Communications Specialist

Marian University•Indianapolis, IN

About The Position

Marian University seeks a Communications Specialist to promote its Catholic Franciscan mission and identity through clear, strategic, and compelling communications. Reporting to the Executive Director of Communications, the specialist serves as a communications partner to assigned colleges, schools, departments, and administrative units. The role develops and executes communications plans, creates written content, supports media and internal communications, and coordinates projects across the Marketing and Communications team. The successful candidate is an excellent writer and editor, a collaborative project manager, and a thoughtful communications professional who translates institutional priorities into timely, audience-centered messaging. The position requires active engagement with Marian University's Catholic Franciscan mission and identity, including modeling Franciscan Sponsorship Values, honoring the founding congregation's legacy, promoting unity in diversity, and integrating the Catholic Franciscan intellectual tradition into communications, programs, and services. The specialist also supports university expectations relating to mission, policy compliance, respectful interactions, productivity, department goals and measurements, and budget adherence. The position may require occasional work outside normal business hours for crisis or emergency communications, as well as occasional evenings and weekends for major events or media needs. Physical demands include regularly sitting, using hands, and talking or hearing; occasionally standing, walking, reaching, climbing or balancing, and stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling; and occasionally lifting or moving up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made. Continued employment is at-will.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, English, or a related field.
Two or more years of professional experience in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing communications, or a related field.
Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, including the ability to translate complex information into clear, engaging content for multiple audiences and channels.
Strong interpersonal and consultation skills and the ability to build effective relationships with faculty, staff, university leaders, media, and external partners.
Project management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and coordinate work across teams.
Sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive, confidential, or time-sensitive information.
Working knowledge of media relations, internal communications, digital communications, and communications planning.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and common digital collaboration and project-management tools.
Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, respond to changing priorities, and exercise initiative and critical thinking.
Commitment to Marian University's Catholic Franciscan mission and ability to work effectively in a diverse community representing many faith systems and worldviews.
Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends, particularly for major university events, media needs, or crisis and emergency communications.
Provide a cover letter, current resume or CV, contact information for three professional references, and responses to supplementary mission and identity questions as part of the application.
Meet the position's physical requirements, with reasonable accommodations available where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Experience in higher education or a similarly complex organization.
Experience with Monday.com and cloud-based email/SMS platforms such as Delivera.

Responsibilities

Model Marian University's Franciscan Sponsorship Values, honor the legacy of the founding congregation, promote unity in diversity, and integrate the Catholic Franciscan intellectual tradition into communications, programs, and services.
Serve as communications liaison and strategic partner for assigned colleges, schools, departments, and administrative units.
Develop and execute communications plans for university initiatives, events, announcements, academic programs, and institutional priorities.
Advise campus leaders and partners on messaging, audiences, timing, communications strategy, and channels.
Identify, develop, and elevate storytelling opportunities that demonstrate the university's mission, priorities, people, programs, and impact.
Write and edit news releases, media advisories, newsroom and feature stories, website copy, newsletters, talking points, campus-wide messages, and other institutional communications; assist with executive communications as assigned.
Edit and proofread campus partners' communications for accuracy, clarity, consistency, and alignment with editorial standards and brand voice.
Manage communications requests in Monday.com from intake through completion, defining scope, priorities, timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder expectations.
Prioritize projects according to institutional goals, audience needs, urgency, and deadlines; maintain production schedules and keep stakeholders informed.
Coordinate communications projects with marketing, multimedia, social media, web, design, enrollment, advancement, athletics, and other university teams.
Develop and maintain annual communications calendars for assigned units and university initiatives.
Build and maintain relationships with local and regional media; assist with story pitching, media inquiries, interview coordination, press conferences, media availabilities, and other media-facing events.
Identify faculty and staff experts for media opportunities and prepare representatives for interviews with briefing materials, key messages, and media preparation.
Maintain media contact lists, track media coverage, and compile communications and earned-media reports to assess reach and effectiveness.
Partner with Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Athletics, Advancement, university leadership, and other campus partners on internal communications.
Draft and coordinate campus-wide emails, leadership communications, policy changes, operational updates, and other internal messages using institutional email and SMS platforms, including Delivera, as appropriate.
Assist in developing key messages, FAQs, talking points, and supporting materials for major university initiatives and announcements.
Coordinate photography and video requests with multimedia staff.
Assist with crisis and issues communications and support emergency communications as a member of the university crisis communications team, including occasional work outside normal business hours when required.
Develop resources and provide guidance or training to campus communicators on communications standards and best practices.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Work the hours necessary to perform job requirements satisfactorily, manage absences responsibly, comply with university policies and practices, and seek clarification when necessary.
Adhere to university policies and procedures, interact courteously and respectfully, communicate regularly with the supervisor about department issues, meet productivity standards, participate in department goals and systems, support aligned department measurements, and adhere to the department budget.