Summary of Position

The Undergraduate Office of Admissions at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is seeking a highly motivated, focused, and results-oriented communications specialist to lead the communications efforts for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), as well as support the efforts of other STEM communications.  This position will work on CFANS communications and implementation 75% of the time, while other communications will fill the remaining 25%.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Content Creation:  Write and edit benefits-based content for print and relevant electronic media or other channels to reach desired communications goals. 

Direct the activities of strategic partners in Addressing and Mailing, Printing Services (including designers), and other areas of campus to ensure projects remain on time and on budget.

Collaboration: Under the direction of the Admissions Director of Communications, and in collaboration with CFANS Recruiters and Communicators, develop content and communications that helps to facilitate interest in, application to, and enrollment in the University of Minnesota.

Copyediting, Fact Checking, and Quality Assurance: Ensure that communications are error-free and meet the brand and customer service standards set by the Office of Admissions. Communications must be strategic and on-message, on-time, error and issue free, and they are targeted to the correct audiences.

Event Communications:  Under the direction of the Admissions Communications unit and in collaboration with CFANS Communications, develop communication plans for CFANS recruitment events that effectively support event success and are in line with greater department communications and marketing strategy. Event communications tasks will include audience targeting, creation of print and electronic invitation materials, development of day-of-event materials, and comprehensive follow-up communications to event participants.

College Communication Liaison: Work with CFANS faculty and staff to obtain necessary collateral and information. Provide timely updates to Admissions and the CFANS Student Services to ensure work is transparent and folks are updated on a frequent basis. Track and forecast recruitment communications expenditures. Responsible for delivering projects accurately, on time, and on budget. Prepare budget tracking documents for review by both Admissions and colleges.

Communications Project Management: Manage quality assurance for all outbound CFANS, CBS and CSE recruitment communications, and utilize CRM technology to facilitate the sending of all outbound recruitment emails, mailers and texts. 

Analyzes web usage and CRM data to identify trends in new media communication tools and social media.

Completes projects using constituent relationship management (CRM) technology, including student information, email marketing, outreach calling, and other platforms as needed.

Tracks all projects, production schedules, and completion dates and notes, to ensure timely implementation and updates to key stakeholders. (Maintains operations calendar and update tracking.)

The salary range for this position is $47,000 - $52,000 depending on qualifications -  added 6/7/22

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors degree in communications, journalism, marketing, or art plus two years of experience, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least six years. 
• Requires experience having managed or written content for publication or public distribution.
• Experience with an email marketing platform and/or customer relationship management (CRM) technology.
• Experience with effective creation and implementation of print, digital or new media as communications channels.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in an admissions or recruitment setting.
• Familiarity with the University of Minnesota and its programs.
• Familiarity with CFANS, CBS or CSE and its programs.
• Experience working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.