Marketing and Communications Specialist

$57,791 - $72,000/Yr

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth, MA

Full-time - Entry Level

Dartmouth, MA

Educational Services

About the position

The Marketing and Communications Specialist at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth plays a crucial role in developing and marketing effective campus communications through various internal and external messaging channels, including social media and email platforms. This position is integral to the digital communications team within University Marketing, which aims to promote the University to a diverse audience, including current students, prospective students and families, alumni, granting institutions, legislators, and the general public. The Specialist will adhere to the University's best practices and brand guidelines to support student academic success and retention, while also assisting in achieving strategic objectives related to student persistence and timely graduation. In this role, the Marketing and Communications Specialist will be responsible for creating and implementing social media strategies that align with the university's mission and marketing goals. This includes coordinating, developing, editing, and scheduling email communications using the university's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. The Specialist will collaborate closely with marketing leadership and various campus departments to ensure that communications to students, faculty, and staff are accurate, compelling, and timely. The position requires the ability to prioritize and manage both strategically planned communications and ad hoc requests, as well as to create engaging content in collaboration with designers, writers, and videographers. The Specialist will also attend on- and off-campus events to develop engaging content for social media channels, monitor and maintain social media policies, and work with the Chancellor's Office to execute high-quality posts. Analyzing engagement data to adjust marketing strategies and providing reports to track engagement across all channels will be key responsibilities. Additionally, the Specialist will manage the social media promotional budget and supervise student employees to support content development and digital strategy, ensuring that the brand message is consistently maintained. The role also involves identifying opportunities for collaboration across campus to generate social media content and serving as a resource for departments to enhance their communication efforts.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement social media strategies to support university mission and strategic marketing goals.
• Coordinate, develop, edit, and schedule email communications using the university CRM.
• Work closely with Marketing leadership and various campus departments to ensure communications to students, faculty and staff are accurate, compelling and timely.
• Prioritize and manage both strategically planned communications and ad hoc requests.
• Create and implement engaging content, collaborating with designers, writers, and videographers as necessary.
• Attend on- and off-campus events, developing engaging content for social media channels.
• Work closely and provide expertise regarding digital media, specifically campaigns running on social media platforms.
• Monitor and maintain social media policy and guide.
• Work closely with the Chancellor's Office to execute best-in-class posts of the Chancellor and his efforts.
• Analyze engagement data, adjust marketing strategies, and recommend & implement future action. Provide reports to track engagement across all channels.
• Develop the social media calendar across channels to ensure balance among competing priorities and consistency of brand message, voice and tone.
• Responsible for administering the social media promotional budget which includes boosting content such as commencement, convocation, homecoming, and accepted student days on channels.
• Hire, direct, train and supervise student employees to support student-generated content development and digital strategy while maintaining brand message.
• Identify opportunities to collaborate with administrators, faculty, staff and students to generate social media content.
• Monitor and respond appropriately to user interactions in a timely manner, elevating concerns as appropriate.
• Serve as an expert and resource for departments across campus, helping to improve their efforts.
• Identify trends, including new platforms with high potential, and act as an advocate for the audience; keep others informed of shifting user expectations and best practices across different social channels.
• Build effective partnerships with co-workers throughout the University by freely sharing appropriate information and provide assistance when needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications or related field.
• Demonstrated (over three years) communications experience required, which may include web content management, writing, editing, digital marketing/analysis, email marketing, and/or managing social media in a corporate or nonprofit environment.
• 3+ years direct experience using social media management and analytics tools for posting, tracking, and reporting.
• 3+ year experience with paid advertising on social media platforms, including Facebook and LinkedIn.
• Ability to travel between campuses and UMass Dartmouth sites.
• Monitoring of social media channels on nights and weekends is expected with occasional coverage of events outside of regular business hours.
• Flexible schedule required including nights and weekends.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with a CRM, preferably as a communication tool.
• Previous experience using social media for higher education or non-profit organization
• Knowledge of AP style

Benefits

• 75% Employer-Paid Health Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• State Pension Retirement Plan
• Optional Retirement Savings Plans
• Tuition Credit (Employee, Spouse, & Dependents)
• Twelve (12) paid holidays
• Paid personal, vacation, and sick time
• And More!