Assistant Director of Communications
The University of Chicago

Department

Civic Engagement Associate Director Pool

About the Department

At the University of Chicago, civic engagement is an institution-wide commitment that encompasses our contributions to the enrichment of human life through research and education, our work to increase economic opportunities on the South Side, and our support for the open exchange of ideas with our broader community. Our relationship and engagement with the City of Chicago was of critical importance at the time of our founding and continues to guide the University's contributions to the city and the South Side today. The University approaches civic engagement in a comprehensive and deliberate way: we approach civic engagement as a University-wide commitment that furthers our core mission of research and education and reflects our core values; we build meaningful, mutually-beneficial partnerships that increase civic participation, expand educational access, and create economic and social opportunity; we apply an interdisciplinary approach that brings our best thinking across multiple domains to advance innovative initiatives that enrich human life in our city; we solve real world problems with rigor by supporting our faculty, students, staff, and alumni to engage with the community and the world around them as they address the most pressing urban challenges and build evidence-based solutions; and we measure and communicate our impact, sharing what we are doing and learning as we partner with others to contribute to the public good.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Communications will support the planning and execution of a digital marketing strategy that reaches families, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, job seekers, and community leaders on the South Side of Chicago to drive awareness of and participation in the opportunities and resources available to them through the University of Chicago and the Office of Civic Engagement, as well as to deepen their overall engagement with the University.

Responsibilities

• Works closely with OCE's Senior Director of Communications and Associate Director of Communications to execute a digital communications strategy that increases visibility and deepens relationships and engagement with key external stakeholders and influencers.
  
• Manages @UChiEngagement social media profiles and presence (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube), including cultivating key constituencies, driving reach and bi-directional engagement, monitoring adjacent accounts, managing editorial calendar, and strategically boosting content.
  
• Creates engaging, original content for social media, including videos, that support broader communications goals.
  
• Monitors and assesses social content performance to maximize impact and audience growth and engagement.
  
• Leads updates and maintenance of civic engagement website and OCE program sites.
  
• Leads management of email communications, building and deploying newsletters and event invitations and supporting efforts to grow distribution lists.
  
• Tracks and analyzes performance across social media, websites, and newsletters, compiling regular reports.
  
• Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with internal and external partners in support of OCE's goals.
  
• Creates collateral materials for civic engagement programs and events and partners on strategic distribution of materials.
  
• Partners with OCE staff to establish consistent presence at community events.
  
• Coordinates photo shoots and leads photo management for OCE and its programs.
  
• Tracks program opportunities for Chicago residents offered by partners across campus.
  
• Helps oversee the work of OCE's communications intern.
  
• Handles communications-related administrative tasks as assigned by OCE's Senior Director of Communications.
  
• Plans, develops and disseminates information designed to keep the public informed of the organization's programs, accomplishments, or point of view, with moderate levels of guidance and direction.
  
• Solves a range of straightforward problems, as work assignments are difficult and broad in nature, usually requiring originality and ingenuity.
  
• Performs other related work as needed.
  

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or related field.
  

Experience:

• Professional work experience in communications or a related field.
  

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Experience working with leading social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
  
• Experience with paid media tools (Facebook Ads Manager, etc.).
  
• Understanding of the latest social format specifications, restrictions, and guidelines.
  
• Experience working with email marketing platforms (i.e. Emma).
  
• Experience with web content management.
  
• Experience building presentations with PowerPoint.
  

Preferred Competencies

• Experience with graphic design.
  
• Experience with video editing.
  
• Experience in project management.
  
• Keen understanding of traditional, digital, and social media outlets and their audiences and reach, and the ability to adapt organizations' key messages to those formats.
  
• Strong interest in civic engagement and issues affecting communities on Chicago's South Side.
  
• Ability to engage thoughtfully with issues related to race, identity, and equity and work across difference.
  
• Demonstrated experience working with communities that have experienced segregation and disinvestment.
  
• Strong judgment, ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative, maintain confidentiality, and problem solve.
  
• Editing and proofreading skills, including knowledge of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and style.
  
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
  
• Comfort working across and learning to navigate new digital and content platforms.
  
• Organizational skills and attention to detail.
  
• Ability to act as a liaison between the Office of Civic Engagement and staff at various external agencies, organizations, and institutions with whom the office may collaborate.
  
• Ability to work a non-traditional schedule including some evenings and weekends.
  

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
  
• Cover Letter (required)
  
• References (3) (required)
  

When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Communications

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at:http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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