Communications Specialist

Please see Special Instructions for more details. University of La Verne is unable to provide sponsorship for work visas at this time. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future. Job Vacancy Announcement Functional Title: Communications Specialist Position Type: Administrative/Professional Appointment Type: Regular Full‑Time Equivalent: 100% Work Schedule: This is an onsite position. Diversity Statement The University supports a diverse and inclusive environment where students recognize and benefit from the life experiences and viewpoints of other students, faculty, and staff. Diversity is an active and intentional practice that supports difference and multiplicity to expand knowledge, educate capable citizens, develop the whole person, and serve our local and global communities. Promoting and sustaining diversity is a commitment to educational quality and the creation of positive, respectful learning communities. Job Description Summary Reporting directly to the Director of Communications, the Communications Specialist serves as primary writer and editor for internal and external communications including press releases, newsletters, news stories, social media content, and event calendars to raise awareness of the university to internal campus community, regional audiences, and local media. This role writes, edits, and distributes campus community announcements, including but not limited to, the alumni magazine (Voice), campus community updates, and social media content. This role prepares background materials for university spokespeople and pitches faculty as experts to media outlets at the local, regional, and national levels to support reputational branding efforts. Additionally, the Communications Specialist is expected to manage and update the faculty experts guides, media lists, and media placement reports. Responsibilities Serve as the primary writer and editor for a variety of communication materials, including press releases, newsletters, news stories, social media, and event calendars. Craft engaging and informative campus community announcements for the alumni magazine (Voice), social media content, campus community updates, and other strategic communications initiatives as needed. Engage internal and external audiences by responding to inquiries and answering questions. When needed, route questions to appropriate members of the university community for follow‑up. Assist in maintaining a social media content calendar in the project management system (Wrike) as posts and campaigns are developed. Develop advertorial and advertising copy to support university marketing initiatives and campaigns for the recruitment of undergraduate and graduate programs. Collaborate with the Marketing team to align communications efforts with broader college initiatives and promotional strategies. Assist with editing recruitment materials, including emails, flyers, brochures, etc. Manage and utilize Pluralytics software to align the university’s content with its brand voice. Refine software benchmarks as needed to be reflective of the different audiences, messaging, value propositions, and tone as our voice evolves. Analyze content across different communications pieces and identify updates. Support website content communications to facilitate updates as needed. Review content across all webpages to ensure brand continuity and value proposition/messaging alignment. Prepare comprehensive background materials to spokespeople to enhance media interactions. Actively pitch faculty as subject matter experts to media outlets at local, regional and national levels. Manage database of media placements and media lists. Manage and update faculty experts guides to facilitate easy access for media inquiries. Maintain accurate and current media lists and produce media placement reports to measure the effectiveness of communication efforts. Oversee and manage Campus+ platform for article submissions from faculty and campus contributors. Ensure an active cadence that is reflective of all colleges for video and published articles. Manage content on Inside Higher Education Campus+ university profile. Be a culturally competent employee who attends/completes diversity and inclusivity trainings provided by the university. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Minimum Qualifications 5 years of experience in news and feature writing. Knowledge of regional news media and what constitutes a story of media interest. Familiarity with AP/Chicago style. Sound professional judgment and decision making. Sound news judgment. Ability to meet tight deadlines and respond appropriately to time‑sensitive issues. Preferred Qualifications Ability to connect faculty excellence and research and university initiatives to news trends where La Verne faculty/staff can be quoted/reference. Ability to stay up‑to‑date on developing higher education trends and communication strategies. Availability to work occasional nights or weekends. Ability to meet tight deadlines while also being flexible enough to multitask and quickly address unanticipated media inquiries or events. Benefits Summary Applicants, please note that actual compensation is determined by several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job‑related skills, depth of experience, certifications, relevant education or training, and specific work location, among others. The offered wage or salary is only one aspect of an employee’s total compensation. Benefits include a comprehensive health and wellness plan, tuition remission program for employee, spouse, and dependent children, a generous contribution to the University’s 403B retirement plan, and a generous time‑off plan. Employment is contingent upon successful completion and clearance of a background check and employment verification. Physical Demands Summary The physical demands include the ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and lift up to 20 pounds occasionally. Clear verbal and written communication is essential, as the position involves frequent interaction with colleagues, clients, or external partners. The noise level is generally low to moderate. The position may occasionally involve meeting deadlines or managing multiple priorities, which can require sustained focus and mental stamina. Salary Range Minimum: $70,304. Maximum: $70,304. #J-18808-Ljbffr