Senior Communications Strategist- Haskayne School of Business

Description

The Haskayne School of Business  is currently seeking a Full-time Temporary Relief Senior Communications Strategist for approximately 15 months.

The Senior Communications Strategist at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary is an experienced public relations professional tasked with bolstering the school's reputation as thought leaders in business. The position reports to the Senior Director, External Relations. The strategist works closely with other members of the school's communications, marketing, recruitment and with the Associate Dean (Research), the research team, as well as operational units.

The Senior Communications Strategist creates, implements, measures, evaluates and adjusts the communications plans, campaigns and programs to increase brand awareness and the profile of the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. The Strategist develops internal and external storytelling content and public relations initiatives to raise visibility and impact of faculty researcher's work by effectively disseminating research findings and insights to the broader business community. The strategist role includes high-level, fast-paced communications projects that require agility and confidence to adapt strategies quickly, make judgement calls and take calculated risks to achieve ambitious targets. The position deals with complex issues and deep awareness of the competitive market.

This is a 15-month term AUPE position. Hours of work are normally 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. The incumbent is responsible for managing many projects (5-10 projects at any given time) across a broad range of business topics, research areas and target audiences. This position is required to meet multiple, simultaneous deadlines throughout the year and requires extensive experience in project management.
 

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

Communications Strategy development and execution :

• Develops comprehensive and robust communications plans that identify audience, communications channels, key messages, tactics and metrics
• Conducts interviews with researchers about their work and produces compelling stories, news releases and other public relations materials to grow awareness of their work
• Acts as a first point of contact for media inquiries to the school and facilitates interviews with school leaders, researchers or other spokespeople
• Builds and maintains relationships with business journalists and media outlets
• Builds and maintains relationships with faculty
• Identifies, researches, writes and proactively produces content to utilize in advertising, social media, email campaigns and Haskayne website
• Successfully pitches stories to news media locally, nationally and internationally
• Monitors media coverage and analyzes effectiveness of public relations campaigns
• Writes and edits website content, blog articles, social media ads and posts, and program brochures
• Ensures alignment of communications efforts to enhance pride and ambassadorship among the faculty, staff, students and alumni of Haskayne
• In consultation with Haskayne units and other appropriate stakeholders, develops and implements an effective and focused marketing and communications plan with a variety of initiatives to promote Haskayne grad programs and to raise the profile of the School
• Works in conjunction with leaders across the school to implement strategic, internal and external marketing and communication plans. Plans reflect key messages and brand to support Haskayne's strategic objectives
• As a senior member of the marketing and communications team, provides mentorship and communications counsel to the advisor and student team members on a frequent basis

Project Management

• Effective management of multiple projects, programs and campaigns to achieve deadlines, stay on budget and aligned with Haskayne's student recruitment goals and strategic plan
• Effective multi-tasking skills are required to juggle and prioritize multiple projects, programs and campaigns
• Track communications metrics around media coverage, readership, engagement and share of voice
• Results oriented and proactive in identifying areas for improvement and coming up with creative solutions
• Provide regular updates and reports to the Senior Director, External Relations
   

Qualifications / Requirements:

• A related university degree (in marketing, communications or journalism) is required
• A minimum of 7 years of experience in the communications, public relations and/or journalism fields with extensive experience in digital advertising, social media and email marketing is required
• Ability to understand, translate, and disseminate research to practitioners
• Experience in media relations is a requirement
• Demonstrated excellence creating and executing effective marketing and communication plans and large-scale programs/campaigns aimed at various target audiences
• Ability to provide leadership to junior roles including training and mentorship
• Confidence to lead initiatives and provide counsel to senior leaders and to work collaboratively with others in the faculty
• Excellent project management skills with demonstrated success in planning, organizing and managing projects. Strong ability to work under pressure with competing deadlines and to handle numerous priorities at once
• Experience with project management systems/tools is strong asset
• Demonstrated ability to work with peers to enhance business process with cross-functional teams
• Excellent consultation, collaboration and influencing skills; proven ability to build and maintain relationships
• Expertise in creating compelling communication pieces for a wide variety of audiences using multiple communication vehicles
• Communications experience in a large complex organization is a strong asset
• Demonstrated experience in copy writing and advance knowledge of Canadian Press style guidelines
• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills
• Excellent research and interview skills
• Excellent oral communication skills and ability to handle diverse communications assignments with tact, courtesy and discretion
• Maintain a content calendar to organize and share content
• Produce monthly reports to track readership and engagement metrics of content that is in market
• Ability to speak and write clearly and succinctly in a variety of settings and styles; ability to distill complex information, listen effectively and to deliver messages that have the desired effect
• Knowledge of post-secondary educational issues is an asset
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty leadership and staff at all levels
• Proven ability to work to deadlines while managing multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with constantly shifting priorities
• Strong attention to detail
   

Application Deadline:  September 11, 2024

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.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist / Advisor Job Family, Phase 3.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website. 

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy 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]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role. 

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