Job Description

Staff - Non Union

Job Category M&P - AAPS

Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Information Services, Level A

Job Title Communications and Social Media Specialist

Department Communications Strategy | Communications | Faculty of Arts

Compensation Range $5,063.67 - $7,294.50 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date June 1, 2023

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date Mar 31, 2025

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
Shared by the Departments of Political Science and Sociology, the Communications and Social Media Specialist works with each Department to assess its communications needs, then works with each Department to develop, implement, and evaluate communications and marketing strategies. Reporting to the Arts Communications Network Manager, the role will focus primarily on identifying and articulating the brand for both Departments, with a particular focus on Faculty and Student Research, Individual and Departmental Achievements, Student Recruitment, Community Engagement, and Alumni Relations. The successful candidate will also manage and coordinate electronic and print communications, including all social media, digital signage and print communications.

This work requires a deep understanding of each Department and its priorities, strategic goals, academic programs, and key activities. The position requires the ability to profile each Department and its branding in a clear, creative and appropriate format to multiple audiences. This work will leverage and strengthen the position of each Department internationally, nationally and within UBC.

Organizational Status
This position reports to the Arts Communications Network Manager, and works collaboratively with the Arts Communications team and network.

The incumbent will take functional direction from the Department Head of each department. This role is a joint position that will interact with researchers (faculty and students) and staff within each Department as well as IT Services, Arts ISIT, Arts Communications, Arts Development and Alumni, UBC Events, UBC Public Events, etc. concerning the communications and marketing needs of each Department.

Work Performed
1. Communications and Marketing Strategy

• Works with each Department to assess (and reassess) its communications needs, then works with each Department to develop, implement, and evaluate a communications and marketing strategy that includes websites, social media, email campaigns, print communications, and other communications tools.
• Writes original content to publicize the activities of students, faculty, and staff in the Departments. Publishes content on the Department websites, through their social media accounts, in newsletters to Departments? constituencies, and other forms of communications media.
• Designs innovative ways of delivering information and services, including recommending best practices for usability, accessibility and navigation.
• Develops and advises on the most appropriate communication tools to reach a varied audience, including websites, social media, digital signage, email campaigns, newsletters, and press releases related to research, achievements, academics, and departmental information.
• Keeps current on evolving technologies and recommends changes to ensure that both departments connect with members of the UBC community and with the public in an appropriate way. Advises on the most appropriate communications tools, which requires staying current with communications trends and technologies.
• Maintains quality assurance as well as web content style guides, standards and templates. Helps to maintain UBC style guide standards across all promotional materials. Liaises with UBC units, partners and outside organizations to ensure adherence to the UBC and Departmental brand standards.
• Manages the archiving of all media including the scheduled backups of photos, videos and websites.
• Provides guidance and advice for researchers who currently use social media or are interested in using social media to disseminate information related to their research, recruit research participants, and celebrate individual or departmental achievements.
• Develops and maintains the website and AIR (Arts Internal Resources) Portal of each Department. Acts as primary contact for all content providers in the departments and works with them to develop the content to meet the requirements of each Department. Works with department users and support from the Faculty of Arts to update and improve overall usability and functionality of each department's web page and AIR Portal and to take advantage of new initiatives and technological capabilities. Works with internal and external content providers to develop their content.
• Manages social media content for each Department, developing and recommending methods for streamlining the process of creating and updating web site content. Acts as the primary contact for content providers. Creates and modifies templates for web-based interactive applications. Responsible for each department's social media strategy.
• Develops and maintains each Department's digital signage. Creates content for department events and manages content submitted by others to ensure compliance with digital signage policy and guidelines. Liaises with UBC Events and other units using digital signage technology.
• Provides in-person guidance for faculty and staff for their communications activities, which may include writing detailed user instruction documents. On occasion, develops and presents training and orientation sessions on communications and social media related issues for department members on a case-by-case basis.
• Acts as the communications liaison on events that further enhance the department's identity, vision and values, including speaker series. This includes promoting the events and providing in-person communications support during by facilitating remote attendance options, video recordings, and photography. It also includes ensuring event recordings and other materials are available after the events in a timely manner.
• Monitors and collects news coverage items about each Department and its related concerns. Works with other units within UBC to distribute news coverage items to various audiences.
• Identifies and responds to emerging opportunities to raise the profile of each department, its research, academic program, and achievements. In conjunction with faculty members, drafts and coordinates media releases and web content, including liaising with UBC Public Affairs, UBC Press, and the Faculty of Arts.
• Represents the department on committees relating to communications and social media (Arts Communications, UBC Communications, etc.)
• Maintains contact lists for media and other partner organizations and stakeholder groups.
• Undertakes other communication projects in keeping with the mandate of the position.
• Provides short-term backup for other department staff and perform other related duties.

2. Community Engagement

• Develops, implements and evaluates strategies in increasing community engagement and leveraging the profiles of individual faculty members.
• Establishes partnerships with other departments, and organizations, including alumni, to co-organize initiatives or career nights, and leverage resources.
• Undertakes other outreach projects in keeping with the mandate of the position and performs other related-duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
This role exercises initiative and judgment in establishing priorities and carrying tasks through to completion, and must demonstrate tact and discretion. Works independently and as a team member within established guidelines and standards.

Work is reviewed in terms of achievement of defined goals. Exercises tact and judgement in dealing with internal and external stakeholders. Poor performance would contribute to inefficient operations, poor service and could damage the reputation and credibility of both Departments as well as the University as a whole. Lack of accuracy in work could result in damaged relations with stakeholders, lower research impact, decreased enrollment in programs, and damage the brands of both Departments and UBC. Errors in judgement could not only affect the financial position of both Departments and individual faculty members, staff and students, but also impact existing and future relationships with government funding organizations and industry partners.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Arts Communications Network Manager with functional direction provided by the Department Heads of each department.

Supervision Given
Will supervise at least one student. This individual may hire and manage the work of service providers and administrative staff as necessary.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum four years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one?s own

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one?s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree (masters preferred), preferably in a Social Science (Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Psychology), Communications, Marketing, or a related area. Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating strategic communications, marketing plans, media projects and/or social media strategies.
• Commitment to anti-racism and inclusive excellence, and ability to apply an intersectional anti-racist lens to communications projects. Ability to recognize, respect and work effectively with individuals and groups with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Takes initiative in learning about language and issues relating to equity and diversity.
• Demonstrated experience working in a community or University-based environment with a focus in public relations, communications, publicity, media relations, journalism, or marketing preferred.
• Knowledge of online UBC information systems an asset.
• Superior writing, editing, and design skills combined with an ability to adapt writing styles for various purposes, media requirements, and audiences.
• Experience in web-based content management systems (e.g. WordPress), web design, SEO, usability, best practices, and analytics.
• Expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, or equivalent image processing and design applications.
• Experience in filming and editing video using Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro an asset.
• Working knowledge of HTML and CSS.
• Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Word, Excel).
• Demonstrated working knowledge of publishing, social media, website development, and communications product development.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating communications by means of print, social media and web.
• Capacity for innovation, idea generation, research, analysis, strategic thinking, and project management.
• Highly organized with ability to prioritize assignments and work independently or in a team environment
• Proven multi-tasking skills, including ability to work effectively under pressure, handle heavy volumes, and meet demanding deadlines.
• Ability, flexibility, and willingness to use multiple productivity, task management, and collaboration software in concert with the department and Arts Communications systems.
• Strong attention to detail is a must.
• Demonstrated effective use of social media to create networks and communicate across diverse groups.
• A high degree of initiative and integrity is required on the job in dealing with confidential material and enquiries from faculty, students, staff and the general public.
• Must be very flexible and willing to change course as the incumbent and as each Department learns what works and what does not.