Associate Director of Communications - School of Molecular & Cellular Biology - College of LAS

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign invites applications for an Associate Director of Communications. Reporting to the Director of the School, the Associate Director of Communications will develop a communications plan targeting unit stakeholder group in partnership with School administrators, faculty, and professional staff. This person will oversee one staff member in executing this plan. This plan will use a variety of digital and print media to advance the strategic and programmatic interests of the School and its departments. The nature of the work will require frequent interaction with faculty, staff, and students both individually and in-group settings and, at times, alumni and donors in order to help communicate the School’s research and teaching missions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
Five years (60 months) of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related professional area.
Demonstrated professional work experience in communications, editorial, marketing, advertising, or project management
Demonstrated professional work experience in developing a plan and adhering to established goals, budget, and timelines.
Demonstrated professional work experience in developing social media campaigns.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
Six (6) years (72 months) of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related professional area.
3 years’ of communications or marketing experience with an institution of higher education or similar environment.
Demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic communications plans.
Supervisory experience.
Experience interacting with alumni and donors.
Communications experience for fundraising processes and institutional advancement
Experience with executive communications and speechwriting.
Experience collaborating with senior leadership and faculty stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Provides vision and direction to build the School’s identity, messaging, and overall communications strategy in support of student recruitment, advancement, reputation, and community building priorities.
Ensures brand consistency of all School materials across all media, and compliance with college and campus brand standards.
Supervises communications specialist, ensuring his or her work supports office priorities and helps to deliver desired outcomes for the school.
Hires and manages outside vendors as appropriate; this may include writers, photographers, and designers.
Tracks and evaluates effectiveness of the communications team’s work.
Implements or oversees implementation of all components of the School’s communications plan, which may include: Develops and produces print publications including the MCB magazine, departmental newsletters, and program brochures promoting School’s research and instruction missions. This includes coordinating and overseeing several projects at a time along with setting and adjusting work priorities to meet production deadlines.
Researches, writes, composes, and edits announcements, press releases, and articles for dissemination through a variety print and electronic media.
Works with the MCB Communications Committee to track news sources for articles featuring MCB departments, faculty, research, and instructional programs.
Produces content for and maintains the websites of the School, its departments, and instructional program.
Monitors and facilitates updates of time-sensitive web content (calendar items, announcements, features, highlights, job postings, etc.) either by direct action or by coordination with those responsible for specific content.
Creates content, plans, and posts to School social media channels.
Creates short videos, with assistance from technical specialists, to promote MCB.
Assures compliance with campus and college regulations, policies, and standards.
Maintains records associated with all aspects of MCB communications activity including articles, photos, graphics, print publications, videos, etc.
Creates a communications plan specifically for advancement to include fundraising and stewardship in partnership with College communications and advancement offices.
Executes or oversees execution of all elements of this plan, including the creation of collateral materials, and monitors outcomes.