and assignments while helping students grow their communications skills.

• Work with Director on all central communications and marketing priorities such as the annual report, creation of one pagers and special reports, development of requested materials from the executive leadership team, and other projects as received and assigned.

• Develop and implement effective communication strategies.

• Manage internal communications (social media, blogs, memos, newsletters etc.)

• Draft content for online media or university website.

• Organize initiatives and plan events or press conferences.

• Liaise with media and handle requests for interviews, statements.

• Foster new relationships with advocates and senior leadership.

• Collaborate with marketing professionals to produce copy for advertisements or articles.

• Strong verbal, written,…