University of Arizona is hiring: Communication Specialist (UPDATED) in Tucson

Communication Specialist (UPDATED)

Posting Number: req21423

Department: Human Resources

Department Website Link: https://hr.arizona.edu/

Location: To Be Determined

Address: AZ USA

Position Highlights:

The purpose of this position will be to manage, create and deliver strategic and engaging communication materials to university employees. The Communications Specialist will work as part of a small team reporting to the Manager of Communications within the Division of Human Resources to foster effective communication between the division and university staff, faculty, supervisors and other internal stakeholders to ensure they are informed and empowered regarding HR initiatives, projects and benefits. This position will work with HR stakeholders, develop communication plans and oversee the production and dissemination of communications collateral.

REVIEW DATE: January 8th, 2025

Remote work within the State of Arizona may be an available option.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Duties & Responsibilities

Communication Planning & Strategy:

1. Create and manage communication and marketing plans and timelines.
2. Identify and document target audiences and develop tactics to reach them.
3. Develop and execute key messages.
4. Understand internal employee communication trends and annual calendars.
5. Seek and use relevant data, feedback and metrics to evaluate how well our tactics are working and improve how we communicate.
6. Stay informed about the latest trends in communication and marketing, and adapt strategies to incorporate emerging technologies and best practices.

Communications Material Creation:

1. Develop, write, and edit inclusive, accessible and targeted communication material including, but not limited to: emails, articles, news posts, flyers, brochures, website content and other marketing and communication materials.
2. Implement communication principles, techniques, concepts and best practices as appropriate for the communication deliverable and vehicle.
3. Help ensure that communication materials are on brand, visually engaging and approachable, as appropriate.
4. Follow and manage processes and timelines for content review and approval by engaging with content subject matter experts and central marketing/communication colleagues to ensure that content is accurate, meets the university's style guidelines and is aligned with best practices and priorities.

Content Distribution:

1. Distribute content through a variety of platforms and vehicles, including websites, email software, intranet, hard copy, etc.
2. Use available distribution tools, systems and information to enhance messaging, engagement and relevance.
3. Monitor analytics after distribution to understand effectiveness, allowing for data-driven adjustments and optimization.
4. Track and ensure that deadlines are met.

Collaborative Activities:

1. Build relationships with Human Resources leaders and team members to understand the communication needs of individual HR units and distill those into recommendations and plans.
2. Support partnerships with departments outside of Human Resources to enhance content quality and reach, and to ensure HR is aligned with university priorities and messaging.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

1. Ability to manage and execute multi-phase communication projects with diverse audiences.
2. Skill to create, write and edit a diverse range of inclusive and accessible communication materials.
3. Knowledge of how to measure and evaluate campaign success.
4. Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
5. Strong organizational and project management skills.
6. Ability to maintain a collaborative, consultative and curiosity mindset and work effectively in a team-based environment.
7. Ability to take initiative and work independently.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
2. Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience adhering to defined style guides (e.g., AP, Chicago Manual, organization's internal guide, etc.)
2. Experience with a content management system (e.g., update webpages, work with HTML, etc.)
3. Experience with email campaign software (e.g., Constant Contact, MailChimp, etc.)
4. Experience with project management software
5. Experience developing internal communications campaigns and projects

FLSA: Exempt

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week: 40

Job FTE: 1.0

Work Calendar: Fiscal

Job Category: Communication and Marketing

Benefits Eligible: Yes - Full Benefits

Rate of Pay: $65,687 - $85,393

Compensation Type: salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)

Grade: 9

Compensation Guidance: The Rate of Pay Field represents the University of Arizona's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. The University considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, and internal equity.

Grade Range Minimum: $65687

Grade Range Midpoint: $85393

Grade Range Maximum: $105099

Career Stream and Level: PC3

Job Family: Communications

Job Function: Communications & Marketing

Type of criminal background check required: Fingerprint criminal background check (security sensitive due to title or department)

Number of Vacancies: 1

Target Hire Date:

Expected End Date:

Contact Information for Candidates: Bradley Contento
bcontent@arizona.edu

Open Date: 12/6/2024

Open Until Filled: Yes

Documents Needed to Apply: Resume, Cover Letter, and Three Additional Documents

Special Instructions to Applicant: DOCS REQUIRED: "Resume","Cover Letter","Three samples of communication, writing, or marketing deliverables that the candidate has produced (e.g., emails, publications, articles, proposals, communications plans, speeches, promotional materials, news releases, etc.)"

Diversity Statement

At the University of Arizona, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. As a Hispanic-serving institution, we translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues, and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. As an Employer of National Service, we also welcome alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service programs and others who will help us advance our Inclusive Excellence initiative aimed at creating a university that values student, staff and faculty engagement in addressing issues of diversity and inclusiveness.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University's campuses. These reports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures. Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at cleryact@arizona.edu.