Education and Outreach Communications Coordinator, Office of Sponsored Projects

Education and Outreach Communications Coordinator, Office of Sponsored Projects

Hiring Department: Education and Outreach

Position Open To: All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40

FLSA Status: Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date: Immediately

Position Duration: Expected to Continue

Location: AUSTIN, TX

The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) serves as the coordinating office for externally funded research and sponsored projects at The University of Texas at Austin. The mission of OSP is to assist faculty and professional research staff in their efforts to secure and ensure proper stewardship of external funding. We do that by assisting research faculty and staff with the following: proposal review, authorization, and submission; award negotiations and acceptance; account management; close-out, reports, audits, collection; professional development and education; export control, and research compliance.

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
• Retirement contributions
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays
• Eligible for telework

Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered.

Purpose

Supports operational communications, training resources, and outreach initiatives for the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) Education and Outreach team. Assists in developing clear, accessible, and audience-focused communications and training materials that support the university research community and align with The University of Texas Austin brand standards.

Responsibilities

• Communications & Written Content DevelopmentDevelops, drafts, edits, and coordinates operational communications related to federal research administration policies, sponsor requirements, institutional procedures, trainings, and process updates for the university research community. Assists with production and distribution of newsletters, targeted communications, announcements, and informational resources. Maintains a communications publishing calendar and coordinates with leadership and subject matter experts to gather, organize, and refine content. Supports development and maintenance of audience-specific distribution lists and listservs to facilitate targeted stakeholder communications. Assists in drafting and maintaining content for SharePoint and other communication platforms to support clear, consistent, and accessible operational guidance. Ensures communications materials conform to The University of Texas at Austin brand, editorial, accessibility, and communication standards where applicable.
• Training & Resource SupportAssists in development, coordination, and maintenance of training and informational materials related to research administration processes, sponsor requirements, and updates to the University of Texas Research Management Suite (UTRMS). Develops user-focused guidance materials, reference documents, job aids, and communication resources that support operational implementation and user adoption. Assists with development and formatting of visual communication materials, graphics, presentations, and informational resources that support training, outreach, and operational communications. Assists with formatting, editing, and organizing educational materials to support consistency and accessibility standards.
• Research Administration OutreachAssists with outreach and engagement activities supporting the research administration community. Supports development and coordination of meetings, workshops, campus engagement initiatives, informational sessions, and outreach materials intended to strengthen communication and collaboration between OSP and departmental stakeholders.
• Operational Coordination & Communications SupportProvides administrative and project coordination support for communications initiatives, including tracking communications projects, coordinating timelines, organizing shared resources, and supporting continuous improvement efforts for communication workflows and stakeholder engagement practices.
• Professional Development & Other Duties Participates in professional development activities and remains current with research administration practices, sponsor requirements, communication trends, and university procedures. Assists with special projects and performs other related duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, English, higher education administration, business administration, or related field.
• At least 6 years of experience developing and conducting programs.
• Experience drafting, editing, and coordinating professional communications in a higher education, nonprofit, governmental, or administrative environment.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information clearly and effectively to various audiences.
• Strong writing, editing, organizational, and project coordination skills.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines in a collaborative environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and web-based communication platforms.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and commitment to accuracy and consistency.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting communications, outreach, training, or educational initiatives in a research administration or higher education environment.
• Familiarity with federal sponsor requirements and research administration terminology.
• Experience supporting SharePoint, newsletters, listservs, or internal communication platforms.
• Experience developing user guidance documents, job aids, or training support materials.
• Familiarity with accessibility, editorial, and institutional brand standards.
• Experience coordinating communications calendars or stakeholder engagement activities.
• Experience with graphic design, visual communications, or content creation tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar platforms.

Salary Range

$55,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

Required Materials

Please mark "yes" on the application for required materials. Failure to attach all additional materials listed may affect candidates being considered for the position.

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest
• Writing sample (required for finalists only)

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and