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OVERVIEW:

Term: 15 months

The Manager, Integrated Communications is responsible and accountable for identifying and delivering the strategic institutional communications content, used across multiple channels to advance the University's image, profile and reputation with local, national and global audiences. The position will develop and implement traditional and digital communication activities in support of strategic goals. The incumbent will be a storyteller and editor, providing leadership and guidance to senior leaders, administrators and staff on content creation and management. The incumbent will provide leadership to communication colleagues across campus, as well as a team of external vendors hired to create multimedia content for the University, who contribute to the University's program of content marketing. This position is responsible for planning, evaluating and producing the highest quality content, which will further the reputation and strategic goals of the University. Creating, as well as directing and managing the creation of editorial content for central channels from a large group of internal and external sources, the Manager, Integrated Communications serves as a lead editor and provides leadership and guidance to communications professionals across campus on matters of research, style, story development and content creation. The incumbent must be a highly skilled writer, with superior understanding of both traditional and new communication technologies, and a strategic thinker with deep experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Implement communication plans

  • Under the direction of the Director, Integrated Communications and working with others across campus, support a pan-University communications plan that reflects and supports the central goals of the University.
  • Represent Waterloo's voice and position in communication material and facilitate conversations that enhance Waterloo's reputation and are of value to key local, national and international audiences and stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with faculty members, University leaders and communications teams across campus to identify and promote research and activities relevant to the University's strategic goals.
  • Make recommendations on innovative approaches to disseminate content using emerging technologies.
  • Under the direction of the Director, Integrated Communications, oversee a comprehensive communications content program
  • from the generation of leads to the evaluation and critical assessment of content.
  • Create multimedia content for the University's websites, social media channels and a suite of central institutional print and digital collateral used to advance the University of Waterloo's reputation.
  • Ensure consistency, accuracy and excellence in quality and content of messaging in all materials.
  • Develop multi-stakeholder communications plans to support significant content or events.
  • Conduct research, interviews to write, edit and fact-check a variety of communication materials in support of the marketing and communication plan.
  • Strategically review scholarly research to develop content of interest to the University's stakeholders. Evaluate research discoveries to determine the most strategic and engaging approach to creating multimedia content that will be used across the University's communication channels.
  • Ensure that Waterloo's visual identity, messaging and style guidelines are consistent in all institutional marketing and communication materials produced by University Relations.
  • Support the Emergency Communication Team in delivering of the Emergency Response Plan as required.
  • Provide backup to the writing and publishing of the online Daily Bulletin.Provides research and writing for strategic institutional documents; determine and coordinate cascading communication plan for stakeholders.
  • Attend events to compose notes capturing key messages, take photographs and video and network with attendees to provide content for social media outlets/audiences, e.g., Twitter, Facebook, etc.
  • Perform other duties of a comparable level/type as assigned.
  • Participate in the administration of specific department-wide responsibilities and other general and specific duties as may from time to time be determined.

Insights and understanding

  • Evaluate data and metrics to optimize content creation and distribution across all channels. Use data and metrics to improve the effectiveness of online content.
  • Conduct environmental scans to identify new approaches and assess new technologies to deliver content in new and innovative ways.
  • Contributes to creating a strategy for the assignment and selection of photographs; negotiate permissions, prepare copy and photographs for use, write display copy and organize material for designers.
  • Collaborate on the development of creative vision for photography to be used across print and digital channels in support of the University's strategic goals.
  • Ensures consistency, accuracy and excellence in quality and content of messaging for UWaterloo content and meets current best practices for University communication and accessibility.

Influence and impact

  • Manage and coordinate University Relations, Communications relationships with contractors and external consultants who are providing support to University Relations, Communications programs.
  • Support the development and delivery of professional development and training programs designed to raise proficiency in communications across campus.
  • Create and maintain tools (e.g., copy decks/content templates; sample content; glossary of terms) to support content creators.
  • Participate in the recruitment and development of University Relations, Communications co-op staff; provide leadership, guidance, support and coaching as required.
  • Manage vendor services to support program needs; identify and manage the outsourcing demands of University Relations, Communications; ensure consistent top quality of vendor deliverables for the University.
  • Work collaboratively across all units of University Communications and University Relations.
  • Provide day-to-day leadership and guidance to colleagues across campus as required.
  • Qualifications:
  • Degree in communications, journalism, public relations or related field.

QUAIFICATIONS

  • 5+ years of extensive experience in a post-secondary, marketing or communications environment.
  • Extensive experience using social media and new media tools, social networking sites, video sharing sites, blogs and Wiki.
  • Extensive experience using web-based user interfaces to manage and maintain web content (e.g., web content management system, social media accounts).
  • Proven ability in managing multiple-source projects that require attention to accuracy, consistency, and the ability to work with many different people with competing priorities.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; excellent editing skills.
  • Extensive interviewing and researching skills.
  • Actively engaged in social media.
  • Thorough command of the technology associated with social media and the digital world (from the evolving social web to mobile tools and trends), sophisticated client service and digital communications skills, and high level of energy and passion with respect to this area of rapid change and innovation.
  • Proven ability, extensive experience, and strong working knowledge and understanding of integrated communications strategies within a highly complex institution and competitive marketplace.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts into simple language or visual schematics in order to facilitate understanding among campus colleagues and leaders.
  • Ability to build consensus, foster teamwork among a variety of stakeholders, and lead integrated project teams.

The incumbent must be a highly skilled writer and a strategic thinker with superior understanding of digital communication technologies.

The role covers a broad set of responsibilities requiring expertise in strategic storytelling, communications, marketing and working knowledge of website best practices, digital and content marketing, as well as communications design, development and execution.

Strong organizational skills coupled with proven ability to effectively document work, handle multiple tasks, and excel in a fast-paced environment characterized by changing priorities and short deadlines.

Demonstrated ability to thrive in and contribute to an integrated and collaborative team environment and to apply a positive team approach to working with colleagues.

Flexibility to adapt to unexpected and time sensitive demands.

Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint and other graphics and/or presentation software, CMS (Drupal) and CSS.

Expert knowledge of social media trends, analytics, technology.

Strong photography and videography skills.

  • Intermittent work outside the normal operating hours of UWaterloo can be expected

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