Communications Specialist

Oklahoma State University Foundation; Stillwater (OK); On-site; USD 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Oklahoma State University Foundation is seeking a Communications Specialist to execute the Marketing & Donor Experiences department’s digital strategy and storytelling. The role focuses on managing social media, writing content, and creating campaigns that engage donors across platforms.

The position collaborates with internal partners to develop online marketing and fundraising initiatives, write and edit communications, and support events and major campaigns with research and media relations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, public relations, or a related field.
• 2–3 years of related professional experience required; strategic planning and digital storytelling preferred.
• Experience writing, editing, interviewing and research skills are necessary.
• Attention to detail in written, visual and oral communications.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines with accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the MDX content strategy across social channels and campaigns.
• Write copy for STATE Magazine, newsletters, ads, and web content; coordinate with designers.
• Collaborate with internal partners on online marketing and fundraising campaigns.
• Create scripts and interview questions; assist with PR and media relations.
• Support events and donor-centered communications and research projects.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Public relations

Social media management

Content creation

SEO/SEM

Digital storytelling

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, public relations, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe Creative Suite

Web development

SEO tools

Job description

VISION: Transform the university through the power of generosity. MISSION: Unite donor passions with university priorities to elevate the impact of Oklahoma State University. DEPARTMENT PURPOSE: The Marketing and Donor Experiences team, which falls within theDevelopmentteam at the Oklahoma State University Foundation, contributes to the mission by collaborating with internal and external partners to provide strategic, integrated marketing, communication, creative services and special events expertise to achieve our mission of serving Oklahoma State University and providing our donors with impactful, dynamic and engaging experiences. PRIMARY PURPOSE: The Communications Specialist will help execute the Marketing & Donor Experiencesdepartment’s strategic goals of effective storytelling to inspire, solicit and steward donors. This position completes and/or contributes to important and ongoingMDXassignments, with a primary focus on managing the overall social media strategy and writing/deploying all content. Additionally, the Communications Specialist will work with theMDXteam to create graphics and curate photographs for theOklahoma State UniversityFoundation’s social media channels. This person will collaborate with internal partners to develop and coordinate online marketing/fundraising campaigns on all social and digital platforms and contribute to various other writing projects, including, but not limitedto:news releases, newsletters, advertisements, web content, STATE Magazine articles, event speaking points,development communications such as proposals,etc. KEY AREAS OF FOCUS:

Social Media Content Management(40%)

• Will work with the Senior Director of Communications, and others within MDX, to implement the Foundation’s overall digital content strategy.
• Responsible for generating copy and content for all the Foundation’s social media channels, including curating photographs and collaborating with the MDX team to create social media graphics.
• Work with multiple departments across the Foundation to define, track, analyze and report on digital communication metrics and analytics, with the goal of improving the online user experience and better targeting digital audiences.
• Help develop and implement strategies for new media and identify new communities and technologies for marketing efforts both at the Oklahoma State University Foundation and with our campus partners.
• Work closely with communication departments across campus and the university’s central Brand Management office to share general online content and digital strategies.

General Writing and Media Relations(40%)

• Contribute copy for various publications, including the Foundation’s portion of STATE, Oklahoma State University ’sofficial magazine, as well as other Foundation newsletters/e-communications.
• Collaborate with designers, video producers and photographers to facilitate interviews for video shoots related to publications as well as design work required for each project.
• Work closely with the Multimedia Designer to write video scripts and video interview questions.
• Write digital and print advertising copy as assigned; and write and distribute various news releases.
• Assist with public relations/media relations outreach for news announcements and special events.
• Contribute to the Foundation and Marketing & Communications team by participating in the execution and preparation of major events and initiatives, including involvement with Women for OSU, major gift announcements, specific campaigns, groundbreakings and other special projects.
• Assist with research projects, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Digital Campaigns (20%)

• Collaborate with Oklahoma State University Foundation internal partners to help implement online marketing/fundraising campaigns on all social and digital media platforms, including the comprehensive campaign and the annual Give Orange, Cowboys United, Giving Tuesday and Women for OSU campaigns.
• Work closely with the Director of Pipeline Growth to set the digital/social strategy for annual campaigns.
• Collaborates with MDX and PGR internal partners to plan, manage and execute annual campaign tactics, which may include coordination of interviews, videos, video scripts, live-streamed components and more.
• Coordinates efforts with campus partners as needed.
• Represents MDX as a liaison for these projects in regularly scheduled meetings and during the actual campaigns.

JOB COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE:

Education & Certifications-

• Bachelor's degree in marketing,public relations, marketing,or related fieldrequired.

Experience-

• A minimum of 2-3 years of related professional experience and/or training is required.
• Experience in the following areas is preferred: strategic planning, content creation and management, email marketing, social media marketing and digital storytelling.
• Experience writing, editing, interviewing and research skills are necessary.
• Attention to detail in written, visual and oral communications.
• 1-2 years of experience building and implementing digital strategies/tactics, including web development, social communication, mobile landscape, etc. is preferred.
• Ability to manage own workload, make routine decisions and problem-solve independently.
• Experienced multitasker with strong ability to manage multiple deadlines, while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.
• Understanding of current and emerging digital market trends is critical.
• This person also must have excellent interpersonal communication skills, as the communications specialist may lead a team dealing with digital strategy.
• Must be able to work professionally and cooperatively with internal and external partners to build a collaborative work environment.
• Experience leading content development initiatives including developing, deploying and optimizing a multi-channel content strategy.
• Ability to analyze large quantities of data and convey most important pieces of this data to colleagues, donors and web audiences is essential.
• Strong computer skills are a must, and a strong knowledge of SEO, SEM, Microsoft and Adobe applications is preferred.
• Proven sense of humor and ability to have fun.
• Effective Communication: Able to present effectively to large groups of individuals; is clear, articulate and direct in sharing and providing feedback; develops communication plans to ensure effective transparency and involvement throughout the organization; able to present complex issues appropriately for a target audience; maintains communication with all staff and stakeholders.
• Execution & Initiative: Drives a high performance culture, having the ability to differentiate performance and demonstrate managerial courage; maintains focus on organizational priorities and sets challenging performance goals for units; invest personal energy and time in building buy-in among key influencers in advance of critical decisions; seeks to ensure that strategic initiatives are effectively executed and communicated to relevant audiences within the organization; encourages an environment in which results surpass activity and teamwork surpasses results; able to remain focused on only mission-related initiatives.
• Teamwork/Interpersonal Skills: Builds cohesive teams of people across OSUFoundationbased on strong personal trust and relationships;motivates the organization to increase employee engagement levels; constantly assessesand builds team morale;seeks out relationships with experts as a means of obtaining information about best practices and skills vital to departmental and organizational success;maximizes personal networks in different parts of the organization, campus & community partners, and effectively uses contacts to achieve unit results.
• Problem Solving/Judgment: Oversees the development of guidelines, principles and approaches; appropriately applies risk management practices, including the escalation of risk issues, and recognizes and undertakes opportunities for others to learn from inevitable mistakes, and incorporates experience in future decisions; able to anticipate problems/challenges and required strategy for a situation; makes connections among previously unrelated ideas and looks beyond the first right answer.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Plays an active role in implementing change; encourages others to challenge the status quo; able to quickly adapt and lead during changing circumstances; foresees potential breakdown in the establishment/development of change and proactively recommends modifications to maintain standards of deliverables; anticipates specific reasons underlying resistance to change and proactively implements approaches to address potential concerns; remains active, visible and engaged throughout all stages of change management.
• Courage & Conviction: Takes responsibility for departmental outcomes regardless of success and learns from all results; creates a departmental environment where failure is seen as an opportunity for learning.
• Donor Centered: Uses donor and university feedback to improve service and feed into the business planning; builds performance-based business relationships by identifying and meeting donor needs rather than simply relying on social or affiliated relationships.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Equal Opportunity EmployerThis employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.