Job Description

Position Summary

The College of Natural Science ( is seeking a Senior Communications Manager to tell stories about our community. The College of Natural Science, or NatSci, Senior Communications Manager will work in collaboration with other members in the NatSci Marketing Office to develop content that conveys NatSci’s vision, mission, core values and main priorities to drive awareness, increase affinity and advance NatSci’s reputation as a leading research and teaching college at an R1 institution. Key areas include communicating research and trends and advances in the biological, mathematical and physical sciences to a broad audience. Within the thematic frameworks of the NatSci Strategic Plan, this individual will seek and develop story ideas, translating complex topics into short- and long-form content, college newsletters and other possible marketing collateral needs. This position will be responsible for storytelling that resonates with NatSci’s audiences — including peers, alums and donors — and/or is of interest to local, regional, and/or national news media. The position will also play a key role in the development of signature and feature products for advancement-related materials. This person will work with University Communications and their public relations team to elevate stories and manage a freelance network of writers and an intern.

Unit Specific Education/Experience/Skills

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Journalism, Telecommunications, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, or related field such as Communications; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in public and media relations; composing, editing and publication production; news, broadcasting, and print media; and/or marketing, advertising, and creative services; graphic design; word processing; desktop publishing; web design; presentation; spreadsheet and/or database software; public presentation or radio production; or computer programming/technology; and/or experience in a field related to are of employment; may require management and supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Requirements:

• Experience developing and pursuing story ideas and photos to produce news, feature stories and marketing content.
• Excellent writing, interview, research and editing skills, with knowledge of Associated Press style.
• Familiarity with scientific or technical terms and the ability to comprehend research and "translate" it effectively for different audiences.
• Keen news judgement and proven track record of identifying and producing pitch-worthy news stories or stories with demonstrated appeal to target audiences.
• The ability to proactively seek story ideas from faculty, students and alumni for multiple publications (digital and print). 
• Knowledge of working, managing or editing in a content management system such as Omni CMS, Mura, WordPress or similar platforms.
• Ability to use, and track data to make informed decisions on content. 
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently or as part of a team, collaborative and with a positive attitude.
• Project management and problem-solving skills—especially in the development and maintenance of resources that support news reporting and storytelling.
• Experience with public relations, media and pitching 
• May require valid vehicle operator's license where needed to perform duties of the position.   
• This position requires or will require prior to the completion of the probationary period: knowledge of basic personal computer terminology and operations, and the ability to use e-mail and the Internet. 

Desired Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred.
• Five to 10 years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in public relations, journalism or content marketing.
• Experience in higher education and/or agency experience a plus. 
• Proven ability to develop quality content that grabs attention, stimulates discussion and is relevant and newsworthy.
• Experience working in a deadline-driven environment with an ability to advance and publish content on a weekly basis while keeping stakeholders updated on progress.
• Experience managing vendors and/or freelancers to develop content or editing services for an organization.
• Ability to deliver content in a compelling, confident, professional and poised manner.
• Highly productive and can manage multiple simultaneous projects.
• A solid understanding of how the college’s storytelling falls within and interacts with the larger communications ecosystem, including publications, e-newsletters, social media, news and public relations.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

• A complete application, resume and cover letter. 
• Three samples of work (writing samples, projects, editing examples). Please describe your role in each submission.
• Names and contact information from at least three professional references 

“This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that will be required of positions that will be given this title and shall not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under his or her supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.”

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Bidding eligibility ends July 30, 2024 at 11:55 P.M.

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

Connections working at Michigan State University

Job Tags

Work experience placement, Freelance, Internship, Local area, Remote job, Flexible hours,

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