Communications Specialist, Operations Division

Towson University•Towson, MD

About The Position

The Communications Specialist, within the Operations Division, is responsible for developing, updating, and managing content for Campus Operations Division administrative webpages. This role partners with division stakeholders to improve messaging, enhance employee engagement, maintain accurate and timely information, and ensure ease of navigation for all users, with a primary focus on Public Safety. The specialist will develop a thorough understanding of the division’s diverse operational functions to accurately convey information and ensure communications achieve their intended purpose. This role will also highlight and promote divisional news and information for the University and surrounding community, ensuring communication builds awareness and understanding of divisional projects and initiatives that support employee well-being and stewardship of resources. Additionally, the specialist will facilitate and coordinate the timely writing, editing, and distributing of Operations-related messages via email and/or TU Today, work with leadership teams to develop and highlight effective messaging, and actively solicit information from various departments to develop and distribute divisional newsletters. The role involves identifying stories and successes within the Operations division and working closely with the AVP Public Safety to ensure templates and notifications for Clery and Emergency situations are reviewed, updated for accuracy, and distributed timely. Public safety responsibilities may occasionally require after-hours responses for critical and emergency/time-urgent situations. The specialist will also develop, create, and coordinate engaging content for social media channels for all units in Campus Operations, with a focus on Public Safety, and monitor and analyze the effectiveness of various communication mediums and messages, recommending improvements. Further responsibilities include assisting with additional outreach projects within the division, building collaborative relationships with key stakeholders inside and outside the University, and supporting compliance efforts by linking subject matter experts with the campus community. The role also coordinates the annual report for the Operations division, including metrics, initiatives, and key accomplishments, working directly with the office of assessment on the overall Divisional Strategic plan, and communicating, coordinating, and reviewing individual department strategic plans to ensure divisional and institutional alignment. Finally, the specialist will prepare remarks, presentations, and other documents for the Sr. VP of Campus Operations and other directors/AVPs in the division, and undertake special projects as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and three years professional work experience related to marketing/communications, project management, outreach/engagement.
Demonstrated ability to identify wants/needs of diverse audiences and create engaging content for various mediums in line with content strategy.
Demonstrated experience managing and maintaining professional social media platform.
Demonstrated ability to manage, oversee, track, and analyze effectiveness of communications.
Demonstrated experience developing, maintaining, overseeing and/or collaborating on content management and navigation of websites.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with key stakeholders on communication and clear messaging.
Familiarity with design templates and online platforms.
Creative thinking and decision making.
Detail oriented to ensure accuracy of content.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with multiple internal stakeholders & community partners.
Experience working with public safety organizations.
Master’s degree in communications or related field.

Responsibilities

Develop, update and manage content for Campus Operations Division administrative webpages.
Partner with division stakeholders to improve messaging, enhance employee engagement, maintain accurate and timely information and ensure the ease of navigation for all users, with a primary focus on Public Safety.
Highlight and promote divisional news and information for the University and surrounding community.
Ensure communication builds awareness and understanding of divisional projects and initiatives that support employee well-being and stewardship of resources.
Facilitate and coordinate the timely writing, editing, and distributing of Operations related messages via email and/or TU Today.
Work with leadership teams to develop and highlight effective messaging.
Actively solicit information from various departments to develop and distribute divisional newsletters.
Identify stories and successes to highlight within the Operations division.
Works closely with AVP Public Safety to ensure templates and notifications for Clery and Emergency situations are reviewed, updated for accuracy and are distributed timely.
Develop, create and coordinate engaging content for social media channels for all units in Campus Operations with a focus on Public Safety.
Monitor and analyze effectiveness of various communication mediums and messages and recommend suggestions for improvement.
Assist with additional outreach projects within the division.
Build collaborative relationships with key stakeholders inside and outside the University to include supporting compliance efforts linking between the subject matter experts and the greater campus community.
Coordinate annual report for Operations division; including metrics, initiatives, and key accomplishments to include working directly with the office of assessment on the overall Divisional Strategic plan while also communicating, coordinating and reviewing individual department strategic plans to ensure divisional and institutional alignment.
Prepare remarks, presentations, and other documents for Sr. VP of Campus Operations and other directors/AVPs in the division.
Special projects as assigned.