Description
The Communication Services within VP Communications and Community Engagement is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Communications Specialist.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Institutional Communications Services in the Office of Communications and Community Engagement, this individual is a communications generalist and project manager, with exceptional relationship management ability. The position is responsible for the creation and implementation of a wide range of communications plans and tactics for internal clients.
Day-to-day job requirements focus on the development and delivery of communications plans and communications tactics for defined clients and portfolios that engage the University of Calgary’s key audiences. The successful candidate builds awareness of the university while enhancing its reputation and delivering on the university’s core strategic direction as well as against specific goals, objectives, and targets. This position is part of a team that mentors junior-level staff.
To manage the multiple projects this role handles, the individual must be an excellent communicator with strong writing and technical skills, organization and prioritization skills, and an ability to manage information effectively for different types of projects. The Specialist manages multiple and often time-sensitive deadlines for deliverables, as well as interacts with colleagues at various levels, including university leaders, and from different areas within the institution.
There may be occasional evening and weekend work when workloads are high.
The Communications Specialist, Institutional Communications Services works directly with the Senior Manager and collaborates with a team of communicators. In addition, this role works directly with internal clients to develop and execute communication plans and tactics that align with a strategic need. In this highly collaborative role, the Specialist works with leaders, university staff and members of the communications and community engagement teams, and occasionally with outside vendors to develop and publish communications and marketing materials for print, email, social media, web channels and other digital channels.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
- Develop and implement effective communication strategies and supporting communications materials to achieve clients’ goals and objectives.
- Work collaboratively with the clients, staff, and select vendors to plan, develop and publish communications and marketing materials for print, email, social media and web channels.
- Coordinate, plan and implement a range of campaigns, publications, digital communications and other tactics that address the goals and objectives of the client’s strategy and plan.
- Create materials for digital and print mediums tailored to each communications channel.
- Using a client-service focused approach, work with internal clients, providing counsel and written support to meet their needs.
- Provide tactical communications supports including:
- Speechwriting.
- Internal communications ¿ including emails, presentations, powerpoints and more for executive leaders.
- Critical business communications for key business units on upcoming or emergent projects.
- Event marketing and promotion.
- News story writing.
- Website content creation and maintaining digital content.
- Writing for print and marketing materials.
- Write and build digital email communications.
- Proof reading and copy editing.
- Collaborating with photographers, videographers, content channel owners for tactics as required.
- Collaborating with other communicators on Communications Services team and offering guidance on shared projects.
- Ensure the implementation of strong and consistent brand and positioning protocols across all projects and initiatives.
- Develop and maintain successful and productive relationships with clients.
- Ensure that communications are timely, accurate, informative, professional, and represent the university appropriately.
- Manage complex issues and challenging interpersonal interactions with composure and diplomacy.
- Develop an awareness to sensitive issues and be able to address these issues diplomatically, respectfully and with a business mind.
- Work with the Senior Manager to set goals and key messages for client projects.
- Help to develop and finalize briefs for projects as needed, ensuring that they are complete and validated before proceeding to project launch.
- Successfully deploy project management skills to ensure deliverables from all parties align to keep the project on track.
- On behalf of clients, collaborate with other communications and community engagement staff for media relations, creative design services, social media content and strategic event management.
- Deal effectively with complex issues, using judgment, common sense and problem-solving skills.
- Seek reliable expert opinions and advice where appropriate.
- Manage and coordinate with outside agencies and vendors as required.
- Schedule and manage logistics for user-testing, focus groups, post-mortems etc., meetings as needed.
- Support content review/validation/user testing/refinement and approvals process as required.
- Participate in proofing and proof-reading processes as required.
- Work with the Director/Senior Manager, Institutional Communications Services to build reports for clients and to share with the rest of the Communications team as needed.
- Provide input as needed for changes to procedures and practices.
- Work with the Senior Manager to provide mentorship and learning to junior staff.
- Ability to troubleshoot technical challenges as they arise, to seek out solutions
- General support for the Communications and Community Engagement team Interested in learning new skills and technologies
QUALIFICATIONS / REQUIREMENTS:
- An undergraduate degree in public relations, communications, journalism or a related field is required.
- Two to five years of experience within the communications and public relations sector working on complex projects.
- Excellent writer with experience writing organizational news stories; and a strategic communicator with experience creating and managing content for internal communications,leadership communications, business communications, event communications, web, digital newsletters and social media.
- Well organized, with a demonstrated ability to prioritize work on a daily basis and capable of simultaneously managing multiple responsibilities efficiently and effectively.
- Understanding of the university, it’s processes and strategies is an asset;
- Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills and the ability to work with a variety of clients and to translate their requests into concrete communications plans and tactics is required.
- Strong working knowledge of MS Office applications, MS Teams.
- Results-oriented and independent, with demonstrated initiative in turning ideas into formalizedprojects with measurable results.
- Proven ability with using CMS systems, such as Drupal 8; e-marketing platforms such as Marketo; and digital event management software such as Livewhale.
- Experience with Adobe InDesign is considered an asset.
- Dedication to continuous professional growth through course-based and on the job training opportunities is strongly encouraged.
- Willingness to experiment with new ideas and tools is desired.
Application Deadline: April 18, 2025.
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist / Advisor Job Family, Phase 2.
For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.
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