Temporary Communications Assistant

Cornell University•Ithaca, NY

2d•$27 - $29•Hybrid

About The Position

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is seeking a Temporary Communications Assistant with outstanding written and verbal communications skills, background in video and multimedia, and expert knowledge of birds and behavior to foster public engagement and outreach through live media and the Bird Cams project at www.AllAboutBirds.org/Cams. As part of the Live Media team in the Center for Advancement’s Marketing and Communications unit, the Temporary Communications Assistant works closely with the Bird Cams project leader to engage the public in learning more about birds and nature through the live Bird Cams and to connect audiences to the Cornell Lab’s mission and priorities, always using a professional, friendly manner with the highest standards for conveying accurate and helpful information. This position serves as the content manager for the Bird Cams enterprise, curating highlights from the live streams and providing multimedia and interpretive updates to relevant social media, the AllAboutBirds.org website, and the explore.org website. In addition, the Temporary Communications Assistant supports the growing efforts to produce live programming beyond Bird Cams, helping to schedule speakers, coordinate production needs, and assisting during live events. The Temporary Communications Assistant is often the first point of contact for viewers and the live cam community, and provides expert customer service, handling questions and viewer feedback in a positive manner through email, telephone, postal mail, print publications, chat, websites, and social media. This role is essential in developing and disseminating answers to frequently asked questions through website posts, videos, and other channels, as well as interacting with the online communities that engage with us on the various platforms where we post content. While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others. This is a full-time, temporary position at 100% FTE. This is a 6 month appointment with the possibility to extend up to one full year. This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 2 days per week and on-site 3 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke, or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.

Requirements

Associate’s degree and 2-4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, and interpersonal skills; friendly and courteous manner.
Expert knowledge of the natural history and behavior of birds.
Ability to write and speak professionally and accurately, using simple, friendly language accessible to all.
Resourceful, independent thinker willing to seek information from experts and scientific literature.
Excellent customer service, positive attitude, and ability to cultivate support for the Lab.
Positive and helpful when responding to people with complaints.
Prior experience developing and managing content for distribution on various social media platforms.
Strong judgment about when to answer questions directly and when to seek answers from the Lab’s staff.
Confidence in public speaking and in dealing with challenging and/or complex topics.
Ability to discern the sensitivity of internal/external communications in a large public organization.
Strong organizational skills.
Ability to respond quickly and prioritize multiple tasks.
Proficient in Word, Excel, video and image editing suite (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, Canva)
Experience modeling values that support inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing.

Nice To Haves

BA degree in Communications or Education with relevant experience or course work in biology, or BS degree in Biology with relevant experience in Public Relations, Communications, or Education.
Prior experience as public information specialist or naturalist focused on bird-related topics highly desired.
Prior work experience with a not-for-profit or PR organization is valuable.
Proficiency with web content management and/or WordPress is an asset.
Cultivation and remote administration of volunteers is highly useful.
Experience assisting in the production of live online events.

Responsibilities

Serves as the content manager for the Bird Cams enterprise, curating highlights from the live streams and providing multimedia and interpretive updates to relevant social media, the AllAboutBirds.org website, and the explore.org website.
Supports the growing efforts to produce live programming beyond Bird Cams, helping to schedule speakers, coordinate production needs, and assisting during live events.
Provides expert customer service, handling questions and viewer feedback in a positive manner through email, telephone, postal mail, print publications, chat, websites, and social media.
Developing and disseminating answers to frequently asked questions through website posts, videos, and other channels, as well as interacting with the online communities that engage with us on the various platforms where we post content.