Documentation and Training Specialist

Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications—the University’s central public relations and marketing division—seeks a Documentation and Training Specialist to help implement consistent web and digital platforms across Penn State’s campuses, colleges, institutes, and administrative units. This role will work with CMS users, content creators, and digital partners to apply shared standards, workflows, and best practices across a large, distributed web and digital ecosystem.

The successful candidate will be a clear communicator, skilled educator, and strong collaborator who can translate complex digital practices into practical guidance. This position offers a hybrid work arrangement that combines remote and on‑campus working.

• Platform Training and Enablement:
  Develop and maintain training materials and documentation for Penn State’s CMS platforms, including Contentful and Word Press (Campus Press), supporting consistent use of standards, workflows, and governance models.
• Playbook Development:
  Create and update digital playbooks covering content strategy, experience design, accessibility, analytics, SEO, and delivery practices.
• Documentation and Knowledge Resources:
  Produce clear, accessible documentation that translates technical, design, and governance standards into usable guidance for non‑technical audiences.
• Design System and Platform Guidance:
  Document how design systems, components, and content models are applied in practice, supporting consistent implementation across teams.
• Experience and Content Best Practices:
  Develop resources that support writing for the web, information architecture, navigation, editorial workflows, and user‑centered design.
• Analytics and Optimization Enablement:
  Document how to interpret dashboards, understand KPIs, and apply insights to improve content and digital experience performance.
• Knowledge Management:
  Build and maintain shared repositories that serve as trusted sources of truth for web and digital practices.
• Change and Adoption Support:
  Create self‑directed learning modules, workshops, and reference materials that help staff adopt new platforms and practices with clarity and confidence.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Gather feedback, identify gaps, and update training and documentation in response to platform changes, governance decisions, and evolving institutional needs.

• Familiarity with CMS platforms (e.g., Contentful, Word Press) and web or digital workflows.
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to translate complex concepts into clear, plain‑language guidance.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across technical and non‑technical teams in complex organizational environments.
• Experience working in a higher education, government, or nonprofit setting.
• Familiarity with digital accessibility standards (WCAG, ADA), content strategy, SEO, or web governance.
• Experience developing self‑service training resources, playbooks, or learning modules.
• Proficiency with collaboration and documentation tools such as Confluence, Google Drive, Microsoft Office Suite, Miro, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and e‑learning and training platforms.

• Instructional design and adult learning.
• Knowledge management.
• Digital accessibility awareness.
• Process documentation.
• Cross‑functional collaboration.
• Continuous improvement.
• Change navigation.

If filled as Strategic Communications Specialist – Web Strategy – Senior Professional, this position requires a Bachelor’s Degree and 6+ years of relevant experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience). No certifications are required.

If filled as Strategic Communications Specialist – Web Strategy – Advanced Professional, this position requires a Bachelor’s Degree and 3+ years of effective experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience). No certifications are required.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff…