Description
The Communication Services within VP Communications and Community Engagement is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Communications Specialist.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Institutional Communications Services within the Communications and Community Engagement portfolio, the senior communications specialist is a strong communications generalist who develops and delivers internal and external communications and marketing plans, and who has superior interpersonal skills and relationship management abilities.
Day-to-day job requirements will focus on the development and delivery of communications plans and tactics for defined clients and portfolios that engage the University of Calgary's key audiences. The successful candidate will boost the awareness of the university and its strategic priorities, enhance our overall reputation, and deliver against the university's core strategic direction as well as against specific goals, objectives and targets.
To manage the multiple projects this role handles, the individual must be an excellent communicator with strong writing and technical skills, as well as organization and prioritization skills, and skilled with managing information effectively for different types of projects. The Specialist will develop and publish communications and marketing materials for print, email, and social and web channels. The work includes writing campus news stories; content management and writing/reviewing for websites; writing and managing email communications, social media copy and preparing other digital communications; writing video scripts; publishing web content; and reporting on communications and marketing results. Diplomacy, judgement and emotional intelligence are critical for this position as the senior communications specialist works in a highly collaborative department, works with communicators and staff across campus, mentors junior-level staff, as well as recommends communications strategies to institutional leaders.
The position requires the ability to use discretion, maintain professionalism, confidentiality and composure under pressure, demonstrate adaptability and flexibility and provide efficient, quality service often requiring multi-tasking simultaneous priorities. High volume and variety of work demands, much of which are driven by internally and externally imposed deadlines and requirements, can be expected.
While no shiftwork or dangerous conditions are involved, there is stress associated with managing multiple and often time-sensitive deadlines for deliverables, as well as dealing with colleagues at various levels and from different areas within the institution.
There may be occasional evening and weekend work when workloads are high.
The Senior Communications Specialist is highly collaborative with the a strong ability for independent work. This role works directly with internal clients to provide strategic communication advice and develops and executes communication tactics that align with a strategic need.
The position creates and executes strategic communication plans and tactics and works collaboratively with senior university leaders, fellow staff, and occasionally with external vendors to develop and publish communications and marketing content and collateral for print, newsletters, email, social media, web and other digital channels.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
- Develop and implement effective communication strategies and supporting communications materials to achieve clients' goals and objectives.
- Work collaboratively with the client, fellow staff, and select vendors to plan, develop and publish communications and marketing materials for print, email, social media and web channels.
- Manage, plan and implement a range of campaigns, publications, and other communications and marketing tactics that address the goals and objectives of the client's strategy and plan.
- Create materials for digital and print mediums with a strategic understanding of the different techniques to tailor to each communications channel.
- Using a client-service focused approach, work with internal clients, providing counsel and written support to meet their needs.
- Provide tactical communications supports including:
- Speechwriting.
- Internal communications - including emails, presentations, PowerPoints and more for executive leaders.
- Critical business communications for key business units on upcoming or emergent projects.
- Event marketing and promotion.
- Campus news story writing.
- Website content creation.
- Writing for print and marketing materials.
- Proof reading and copy editing.
- Collaborating with photographers, videographers, content channel owners for tactics as required.
- Collaborating with other communicators and offering guidance on shared projects.
- Ensure the implementation of strong and consistent brand and positioning protocols across all projects and initiatives.
- Build and maintain client websites; support urgent website updates for clients.
- Create emails for distribution using tools like Marketo.
- Marketo/LiveWhale content creation and approval for internal campaigns and events as needed.
- Develop and maintain successful and productive relationships with clients.
- Mentor junior-level communicators with patience and professionalism.
- Ensure that communications are timely, accurate, informative, professional, and represent the university appropriately.
- Manage complex issues and challenging interpersonal interactions with composure and diplomacy.
- Develop an awareness of issues that are sensitive and suggest ways to address issues.
- Diplomatically and respectfully.
- Work with peers to set goals and key messages for client projects.
- Help to develop and finalize briefs for projects as needed, ensuring that they are complete and validated before proceeding to project launch.
- Successfully deploy project management skills to ensure deliverables from all parties align to keep the project on track.
- Deal effectively with complex issues, using judgment, common sense and problem-solving skills.
- Seek expert opinions and advice where appropriate and considered reliable.
- Manage and coordinate with outside agencies and vendors as required.
- Schedule and manage logistics for user-testing, focus groups, post-mortems etc., meetings as needed.
- Support content review/validation/user testing/refinement and approvals process as required.
- Participate in proofing and proof-reading processes as required.
- Provide input as needed for changes to procedures and practices.
- Analyzing data and reporting on communication objectives as part of communications plan evaluations and other team reporting.
- Work with the Senior Manager to measure and evaluate outcomes of communications work from the team and report on outcomes.
- Ability to troubleshoot technical challenges as they arise, to seek out solutions.
- General support for the Advancement Communications team.
- Interested in learning new skills and technologies.
Qualifications / Requirements:
- An undergraduate degree in public relations, communications, or a related field is required.
- 5+ years of experience within the communications and marketing sector leading complex projects.
- Excellent writer and strategic communicator with experience developing high impact communications plans and campaigns to meet goals and objectives, creating and managing content for internal communications, leadership communications, business communications, event communications, web content management and other digital communications.
- Well organized and a strong project manager, with a demonstrated ability to prioritize functions on a daily basis and capable of simultaneously managing multiple responsibilities efficiently and effectively.
- Experience working in an institutional environment with high-profile stakeholders is an asset.
- Excellent customer service and relationship management skills with proven abilities in exercising diplomacy, judgement and emotional intelligence.
- Ability to translate client requests into concrete communications strategy and tactics is required.
- Strong working knowledge of MS Office applications, MS Teams.
- Results-oriented and independent, with demonstrated initiative in turning ideas into formalized projects with measurable results.
- Knowledge of CMS systems, such as Drupal 8 and Marketo will be considered a very strong asset.
- Understanding of the university's departments, teams, processes, tools and strategy is a strong asset.
- Ability to build and manage strong professional relationships and work with a variety of clients to support their unique communications needs through various communications channels is required.
- Proven ability to excel in use of technical tools such as Marketo e-marketing platform, Drupal 8, Livewhale is a must.
- Excellent writing is required. A professional writing background is an asset.
- Demonstrated public relations strategy skills, including experience working in a customer-facing, marketing/PR role, is an asset.
- Dedication to continuous professional growth through course-based and on the job training opportunities is strongly encouraged.
- Willingness to experiment with new ideas and tools is desired.
Application Deadline: May 8, 2025.
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist / Advisor Job Family, Phase 3.
For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).
Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.
We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.
