Position Overview

The Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is seeking a highly motivated, focused, and results-oriented communications specialist. This position is a part-time, hourly, casual appointment, meaning the employee can work 14 or fewer hours per week.

The Communications Support Specialist will play a critical role in ensuring the professional presentation and quality of our products and services deliverables. This individual is responsible for editing, formatting, and packaging a variety of documents, reports, and other deliverables to meet organizational standards and client expectations. The specialist will work closely with CAREI teams to ensure that all materials are clear, consistent, and professionally presented. 

The University of Minnesota encourages a healthy work life balance for employees. CEHD is committed to an excellent employee experience, offering a flexible work environment that meets the needs of students, staff, faculty, and the communities we serve. Flexible work arrangements may include flexibility in schedule and/or work location. Please note that 100% remote work requires approval prior to offer.

Job Responsibilities

Writing, Editing, Formatting, Packaging (60%)

• Review and refine written content for accuracy, clarity, grammar, and adherence to organizational style guides. Ensure that all documents are free from errors and meet high-quality standards. 
• Apply consistent formatting across all documents and deliverables, including reports, rubrics, and other materials. 
• Ensure that all content is aligned with organizational branding and style guidelines. 
• Prepare and assemble final deliverables for distribution, ensuring that all components are complete, properly formatted, and presented in a professional manner.

Mass Email Support (20%)

• Format newsletters and announcement email messages in Salesforce Marketing Cloud in accordance with CAREI editorial calendars.
• Distribute mass messages sent out to various CAREI listservs and audiences.

Website Maintenance (15%)

• Update web content upon request on CAREI-affiliated public websites and intranet websites.

Graphic Design Support (5%)

• Develop promotional materials in systems such as Canva and/or Adobe Creative Cloud software for events, project reports, and research initiatives that utilize CEHD/UMN branding and templates.

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS degree with relevant or transferrable work experience in communications, business administration, project management or a related field, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least four years.
• Proven experience in editing, formatting, and document preparation, preferably in a professional services or program management environment.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other relevant software or cloud tools.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication and ability to collaborative effectively with people from a variety of communities, backgrounds, and identities.  
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in practice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Related employment experience in higher education or an organization with a complex structure. 
• Experience with an email marketing platform and/or customer relationship management (CRM) technology (MailChimp, Salesforce, Constant Contact, etc.).
• Experience with website content management systems (Google Sites, Wordpress, Drupal) and/or HTML.
• Experience with Canva and/or Adobe Creative Cloud software.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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