The Communications Specialist will be responsible for supporting University-wide communication efforts by creating engaging, transparent, and effective content for a variety of channels. This position will create new ways for our community to connect by leveraging technology, streamline existing communications channels, and sharpening our messaging to align with the University’s strategic priorities.

Ranked by Niche as the second (#2) most diverse private college in Washington State in 2020, Saint Martin’s is extremely proud of our student diversity. Our university treasures persons of all abilities, ages, ethnicities, genders, nationalities, orientations, races, and religions. In particular, we know that students educated in an ethnically diverse settings perform better academically and reap greater professional success than their peers from more homogeneous learning environments. We proudly celebrate that our student population is 51% undergraduate and 32% graduate students of color. We are committed to pursuing an employee community which reflects a similar, if not the same percentage.

Therefore, we intentionally encourage and request that members of historically underrepresented groups apply to join this community. All of us, from all backgrounds, are making a commitment to do and be better for our students, faculty and staff.

Established in 1895, Saint Martin’s University serves as the educational mission of Saint Martin’s Abbey. The Abbey is a Catholic Benedictine monastery, whose members pray, work, and live together on the University campus. As the mission is Catholic and Benedictine, one of our values is a spirit of hospitality welcoming all, regardless of an individual’s faith, religion, or spirituality

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Internal Communication Responsibilities

• Develop and implement an annual internal communications plan that helps to advance the University’s strategic priorities and fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging.
• Produce an email newsletter for faculty and staff that keeps the campus informed about what's happening on campus, encourages attendance at upcoming events and programs, celebrates community achievements and builds a sense of pride and belonging.
• Audit existing communications channels and tools and recommend changes to policy and practice to streamline communication and improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• In partnership with other campus departments, investigate and implement new tools (intranet sites, apps, community portals, etc.) to improve and streamline communications across campus.
• Partner with Event Services to ensure optimal use of the campus calendar.
• Partner with Information Technology Services to manage policy surrounding campus listserve creation and permissions.
• Partner with campus departments to improve the effectiveness of internal communications, and ensure all communications foster inclusion and belonging.

Other

• Provide project management support for the team by managing the project request form submissions.
• Develop an external stakeholder email newsletter.
• Create communication/presentations to support relationships with external partners and stakeholders.
• Provide copyediting support for reports and proposals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES

• Strong self-awareness, interpersonal skills and community-building abilities
• Excellent proofreading and copyediting skills
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Strong reporting and storytelling skills; ability to make complex/technical information easy to understand
• Strong affinity for and comfort with new technologies; ability to drive implementation of new technologies
• Ability to work effectively with a broad cross section of people, from the college's president to students, faculty and staff
• Ability to advance the college's core values of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize work, meet deadlines, meet project deadlines and budgets, and collaborate across departments and offices
• Experience creating, or willingness and ability to learn how to create HTML emails
• Ability to create and edit simple graphics in Adobe Photoshop
• Ability to take sharp and well-framed photos with a smartphone and/or point-and-shoot camera
• Support of a Catholic, Benedictine philosophy of education

REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of the importance of and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, with emphasis on underrepresented communities.
• Experience working with academic programs and staff and faculty, preferably within a marketing and communications capacity.
• Superior organizational skills and ability to juggle multiple projects while ensuring deadlines are met.
• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• Strong eye for detail and high standards of accuracy.

• Successfully pass a criminal background check.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Work performed in a standard office environment. Physical demands include:

• Moves objects (less than 20 pounds) long distances (more than 20 feet).
• Ability to be mobile campus wide for appropriate business needs.
• Operates a variety of standard office equipment requiring continuous or repetitive arm-hand movements.
• Reading, writing, speaking, hearing, standing, bending, sitting.
• Learning and comprehending.
• Requires visual concentration on detail.
• Manual dexterity and precision required for keyboarding.
• Must be able to sit for long periods at a time at a computer.
• May occasionally be required to deal with distraught people.
• Must be able to concentrate on details and process complex information while experiencing frequent interruptions.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with people at all levels under stressful conditions.
• Must maintain strict confidentiality relating to all issues in the department, the University and the President’s Office.

*REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
*

• Cover letter specifying interest and how their background has prepared you for this position
• Current resume
• As part of our recruiting and hiring process, Saint Martin’s University requires final candidates to prepare a brief statement (no more than one page) which highlights how the candidate’s work experience and background will contribute to our Catholic Benedictine mission and vision of Saint Martin’s University. To better understand the Catholic, Benedictine values in an educational environment, you may read more on our website online here . Please bring the statement with you and give it to the search/interview committee.

Job Type: Full-time