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Job Category:
Academic Staff
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Communications Manager
Job Summary:
As a member of the central Student Affairs communications and advancement team, you will lead high-level messaging and storytelling to convey the impact of student experiences outside the classroom and how these add value in pursuit of a college degree.
The communications manager will spend most days writing, storytelling, editing, planning communications, and managing media or issues-related needs. These include:
Developing executive remarks, talking points, and presentations.
Authoring stories that illustrate the value of Student Affairs as part of the student experience.
Managing media relations, including executive leader preparedness; responses to student, local, and national media; and preparing occasional news releases.
Assisting with crisis and issues-related communications.
Planning, writing, and editing content for the monthly Student Affairs newsletter.
Developing communication plans and strategies associated with Student Affairs initiatives.
Maintaining an archive of remarks, presentations, and points on key issues.
Editing communication materials and messaging.
Supervising one student employee (to be recruited after hiring).
The ideal candidate is a champion for the student experience. They are willing to put in the time to listen, research, and learn from others to create compelling narratives about the value and worth of student affairs in higher education. We are seeking someone who is thoughtful and purposeful when preparing remarks, statements, or communication plans, while able to pivot quickly when emerging needs arise. The communications manager will report to and work closely with the director for communications and advancement as a member of her team.
Student Affairs is led by the vice chancellor for student affairs, a member of the chancellor’s executive team, and comprises approximately 850 professional staff across thematic areas including health and well-being, student success and belonging, leadership and community engagement, and student advocacy. We are dedicated to ensuring every student thrives in a complex world and seek candidates who are student-centered, practice inclusivity and collaboration, strive for excellence, and believe in the transformative possibilities of learning. Discover more about who we are at http://studentaffairs.wisc.edu.
Key Job Responsibilities:
- Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures
- Manages media relations, including proactive outreach and response coordination, and supports crisis and issues-related communication
- Supervises a student writer: this includes hiring, promotions, managing performance, assigning tasks, and approving their hours.
- Prepares executive remarks, messages, and presentations
- Manages the day-to-day operational unit plans to align with strategic initiatives and to meet established objectives
- Develops, implements, and delivers communication materials through various mediums to designated audiences
- Plans, writes, and edits content for various internal and external stakeholders
- Plans and directs unit programs and/or projects to ensure adherence to deadlines and budgets
Department:
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA), Student Affairs Administration, Student Affairs Communications
Student Affairs is led by the vice chancellor for student affairs, a member of the chancellor’s executive team, and comprises approximately 850 professional staff across thematic areas including health and well-being, student success and belonging, leadership and community engagement, and student advocacy. We are dedicated to ensuring every student thrives in a complex world and seek candidates who are student-centered, practice inclusivity and collaboration, strive for excellence, and believe in the transformative possibilities of learning. Discover more about who we are at http://studentaffairs.wisc.edu.
Compensation:
The starting salary range for this position is $72,500 up to $84,000 for highly experienced candidates. Actual pay within this range will depend on experience and qualifications. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Please review the summary of benefits for more information: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf
Required Qualifications:
Experience authoring executive-level messaging, scripts, and/or formal remarks
Experience with public and/or media relations
Experience with communication planning and execution
Ability to humanize initiatives with compelling narratives
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
Ability to prioritize tasks and perform effectively under tight deadlines.
High attention to detail: Superior editing skills with a sharp eye for accuracy, tone, and brand consistency.
Preferred Qualifications:
Ability to exercise high discretion and sound judgment when interacting with executive and senior institutional leaders
Demonstrated experience using plain language principles to translate complex or technical information for general audiences
Familiarity with current public institution issues, trends, and governance in higher education
A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience that includes executive messaging, media/public relations, strategic storytelling, and communications planning.
Education:
Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional-level experience
How to Apply:
To begin the application process, click on the "I am a current employee" button or "I am not a current employee" button under Apply Now. You will need to upload the following documents:
1. A current resume.
2. A cover letter that addresses your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities, or a past experience that would support your success in the role.
Please note that there is only one attachment field. You must upload all your documents into the one attachment field. Application reviewers will evaluate the materials you submit (your resume and cover letter) to identify qualified applicants who will advance in the recruitment process. Please ensure that your application is complete and submitted by the deadline (“apply by “date at the top of the posting) to be considered for this position.
University sponsorship is not available for this position, which includes transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. UW-Madison is not an E-Verify employer, and therefore, is not eligible to employ F1 STEM OPT Extension participants.
Contact Information:
Angel Cartagena, hr@studentaffairs.wisc.edu , (608) 890-2570
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.