Communications Assistant - 11-145 - SC​/ Orange County - Center For Applied Research And Innovat

Mission Statement

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

The Communications Assistant supports the daily operations and digital presence of the Center for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI). This role ensures CARI’s websites, social media channels, digital communications, and public-facing platforms remain current, responsive, and engaging while providing administrative, operational, and programmatic support for the 3:20 Innovation Lab and CARI activities. The Communications Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for visitors, website inquiries, and general communications, helping create a welcoming, organized, and professional experience for partners, researchers, students, donors, volunteers, and community members.

This position also serves as a collaborative resource across CARI teams by supporting research portfolios, development and fundraising efforts, grant activities, events, and day-to-day Innovation Lab operations.

• Maintain and update the CARI website with current content, events, resources, project updates, and information about CARI programs and partnerships.
• Schedule and publish content across CARI’s social media platforms following the communications calendar.
• Monitor website forms, the general CARI email account, and digital inquiries, responding to routine questions and routing requests to the appropriate staff.
• Assist with maintaining CARI’s digital communications by updating website content, organizing digital assets, supporting newsletters, and performing routine website quality checks.
• Assist with maintaining CARI’s overall digital experience, including digital displays, online forms, event registrations, resource libraries, and digital communications supporting events and fundraising activities.
• Assist with photography, video, storytelling, and digital content that documents CARI research, partnerships, events, and community impact.

• Serve as the first point of contact for visitors, students, researchers, partners, donors, volunteers, and guests entering the CARI Innovation Lab, creating a welcoming, professional, and hospitality-focused experience.
• Coordinate meeting room and Innovation Lab reservations.
• Maintain the Innovation Lab calendar and scheduling system.
• Order, organize, inventory, and maintain office, workshop, prototyping, and Innovation Lab supplies.
• Prepare meeting spaces, visitor materials, collaboration areas, and workshop supplies before meetings and events.
• Assist with setup and breakdown of workshops, tours, trainings, research sessions, donor visits, fundraising activities, and community events.
• Help maintain shared spaces so they remain organized, welcoming, stocked, and ready for meetings, workshops, research activities, and visitors.
• Perform daily operational readiness activities, including preparing the Innovation Lab for staff and visitors at the beginning of the day and helping ensure the space is organized and appropriately secured at the end of the day.
• Maintain collaboration walls, research displays, signage, workshop materials, equipment, and shared resources to support an engaging and inspiring Innovation Lab environment.
• Assist with welcoming and onboarding interns, fellows, researchers, volunteers, university partners, and others participating in CARI activities.
• Coordinate routine deliveries, vendor access, supply inventory, and operational requests associated with the Innovation Lab.

• Answer, route, and respond to phone calls, emails, website inquiries, and general requests for information.
• Maintain digital records, contact databases, mailing lists, project files, development records, and communication files.
• Coordinate calendars, meetings, agendas, meeting materials, and logistical support as assigned.
• Process routine purchasing requests, supply orders, invoices, expense documentation, and related administrative records.
• Capture photography and video during meetings, workshops, donor visits, and events as assigned.
• Assist with basic graphic design using Canva and other approved design platforms.
• Support communications projects by organizing assets, preparing files, maintaining content libraries, and coordinating materials across CARI portfolios.
• Assist with updating presentations, reports, flyers, promotional materials, donor materials, briefing packets, and other public-facing communications.
• Provide administrative support across CARI research, design, innovation, and partnership portfolios by organizing project materials, maintaining documentation, preparing meeting packets, and coordinating logistics.
• Provide administrative support for fundraising and…