Director, Marketing and Communications, Faculty of Science

Position Overview

The Dean's Office in the Faculty of Science is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Director, Marketing and Communications.

This position reports to the Dean of the Faculty of Science, with strong links to the Office of Advancement, including the Senior AVP of Communications. 

This position leads a team that is responsible for developing and implementing the overall Faculty of Science marketing and communications strategy including brand management, student recruitment, student ambassadors, advertising and marketing, media relations, website content, social media, special events, and internal communications that is tailored for our diverse targeted audiences. The Director is also responsible for advising and contributing to the communications strategies for the Faculty of Science fund development, alumni relations and recruitment initiatives, and supports crisis communications team in the event of a university-wide emergency.

The position works collaboratively with the Office of Advancement to ensure that marketing and communications strategies developed in the Faculty of Science align with the University of Calgary brand and help to advance overall institutional direction.

Position Description

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS:

• Develops, implements and measures high-quality and timely marketing and communication strategies
• Proactively seeks out opportunities and achieves success in reputation management, brand strategies, marketing, media relations, social media, campaigns, publications, events and internal communications designed to create a positive image for the faculty and the University of Calgary
• Provides long- and short-term communications advice to senior leaders and faculty members within the faculty and across campus on Science-related initiatives and issues
• Ensures the implementation of strong and consistent brand and positioning protocols for the marketing efforts of the faculty
• Improves and broadens the reputation of the faculty locally, nationally and internationally
• Engages key stakeholders in the work and results of the university, related to science in particular
• Ensures alignment of marketing and communications efforts across the Faculty of Science to ensure resources are focused on Science priorities
• Supports internal communications, in conjunction with the HR team in the faculty, to foster a high-performance culture
• Develops productive relationships with faculty leadership team, academics, students and staff
• Manages contracts and relationships with external contractors, freelancers and design providers
• Works professionally and collaboratively with other university communicators and marketing professionals, as well as members of the Office of Advancement and external funding agencies
• Leads strategic faculty marketing and communication plans, in support of the university's entrepreneurial brand, its strategic direction, Academic Plan, Research Plan and other initiatives
• Leads a team of communications professionals, ensuring the appropriate allocation of personnel to projects, providing staff with direction on administrative policies, procedure, collective agreements, technical requirements, priorities and service expectations
• Coaches and mentors staff; supports team members to develop professional development plans
• Accountable for supporting the short- and long-term business objectives of the Faculty of Science through effective marketing and communications strategies
• Responsible for the development of timely and compelling Sciences stories to showcase teaching, education and research accomplishments
• Develops and maintains a list of faculty experts in the areas of science and innovation, to ensure faculty members are available and trained to speak to media on topical public issues
• Works with faculty staff to create and maintain an engaging website for the Faculty of Science
• Leads team members to deliver successful events that meet faculty and department objectives, by engaging internal and external stakeholders
• Establishes, tracks and maintains social media channels and content to share the news and accomplishments of the Faculty of Science
• Builds and maintains relationships with peers in the post-secondary, science and innovation sectors in Calgary and nationally

STRATEGIC PLANNING / PROJECTS:

• Develops and implements high-quality and timely marketing and communication strategies based on industry best practices and key performance indicators
• In conjunction with the Dean and senior leadership, develops, monitors and meets the faculty's business objectives in the area of marketing and communications
• Provides advice to the Dean and senior leadership to effectively allocate and utilize resources to achieve strategic goals and objectives with regards to marketing and communications
• Responsible for overseeing the communications and marketing budget for the Faculty of Science
• Works with the Office of Advancement to provide a Faculty of Science perspective on any university-wide announcements, events and initiatives

COMMUNICATION / RELATIONSHIPS:

• Communications are timely, informative and appropriately represent the Faculty of Science and the university
• Manages complex faculty issues and challenging interpersonal interactions with composure and diplomacy
• Seeks expert opinions and advice where appropriate and considered reliable
• Proactively develops and maintains trustworthy, productive, problem-solving working relationships with colleagues and staff across the university community and external agencies
• Coaches and motivates staff and project members to develop positive, high-trust working relationships; manages conflicts towards win-win outcomes
• Creates an environment where knowledge sharing, training tools, coaching and staff development ensure service levels are met or exceeded

Qualifications / Requirements:

• A post-secondary degree in marketing, communications, public relations, business, or a related field
• Minimum of 10 years experience in the marketing and communications field, including at least five at the management level with demonstrated experience leading a team
• Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing strategic marketing and communications plans, which includes effective creation and execution of large-scale projects and campaigns aimed at target audiences
• Excellent written and oral communications skills required; this includes demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and succinctly in a variety of settings and styles; ability to distill complex information into compelling stories, listen effectively and deliver messages that have the desired effect
• Experience in events planning and community outreach, including media, event marketing and communications
• Strong interpersonal skills and a proven ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide and diverse stakeholder group and across campus
• Experience producing a variety of marketing and communication channels aimed at various internal and external audiences, leveraging online, social media, print and face-to-face communications best practices
• Knowledge and expertise formulating competitive strategies and managing policies, practices, trends and information affecting the entire university
• Strong understanding of social media and how to leverage social media to the advantage of the Faculty of Science
• Demonstrated ability to work with staff at all levels, to work under pressure and deadlines, and to handle numerous priorities and competing deadlines

Application Deadline:  February 14, 2023

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

Additional Information

This position is classified in the Management Career Band, Level M2 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework. Management and Professional Staff (MaPS) Positions are currently under review as part of the Alberta Labour Relations Board exclusion review process. Visit the HR website for more information.

To find out more about management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Management and Staff Careers website. For more information about the Faculty of Science visit Careers in the Faculty of Science.

The University strongly recommends all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

About the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.