Marketing and Communications Specialist

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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences(EMS) at Penn State, is seeking a dynamic Marketing and Communications Specialist to advance the communications strategies for both the EMS Energy Institute(EI) and the EMS Earth and Environmental Systems Institute(EESI). The main focus of the position is to promote Penn State as a top public research university by actively supporting the research discoveries of faculty from both institutes.

This position will take a proactive approach to working with institute affiliate researchers to understand their priorities, research, and goals. They (with leadership from the Institute's team lead and assistance from the Earth and Mineral Science's director of strategic communications) will translate that information into communications plans, collaborate with fellow communications staff on the publication of articles highlighting our research successes, develop marketing materials for Institute leadership to use to help advocate for further funding, and spread the word on the benefits provided by our two world-renowned EMS research institutes.

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will research, write, and distribute news releases about peer-reviewed research in addition to researching and writing feature stories that meet both institute's strategic initiatives and engage the broader community.

Key responsibilities include the following:

• Ensure all content adheres to Penn State's editorial and brand guidelines, including AP, and the Chicago Manual of Style.
• Craft web content and update both institutes' websites.
• Develop and manage the production of integrated and strategic marketing and communications plans consistent with institute, college, and University brand strategies, support outreach efforts to engage stakeholders with research efforts, and leverage marketing opportunities to enhance development efforts.
• Develop content for promotional materials, including fact sheets, brochures, newsletters, and digital signage. Write social media posts and manage both institutes' social media platforms.
• Monitor news and media presences and review content analytics to make informed decisions about future content.
• Possibly provide general photography and videography coverage to support content creation needs.

Education and Experience: This position requires a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of one year of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Work Arrangement: This is a hybrid position that combines regular on-campus and remote work.

Application Materials: In addition to a cover letter and a resume, writing samples are required; please attach two writing samples or include a link to your portfolio or other samples in your cover letter.

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences takes an active role in building a talented, inclusive, and culturally competent workforce. We understand that our shared future is guided by basic principles of fairness, mutual respect, and commitment to each other. Applicants should also provide evidence, either woven through their application materials or as a separate diversity statement, of a commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusive excellence, and belonging and of engagement which creates an inclusive environment in their department/workplace.

What we are looking for: Strong writing and editing skills, excellent attention to detail, and a proven track record of translating faculty research and technical topics into content appropriate for a variety of communities and audiences are required.

This position works daily with EI and EESI faculty, staff, and leadership and communicates regularly with alumni, students, and donors. As such, the successful candidate must have a keen ability to work with diverse stakeholders and be able to prioritize multiple projects. They must be able to work in a fast-paced environment, stay current with emerging trends in the communication field, be a self-starter and work independently, and also be able to participate in and contribute to integrated, cross-functional teams.

Other qualifications:

• Passion for promoting innovative science and learning
• Ability to manage complex projects to successful completion in a timely manner
• Excellent judgment, integrity, and exacting attention to detail
• Ability to translate strategic goals and initiatives into compelling content across multiple formats
• Proactive, solutions-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities independently
• Dedication to quality and customer service
• Appreciation for working with a variety of audiences

Penn State offers competitive benefits to full-time employees, including medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans, in addition to generous vacation time (24 days per year; accrued every month, sick time (12 days a year; accrued every month), and paid holidays (14 per calendar year). Please visit https://hr.psu.edu/benefitsfor more detailed information.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades is:

Salary Structure - additional information on Penn State's job and salary structure.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: