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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 at VCU. Our 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

Duties & Responsibilities:

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.

Qualifications:

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, organizational, and presentation skills.
• Strong graphic design, visual communication, and editing skills.
• Demonstrated creativity and ability to develop innovative solutions to communications challenges.
• Excellent project management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy and quality.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear, engaging, and audience-appropriate communications.
• Knowledge of social media platforms, content development, scheduling, and analytics.
• Knowledge of photography, videography, digital media, and graphic design principles.
• Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating with internal clients and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and make moderately complex decisions independently.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, university leadership, and external partners.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a VCU staff member.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to respond to requests with a professional and positive demeanor; the desire to create a positive and enthusiastic environment within DSA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within a university, Division of Student Affairs, higher education, nonprofit, or comparable organization.
• Experience developing communications and marketing materials for multiple internal clients or organizational units.
• Experience with graphic design, photography, videography, and social media content creation.
• Experience managing organizational social media accounts and using analytics to inform content strategy.
• Experience managing multiple communications projects from concept through completion.
• Experience working with and/or mentoring student employees.
• Experience developing reports, annual reports, presentations, one-pagers, and executive-level communications materials.

Salary Range: $51,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

University Job Title: 13221N - Communications Specialist 1

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Shonda Pulley
Contact Email: spulley2@vcu.edu