Job Summary:
The Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) Director of Communications & Marketing leads multichannel communication efforts through data-driven, strategic messaging and innovative digital experiences that maintain and grow WCER's position as a national and international leader in education research. The Director leads a multi-person (approximately 6-10 person) communications team in developing and executing strategic communication and marketing campaigns, producing news stories and features about center events, and advances the center's research using email, web, social media, print, video, and other channels. The Director also serves on the executive leadership team offering insights and strategies related to sensitive communications matters, and actively contributes to the development of new strategies to advance the goals of WCER.
This position also oversees media relations, communication strategies, and brand development to align with WCER's five strategic goals to: integrate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into daily operations; improve services; operate as a learning organization; promote high quality, community-connected research; and expand and diversify center funding.
Additionally, the position oversees the use of data, metrics, and analytics to accurately measure, evaluate, and optimize WCER's communications and marketing activities. The role will use digital tools such as Eloqua, Meltwater, Asana, and WordPress to organize, publicize, and advance communications work.
Responsibilities:
Directs communications strategic planning, and execution. Provides approval and guidance for communications including staffing and budgetary planning in support of communication goals.
- 40% Develops, implements, and monitors strategic communication initiatives for designated audiences and internal stakeholders to maximize engagement and strengthen collaboration efforts
- 20% Identifies, establishes, and directs media relationships and partnerships with internal and external sources
- 10% Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revived operational policies and procedures
- 10% Audits and directs day-to-day operational plans to align with strategic initiatives and to meet established objectives
- 10% Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
- 10% Lead the creation and function of a student internship program that provides rotational experiences and growth opportunities across each duty of the Communications and Marketing service unit
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.
For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion
Education:
Required
Bachelor's Degree
Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field or comparable work experience
Preferred
Master's Degree
Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field or comparable work experience
Qualifications:
Required:
* Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience in communications and marketing required.
* Experience working with or overseeing work across digital communication platforms (for example, but not an exhaustive list: website, social media, intranet, and video production).
* Demonstrated success in project management with a history of leading projects for departments or units within an organization as well as projects that impact the entirety of an organization.
* Ability to develop strategic communication plans for internal and external audiences.
* Experience communicating and distilling research and/or complex topics for the benefit of internal stakeholders, lay audiences, and peers.
Preferred:
* Experience in strategic communication and marketing, brand management, and content development across multiple platforms. * Familiarity with and/or work experience in higher education, non-profit, or government
organizations.
* Experience overseeing the production of visually appealing, effective, and accessible visual design projects.
* Experience with best practices that promote diversity and inclusion in communications/marketing products and the workplace.
* Knowledge of scientific research and/or writing and communications plans to disseminate insights from that research/writing.
* Experience managing a team of communications professionals with a range of functional areas and expertise.
Work Type:
Full Time: 100%
This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.
Appointment Type, Duration:
Ongoing/Renewable
Salary:
Minimum $105,000 ANNUAL (12 months)
Depending on Qualifications
Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off, competitive insurance and savings accounts and retirement benefits.
Additional Information:
WCER is known nationally and internationally as a leader in innovative and impactful education research. Part of UW-Madison's highly ranked School of Education, it is one of the first and most productive education research centers in the world, providing a research home for about 140 grant-funded projects and staff and generating more than $80 million in awards and services annually. WCER employs approximately 500 people and distributes educational services and classroom materials globally, most notably for teachers of English language learners. Over the past 60 years, the center's varied research, evaluation, and development has influenced educational policy and practice in a variety of contexts, ranging from preschool to doctoral programs. More information about the values that guide the purpose and quality of our work and interactions within ourselves and our outside stakeholders can be found on the following webpage: https://www.wcer.wisc.edu/about/
Our center is conscious of inequities in the field of education and how these disproportionately harm the most marginalized members of our society- including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) individuals, people from poor and working-class backgrounds, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ people. We firmly believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do.
How to Apply:
Please click on the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. As part of the application process, you will be required to submit:
- A cover letter addressed to Hanna Blazel, WCER COO, describing how your experience and qualifications
meet the requirements of this position
- A current resume
- A list with the contact information of at least three professional references
- Finalists will be asked to submit their portfolio if asked to participate in an interview
Contact:
Erik Borresen
borresen@wisc.edu
608-265-5608
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.
Official Title:
Communications Director (B)(CM053)
Department(s):
A17-SCHOOL OF EDUCATION/WCER
Employment Class:
Academic Staff-Renewable
Job Number:
295025-AS
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, 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 through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.
If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website:
https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/Employment will require a criminal background check. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding 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).
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