Communications Strategist

Job Summary
As a team, we are hiring a Communications Strategist to lead the portfolio for communications within our two units: Trotter/MESA and Spectrum Center. You will mindfully lead strategic communications and develop marketing and design using traditional and digital media to grow the work and amplify the stories of these units. You will supervise/co‑supervise a diverse student staff with responsibilities such as photography, social media engagement, and graphic design. You will report primarily to the Director of the Trotter Multicultural Center with a secondary reporting structure to the Director of the Spectrum Center. Work is hybrid (3 days onsite, 2 remote) in Ann Arbor, MI.

Responsibilities
Strategic Communications (40%)

Develop, coordinate, and evaluate strategic communications plans for each unit.

Create and annually review standard operating procedures for unit communications processes and tools.

Provide content expertise and professional coaching on branding, communications, marketing, public relations, and social media.

Write for different audiences (donors, general public, parents, students, etc.) and provide unit staff with best practices for professional communication.

Set content calendars and direction for stories, social media, newsletters, and coordinated campaigns.

Coordinate and support communication responses to urgent and emerging issues impacting the campus community with unit leadership and Student Life Communications, Marketing, and Design (CMD).

Identify, implement, and train units on tools that aid in internal and external communications.

Enhance unit work across campus through storytelling and promotion.

Work with units to design and distribute annual reports.

Web and Digital Marketing (30%)

Coordinate social media strategies, policies, and best practices.

Provide units with guidance of social media efforts.

Develop and deliver engaging and useful content for unit websites.

Maintain best practices for the use of communications platforms and assist staff in using the platforms.

Support videography and photography needs for celebrations, events, and educational engagements.

Collect and analyze data and stay up to date on student trends working with IT and other partners to gather information about students we serve.

Development and Stewardship (10%)

Collect the narratives of alumni and the impacts of donors to improve awareness and increase giving.

Implement strategies to maintain communication between the units' alumni, staff, faculty, and students.

Coordinate with Student Life Development to develop alumni outreach and response materials.

Organize Giving Blue Day and other development‑driven campaigns.

Administration (20%)

Lead the units' communications portfolios.

Represent the unit and serve as a primary liaison to Student Life Communications, Marketing, and Design (CMD) and Student Life Technology Solutions (SLTS), and as a liaison to U‑M and Student Life communities of practice for communications, web, and social media.

Participate in campus communities of practice, including Student Life Connect and U‑M Communicators Forum.

Provide unit leads with periodic reports on communications efforts and strategies for improvement.

Propose and manage communications and marketing spending.

Hire, train, and manage 2–4 communication student employees, including graduate and undergraduate students.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in business, communications, information science, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Three or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic communications, marketing, public relations, or digital content management.

Demonstrated experience developing comprehensive communications strategies aligned with organizational goals.

Experience working with tools such as Canva, Asana, Google Suites, Market Cloud, or related.

Demonstrated cultural competence, including experience creating and delivering communications about complex and sensitive topics related to identity, social justice, and community engagement in authentic, inclusive, and responsive ways.

Benefits

Generous time off

Retirement plan that provides two‑for‑one matching contributions with immediate vesting

Many options for comprehensive health insurance

Life insurance

Long‑term disability coverage

Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

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