Communications Manager for New Students

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is led by Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor. Our staff is dedicated to serving students and to helping them succeed in and out of the classroom in areas including health and well-being, identity and inclusion, leadership and engagement, and student advocacy. Student Affairs includes departments led by the Dean of Students; departments that provide identity-based spaces and leadership resources; the Wisconsin Union; University Health Services; and University Recreation and Wellbeing.

Student Affairs is committed to being a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist workplace and is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Applications from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, LGBTQ+ and non-binary identities, women, persons with disabilities, military service members, and veterans are strongly encouraged.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

http://studentaffairs.wisc.edu/


Position Details

Communications Manager for New Students
Job
Full-time
1/26/2023
Southwest Wisconsin
Madison, WI

We seek an individual who values community, loves UW-Madison, and can't wait to welcome new Badgers to campus. As the inaugural Communications Manager for New Students -- an elevated role in Student Affairs -- you will be charged with developing a collaborative and strategic communications approach to onboarding and welcoming our new students.

As a member of the central Student Affairs communications team, you will work closely with Student Affairs colleagues and campus partners to align communications in support of a positive student experience. This will include overseeing communications and promotions for Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) and Wisconsin Welcome; supporting new student convocation; aligning new student and parent/family communications; and fulfilling compliance requirements for first-year communications. Since this is a new position, you will be able to shape the role as we continue to identify priority needs and opportunities in new student communications. You will have the option to hire a student intern team to support these efforts.

The ideal candidate is a natural collaborator and influencer who centers diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their work; a skilled facilitator and planner with a demonstrated record of success; and someone who has experience coordinating student-facing communications at the university level.

Student Affairs comprises approximately 900 professional staff from 23 departments dedicated to ensuring every student experiences a just and caring community, a sense of belonging, and academic and personal success at UW-Madison. We seek candidates who are student-centered, practice inclusivity and collaboration, strive for excellence and are eager to lead in making our campus a welcoming place for all students.

Responsibilities: 

Develops and supervises the execution of communication programs and may supervise personnel and/or other resources in support of institutional or unit communication goals.

  • 20% - Manages the day-to-day operational unit plans to align with strategic initiatives and to meet established objectives 
  • 15% - Plans, writes, and edits content for various internal and external stakeholders
  • 10% - Plans and directs unit programs and/or projects to ensure adherence to deadlines and budgets
  • 15% - Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures
  • 20% - Develops, implements, and delivers communication materials through various mediums to designated audiences
  • 5% - Monitors reach and effectiveness of communication campaigns, projects, and initiatives
  • 15% - Facilitates alignment of new student communications among Student Affairs and campus colleagues

Tasks:

  • Communications strategy and planning -- Identify opportunities for communication alignment and collaboration; coordinate workflow; and establish thoughtful and efficient processes in support of a positive new student experience.
  • New student orientation & welcome programming -- Oversee branding, communication strategy, and promotional/collateral needs for SOAR and Wisconsin Welcome. Assist chancellor's office with new student convocation.
  • Parents & families -- Assist staff from the Parent and Family Program to develop and implement a communication plan that aligns with new student issues and outreach.
  • Compliance -- Monitor and adhere to federal, state, UW System, and university requirements for communications to new students. Track and internally submit fulfillment of required communications.
  • Required first-year programs -- Coordinate communications from Student Affairs departments (University Health Services and Office of Inclusion Education) and Graduate School related to required online programs for new students.
  • Website, social media, e-blasts -- Set the communication strategy, content plan, and upkeep for SOAR website, Center for First Year Experience social media channels, and for SOAR and Wisconsin Welcome promotions.
  • Supervision and advising-- Hire and manage student interns to coordinate communication project workflow and execution. Advise on new student communication-related projects led by Student Affairs staff and interns.
  • Special projects -- Assist with development and facilitation of operational plans in support of special projects or campaigns. Support other Student Affairs departments as needed.

Required Qualifications:

Minimum 3 years relevant professional experience, including managing multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment and leading student-facing communications in a higher education setting. 

Preferred Qualifications:

At least 10 years relevant professional experience; ability to assess and align diverse stakeholder needs to meet organizational goals; excellent facilitation skills; supervisory experience; skilled with using content management systems (e.g., Wordpress), email marketing software, and social media platforms.

The expected starting salary range for this position is $65,000 up to $75,000 for experienced candidates. Actual pay will depend on experience and qualifications. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits.



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