Communications Specialist - Siebel Center Design

Position: Communications Specialist - Siebel Center for Design

Communications Specialist – Siebel Center for Design

Siebel Center for Design (SCD) is a one‑of‑a‑kind hub for creativity and collaboration dedicated to practicing, modeling, and teaching human‑centered design at the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign. As a catalyst for multidisciplinary innovation, SCD brings together diverse perspectives to reimagine our campus, community, and world. Our dynamic team works collaboratively in a state‑of‑the‑art, 60,000‑square‑foot facility that fosters exploration, prototyping, and transformative learning.

If you’re passionate about strategic communication and thrive in a collaborative, fast‑paced environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Duties and Responsibilities Team Leadership & Content Strategy

• Lead, mentor, and support a team of undergraduate marketing team members who serve as content creators for SCD.
• Coordinate weekly workflow, delegate assignments, provide feedback, and ensure content aligns with the overall marketing strategy and SCD’s brand standards.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Programming & Marketing to shape campaign direction and storytelling priorities.

Social Media Management

• Oversee SCD’s social media presence across platforms, including scheduling content through Buffer, drafting captions, ensuring timely engagement, and monitoring analytics.
• Guide student creators in developing posts, graphics, and multimedia content that reflect SCD’s mission and values.

Email Marketing, Inbox & Audience Management

• Manage SCD’s email communications, including monthly newsletters (e.g., The Readout, Affiliate Newsletter), event announcements, and targeted campaigns.
• Maintain and organize subscriber lists, manage audience segmentation, and track engagement through the Illinois Web Tools platform or comparable tools.
• Monitor and respond to messages in SCD’s shared email inbox, ensuring timely, accurate, and professional communication with internal and external stakeholders.

Web Content & Development Coordination

• Maintain and update SCD’s website using Site Manager and other tools.
• Collaborate with the student web developer to identify improvements in usability, layout, and accessibility.
• Provide guidance on front‑end design and content structure to ensure the website reflects current programs, events, and initiatives.

Content Editing & Storytelling

• Edit and refine written content for clarity, tone, and brand consistency.
• Contribute to storytelling efforts by attending SCD programs and events to gather photos, quotes, and insights that inform future marketing strategies and narratives.

Graphic Design Support

• Collaborate with the Graphic Design Specialist and student designers to fulfill creative needs.
• Provide light design support using Canva or Adobe Creative Suite when needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
• One (1) year of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience managing or contributing to social media or marketing campaigns.
• Demonstrated experience with website development and content management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading or supervising student employees or interns in a creative or marketing environment.
• Experience developing integrated marketing campaigns across multiple platforms.
• Experience with photography and basic graphic design tools (e.g., Canva or Adobe Creative Suite).

Knowledge,

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the University of Illinois brand standards and campus communication tools or systems.
• Demonstrated interest in design thinking, creativity, innovation, or experiential learning.
• Strong writing and editing skills with an eye for detail and tone.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, take initiative, and work in a team environment.
• Basic understanding of human‑centered design and/or design thinking.
• Strong storytelling and photography skills, with an understanding of brand narrative development.
• Demonstrated skill in front‑end web development (HTML, CSS, or similar) and accessibility standards for…