Dir Communications/Mkt/Web Job Opening

Job no: 501131
Work type: Staff Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Dean - Natural Sciences
Union: PSU
Categories: Administrative/Office Support

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Director of Communications, Marketing and Web provides leadership for academic, outreach, and fundraising communications, messaging, marketing, recruitment, and national visibility efforts of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS). This position prepares annual budget recommendations for communications and college events. Utilizing a variety of print, digital, web and social media channels, the position is responsible for creating, planning, and executing integrated communications and marketing initiatives that strategically advance student recruitment, research visibility, student and alumni engagement, and fundraising activities.

The Director exercises independent judgment, is responsible for the timely delivery and quality presentation of communications to external and internal audiences, and is a significant contributor to the College’s operational staff.

Essential Functions

Examples of duties:

• Oversee production and integration of a wide range of multimedia marketing and communication materials such as college and department snapshots, newsletters, magazines, posters, pamphlets and other materials as needed. Write, design, edit and produce materials as needed. Ensure effective integration of communications technologies – including blogs and vlogs, broadcast newsletters, social media, video and other emerging media – for specific area initiatives, information-sharing with external constituencies, and engagement among alumni, students, faculty, and staff.
• Create a cohesive, leading-edge communications strategy that integrates traditional, digital, visual, and emerging media to advance the College’s state, national, and global impact. Stay abreast of continued advances in communications, marketing and web best practices and technologies that can meet institutional needs. Track and measure the effectiveness of communications, marketing and web engagement and make strategic adjustments as necessary.
• Ensure departments, schools and other units across the College are engaged and supported in effective communication and marketing by building strong relationships and collaborating on key initiatives. Create and oversee college branding. Manage communications and marketing of college-level events including but not limited to new student orientation, state of the college, convocation, and senior celebration.
• Promote a team-based, outcome-oriented office by effectively hiring, mentoring and supervising staff and students. Oversee the work of vendors (including graphic designers, web designers, photographers, videographers, freelance writers, printers, and others as needed) to ensure it comes in on time and on budget.
• Manage the College’s website, on-campus display boards, and social media presence in support of the College’s priorities and initiatives, including recruitment, student success, faculty development, and fundraising. Oversee the redesign and development of websites for the College’s departments and schools. Ensure that new and consistent information is posted regularly, and that best practices (including Search Engine Optimization) and University standards are observed.
• Serve as the College representative for campus-wide communication efforts and initiatives. Extend strategic planning, project management, and best practices expertise to College, department, and campus-wide committees and projects. Build networks across Campus and liaise with University Relations and other campus colleagues around augmenting and refining Campus-wide communications. Build and maintain strategic relationships with key reporters, editors, and media outlets.

Other Functions

• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of related communications, marketing, and web experience.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, including superior skills in writing, translating complex concepts for a general audience, and a strong graphic and design sense.
• Demonstrated success executing a comprehensive branding, marketing, and communications strategy for a complex institution.
• Highly collaborative style with the energy, maturity and leadership to serve as a unifying force and position communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels.
• Strong supervisory skills to select, lead, and motivate staff (including student workers) to produce high quality work. Ability to work with all levels of faculty and staff on a variety of projects.
• Ability to manage change, work in a fast-paced environment and complete projects within deadline and budget constraints. Ability to prioritize goals and formulate independent decisions regarding procedures and operations.
• Working knowledge of website design and related technologies (including analytic tools and website usability testing), broadcast emails, various social and other multimedia applications, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo, etc., required. Proven ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including highly knowledgeable technical staff.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s degree in English, Humanities, Communications, Marketing, Information Technology, or Computer Science, plus 3 years of experience managing a complex communications, marketing, and web department.
• Aptitude for understanding and communicating complex scientific material in ways that are interesting and relevant to a wide range of audiences.
• Experience in higher education.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment

Additional Details

About CNS: The college includes 13 departments and 2 schools, serves over 7,000 undergraduate students and nearly 1,000 graduate students, and has a presence in 18 buildings on Campus. In addition, CNS is responsible for five research and education farms and 13 extension offices throughout Massachusetts. The communications office is responsible for creating a cohesive communications strategy across our diverse college and audiences that highlights the world-class research, teaching and outreach happening within CNS.

Work Schedule

• Monday – Friday, 37.5 hours per week.
• Required to work some nights and weekends.

Salary Information

Level 28

PSU Salary Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Submit a letter of application, resume, contact information for three professional references, and a Statement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (see below). Apply by July 7, 2019 in order to ensure priority consideration. Search may remain open until a suitable candidate pool has been identified.

As part of a commitment to their own multicultural community, CNS seeks an individual with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and one who will understand and embrace university initiatives and aspirations. In addition to application materials above, candidates will need to submit a Statement of Contribution to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Diversity Statement should identify past experiences and future goals. These contributions may result from lived experiences, scholarships, and/or mentoring, teaching, and outreach activities. (https://www.cns.umass.edu/diversity-equity-inclusion)

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.