Communications Strategist

Staff - Non Union

Job Category
M&P - AAPS

Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Information Services, Level A

Job Title
Communications Strategist

Department
Digital Services | Communications & Engagement | VP Finance & Operations

Compensation Range
$5,791.00 - $8,323.42 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date
May 8, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date
May 30, 2026

Note: This position is a 1-year term with the option of extension.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
The Communications Strategist assists with the design, development and implementation of coordinated communication strategies in the Vice-President Finance & Operations (VPFO) portfolio.

Organizational Status
Reporting to the Manager, Digital & Creative, the Communications Strategist will also work closely with staff and faculty, and other internal and external partners.

Work Performed

Graphic Design:

• Provides basic design and revision support for print and digital materials, including: digital signage, social media graphics, posters, postcards, reports, brochures, presentations, promotional assets, and/or illustrations, in line with the UBC VPFO brand and with attention to audience needs;
• Co-ordinates with printers and vendors; and
• Develops templates that help accelerate production and unify the look and feel of office materials.

Website Administration:

• Crafts and co-ordinates content updates on VPFO websites.

Writing:

• Researches, writes and/or coordinates web and social content for student, staff, and faculty audiences, including, but not limited to people profiles, announcements, educational and informative blog posts and stories; and
• Performs research and fact-checking analysis.

Content Development and Internal Communications:

• Creates content for digital channels, including photography, illustrations, video clips, blog posts, as aligned with wider communication initiatives and/or campaigns;
• Supports internal stakeholders' marketing and communications needs by ensuring available assets, resources, guidelines, graphic standards, processes and protocols are being leveraged and utilized effectively;
• Produces analytical reports to advise decision-making;
• Curates relevant and existing content from partner channels and groups;
• Coordinates distribution of promotional materials across the university, including in print and digital format; and
• Coordinates and leads digital assets.

Communications Support:

• Responsible for coordinating general communication efforts, including planning communication-related meetings, translating discussions into structured documents and plans and tracking timelines;
• Work with partners and stakeholders to evaluate existing platforms for gaps in consistency or areas which can be improved upon and/ require change management;
• Develop basic communication plans as assigned and coordinates work flow amongst communication project contributors to meet targets;
• Participate in the processes that support continuous improvement, collecting and analyzing data, sharing results, and making ongoing optimizations;
• May represent the portfolio in committees and/or forums; and
• Manages and publishes editorial and event calendars.

Photography/Video:

• Coordinates and/or produces photography and video content as needed and identified in communication plans; may engage and work with campus partners to produce such content.

Email Marketing:

• Crafts internal and external newsletters, including media recaps, by writing and soliciting content internally and from campus-wide partners; and
• Designs and updates templates and produces analytical reports to inform decision-making.

Event Support:

• Responsible for assisting with events, including event promotional materials, logistics, vendors, and day-of event setup and delivery; may attend events after regular hours as needed; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Errors can have significant negative impacts on the achievement of VPFO's strategic goals as well as its reputation.

Supervision Received

Reports directly to the Manager, Digital & Creative. The position works autonomously under general guidelines.

Supervision Given

May assign tasks and provide mentorship to consultants and vendors as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum four years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant field. Experience in the field of communications, graphic design, digital media, marketing, journalism, public relations, preferred. Minimum of four years' experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience. Professional experience in a post-secondary institution or similar environment a strong asset.

• Proven experience of working with digital channels in an organizational/corporate environment.
• Experience using content management systems, specifically Drupal and WordPress.
• Ability to adapt writing styles for different audiences and purposes.
• Proven ability for graphic design in an organization setting using Adobe Creative Suite.
• Understanding of current digital, social media, and content marketing trends.
• Outstanding writing abilities, being able to translate sophisticated information for a general audience in concise, efficient, and engaging copy.
• Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to work with diverse individuals in a sophisticated setting.
• Strong project management and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge and experience of working in a brand environment, with an understanding of visual design principles.
• Experience with social media monitoring and management, website analytics, and data visualization tools.
• Ability to exercise tact and subtlety, when working with confidential and critical information.
• Ability to be service-minded, and to function efficiently in diverse and multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, with an ability to deliver effective presentations.
• Accuracy and attention to detail and an ability to work independently and assess own performance.
• Maintains excellent rapport with the university community as well as external partners.
• Exercises good judgment and maturity in all communications.
• Ability to communicate effectively by composing correspondence, reports, presentations, and other written materials using clear concise business English.