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University of Washington · 1 day ago

Communications Specialist

Seattle, WA

Full-time

Onsite

Mid Level

$82K/yr - $85K/yr

4+ years exp

The University of Washington is seeking a Communications Specialist to join their Undergraduate Academic Affairs (UAA) team. This role involves leading content creation and management for UAA's communications, enhancing engagement through storytelling, and managing social media strategies.

EducationHigher EducationUniversities

Responsibilities

Develop story ideas for UAA’s print and digital publications, aligning with institutional and unit goals, audience interests and current events

Research and develop topics and story ideas, conduct interviews with students, faculty, administrators, alumni and external constituents, and use sound editorial judgement to gather and verify information. Write a range of content, including feature stories and articles, long-form narratives, news announcements, student and alumni profiles and interviews. Additional content may include event promotions, website copy, blog posts, social media content, fact sheets, donor communications and other materials as needed

Serve as the primary manager, writer, content creator, moderator and scheduler for UAA’s social media channels

Collaborate with UAA programs and other University units, such as colleges, schools, academic departments and University Marketing & Communications, to promote and share content

Collaborate with UAA’s communications director and digital media producer to create integrated digital stories and visual content

Evaluate digital storytelling efforts using data-driven approaches

Upload and maintain UAA’s website content in Wordpress

Support other content initiatives, including web page refreshes, student-written narratives, social media messaging, marketing collateral, email campaigns, advancement efforts and event-related publicity

Ensure all content reflects the University’s brand standards, UAA voice and tone, and a commitment to equity, accessibility and inclusion

Manage the production of UAA’s external-facing advancement-focused e-newsletters, each published quarterly, in collaboration with program partners and the central Marketo team

With input from the communications director, guide and implement an editorial plan for each issue and maintain a clear production schedule

Produce, edit and proofread stories and layouts, ensuring accuracy, consistency and quality

Coordinate with UMAC and advancement staff to compile audience data, manage segmentation and oversee distribution

Create and manage the day-to-day operations of UAA’s social media channels, including posting, monitoring and responding to engagement

Identify opportunities to increase audience, engagement and visibility across platforms

Track and analyze performance metrics for social media, e-newsletters and the UAA website; use analytics to inform and improve content strategy

Support the development of UAA's annual communications plan by identifying strategic opportunities and communications needs

Stay informed of emerging communications trends and integrate relevant best practices into UAA’s messaging and promotional efforts

Represent UAA in University-wide marketing and communications meetings, roundtables and collaborative initiatives

Identify and recommend opportunities to enhance UAA's storytelling, reach and audience engagement

Contribute to team-wide efforts by supporting special projects and emergent priorities as needed

Qualification

Content creationProject managementSocial media managementWordPressDigital content best practicesEquity lens in communicationsSEO optimizationMicrosoft Office SuiteGraphic design softwareAP style guide familiarityCollaborationAttention to detailOrganizational skillsTime managementCommunication skills

Required

Bachelor's degree in English, journalism, communications or related field

Four years of relevant professional experience

Demonstrated ability to incorporate an equity lens in communications processes and products

Proven organizational and time management skills, with the ability to work independently, prioritize tasks across multiple projects and adapt to shifting needs

Experience writing a variety of non-fiction content, including feature stories, press releases, blog posts, social media content, email invitations and website content

Excellent writing, editing, proofreading and overall communications skills

Demonstrated experience with current digital content best practices, including developing content for social media and websites

Ability to manage content-related projects with multiple stakeholders and meet firm deadlines

Ability to interpret, apply and communicate branding and content guidelines

Experience using a content management system (CMS), such as Wordpress, and optimizing copy for search engine optimization (SEO)

Proficiency with standard office software including Microsoft Office Suite

Strong attention to detail