Marketing/Communications Student Assistant

Center for Public Partnerships & Research; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 18,000 - 23,000; Part time

Job summary

The Center for Public Partnerships & Research is seeking a Marketing/Communications Student Assistant to support content creation, design promo materials, and assist with analytics across SPAA/PMC programs.

Work includes maintaining content in HubSpot and Planner, plus basic CRM usage and collaboration with a small team. The role is an hourly, on-site student position with opportunities to gain hands-on marketing experience.

Qualifications

• Experience with Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram as shown in application materials.
• Proficiency in Word and Adobe CC or Canva as shown in materials.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in application materials.

Responsibilities

• Create and draft content for newsletters, social media, and website news stories.
• Assist with short-form video content for events and programs.
• Log content in content tracking systems and distribute to external partners.

Skills

Social media platforms experience

Effective written communication

Education

Pursuing degree in SPAA/Administration or Journalism & Mass Communications or Marketing

Tools

Microsoft Word

Adobe Creative Cloud / Canva

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CMS

Microsoft Planner

Job description

Position Overview

The Marketing/Communications Student Assistant will work closely with the Director of External Affairs at the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA). This versatile role involves supporting marketing, communications, alumni engagement, and administrative tasks for the SPAA’s academic and professional development programs, including the KU Public Management Center (PMC). The ideal candidate will gain hands‑on experience creating written, visual, and video content, designing promotional materials, supporting social media/digital board marketing, reviewing basic social media and web analytics, and using customer relationship management (CRM) tools, while also developing the organizational skills needed to support a small team managing communications across multiple degree and professional development programs.

Job Description

50% - Content Creation and Management

• Create and draft content for newsletters, social media, office digital board, and website news stories.


• Assist with short‑form video content (event coverage, program promotion, testimonials) for social and web use.


• Assist with logging content in the SPAA/PMC content tracking system.


• Assist with distributing content to external partners of SPAA/PMC as identified by the Director of External Affairs.


• Develop and execute marketing communications strategies outlined by the Director of External Affairs and SPAA/PMC strategic plans.

25% - Design Promotional Materials

• Design flyers, programs, graphics for social media, and other event materials.


• 10% Marketing and Communications Analytics Support


• Pull and summarize social media and website analytics on a regular basis to help inform content decisions.


• Assist in tracking performance of marketing campaigns and channels across SPAA/PMC.

10% - CRM & Project/Task Management

• Maintain and update communications/contacts in HubSpot CRM.


• Maintain and update tasks and project management in Microsoft Planner.

5% - Other

• Marketing and communications duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience with social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, as indicated in application materials.


• Intermediate-level proficiency with Microsoft Word and Adobe Creative Cloud suite, or Canva, as indicated in application materials.


• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively as evidenced by cover letter, application, and resume.

Preferred Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a degree in the School of Public Affairs & Administration, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, or School of Business (Marketing), as indicated in application materials.


• Basic familiarity with social media or web analytics tools (e.g., Meta Business Suite, LinkedIn Analytics, Google Analytics), as indicated in application materials.


• Experience using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, specifically HubSpot, as indicated in application materials.


• Experience using a Content Management System (CMS), specifically HubSpot, as indicated in application materials.


• Experience with task management, specifically using Microsoft Planner or another project/task management system, as indicated in application materials.


• Excellent written communication skills as demonstrated by application materials and other interactions.

Position Requirements

During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours. For summer periods the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or (2) be pre‑enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or (3) be enrolled in summer session or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments DO NOT apply to Student Hourly appointments).

Employment Conditions

• Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR.


• This is an hourly/non‑exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non‑exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.

October 12th, 2026.

Contact Information to Applicants

Sydney Bannister

[e-mail]

Advertised Salary Range

$15.00

Anticipated Start Date

Sunday November 1, 2026