Assistant Director for Communication and Partnerships

Assistant Director for Communication and Partnerships

The Assistant Director for Communication and Partnerships reports to the Director of New Student Orientation and is responsible for planning, coordinating and overseeing all communications, publications, websites, and social media that support New Student Orientation. This role leads the office's partnership program, including the cultivation, management and retention of external funding and in-kind support.

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience - Requires a bachelor's degree in a job related field and 4 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Required Certification, Licensure/Other Credentials - Must possess a valid drivers license.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities - Knowledge of planning and implementing orientation programs for new students and families/supporters. Demonstrated commitment to inclusion and skill in working with diverse groups of people. Must be able to work independently, while also knowing when to seek guidance. Must be a self-starter and adaptive. Must demonstrate superior attention to detail. Must be able to think strategically and gauge effects of actions/initiatives before implementation. Must be able to handle confidential or sensitive situations with poise and professionalism. Must relate well to people, have an engaging personality, and be able to speak with confidence before groups. Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. Must represent the University effectively. Must be able to interact with new students, and families with empathy, tact, and discretion. Must possess excellent organizational skills and be able to handle and prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously. Must be able to effectively present to groups of varying sizes, provide guidance, support and positive customer service to others and maintain confidentiality of student credentials. Must understand budgetary impact of design decisions and provide appropriate guidance during project production to maximize quality output solutions that are also cost effective. Must possess keen knowledge of mass communication and graphic design principles, printing industry terminology, and copy editing style. Graphic design skills are critical in this role. Must handle multiple unrelated tasks simultaneously and prioritize projects in a fast paced environment where both quality and delivery timing directly impact the success of the office's events. Requires proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.; and Adobe Creative Suite; InDesign, Photoshop; Illustrator, etc. Must be able to cultivate and manage key relationships with internal and external constituents and develop marketing projects collaboratively with key stakeholders. Knowledge of marketing strategies and tactics and familiarity with digital tactics such as key word placement, SEO, email marketing and web analytics. Ability to consistently meet tight deadlines. Understanding of print and graphic design terminology as well as photojournalism.

Job Duties

Design, write, and/or edit various marketing and informational/promotional materials that are disseminated to incoming students, families/supporters and campus partners. These materials include but are not limited to brochures, postcards, mailers, logotypes, promotional items, advertisements, fliers, posters, booklets and signage. Prepare and place orders in compliance with all university purchasing regulations. Work with on-campus and external service providers, such as print shops, to ensure quality control, budget adherence, and timely deliveries. Serve as liaison between vendors and internal stakeholders. Plan all marketing and communications strategies and tactics, including print publications, email communications, CRM strategies, social media campaigns, and web-based communications. Maintain positive University presence on all web and social sites, posting original content of interest to new students and their family members, curating relevant content, and responding to social media inquiries from students and families in a timely and personal manner.

Manage and develop the Orientation Partners Program through cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of campus and community partnerships to assist in welcoming new students to the University of South Carolina. Meet with campus and community partners annually to ensure expectations are met. Work with the Office Manager to process invoices and payments. Coordinate the delivery of all marketing materials for the Garnet Guide and orientation supplies. Work with the Coordinator for Training & Development to schedule training opportunities with the Orientation Leaders. Recruit additional partnerships annually. Evaluate and assess the Orientation Partners Program.

Coordinate regular office assessment and data analytics to enhance new student/family member experiences. Interpret data to identify areas of opportunity and implement programmatic change. Create the annual Office of New Student Orientation Impact Report.

Supports orientation programming, including day-to-day operations and managing technology during orientation sessions. Serves in a staffing rotation hosting various orientation sessions. Handles customer service and crisis management situations as they arise.

Supervise a Graduate Assistant and Marketing Interns. Meet regularly with them to ensure task completion. Provide feedback.

Assists with the management of Orientation systems and platforms, including, but not limited to VizualZen and Advantage Design Group.

Serves on various university committees or performs other duties as assigned by the Director of New Student Orientation. Continues developing the national reputation of USC's orientation programs by presenting at meetings, publishing, corresponding with other professionals, and researching orientation related topics.

University Of South Carolina