Herc-Higher Education Recruitment Consortium

The communications coordinator is a part of the IRIS Center, a federally funded project located within the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University. This position and is a key individual contributor responsible for a diverse set of communication and marketing tasks designed to elevate awareness of the IRIS Center. The communications coordinator is responsible for coordinating the output and the implementation of both internal and external communication strategies. Duties include managing external communication channels like social media platforms; writing copy for Challenge video scripts, company newsletters and reports; editing modules and other resources; and contributing to the company website. Duties also include adhering to the company's brand by publishing content and marketing materials.

The communications coordinator will perform a variety of complex duties, critical to contributing to and ensuring the success of IRIS Center. Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Collaborate with the IRIS team to identify style and purpose of the brand.
• Create style guides and brand voice outlines for all public relations, marketing, advertising and social media outputs.
• Consult with management to develop effective communication procedures and policies for various situations or crises.
• Draft press releases and social media output following organizational news.
• Perform communications research and monitor the progress of various communications strategies.
• Create informative and interesting press releases, press kits, newsletters, and related marketing materials.
• Develop and implement effective communication strategies that build customer loyalty programs, brand awareness, and customer satisfaction.
• Prepare detailed media activity reports.
• Plan and manage the design, content, and production of all marketing materials.
• Work with different marketing departments to generate new ideas and strategies.
• Supervise projects to guarantee all content is publication ready.
• Create communication and marketing strategies for new products, launches, events, and promotions.
• Lead the marketing and public relations staff.
• Respond to communication-related issues in a timely manner.
• Produce videos and animations for the website and social media.
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports highlighting the IRIS Center's activities.
• Ensure content is accessible and appropriate for the intended audience.
• Monitor and analyze trends and metrics to formulate new ideas to enhance the IRIS Center's social media and website strategy.
• Stay current on issues in social impact and share weekly briefs with relevant practice area leaders.
• Monitor and draft responses or posts to trending topics in these areas.
• Manages all IRIS social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter, identifying and creating others as needed.
• Develops social media strategy and calendar for the IRIS Center and program-specific efforts in coordination with IRIS Center leadership.
• Creates graphics as needed for use on social media.
• Leverages insights to determine relevant metrics for success and adjust strategy as needed to achieve them.
• Assist IRIS Center team members with presentations, speeches, quotes, and provide general communications support in a proactive manner.
• Share communications pieces with IRIS Center leadership for final approval as needed.
• Represent the IRIS Center with a high degree of professionalism.
• Participate in ongoing training to ensure engagement is optimized through the use of cutting-edge tools.
• Develop and manage the process through which the IRIS Center designs and implements marketing and communications strategies through social media and website management.
• Ensure adherence to both Vanderbilt and the IRIS Center brand colors, fonts, and guidelines.
• Participate in regular team meetings and strategic planning sessions.
• Help other team members and work on other projects on an as-needed basis.
• Handle confidential information with the utmost discretion.

This position does not have supervisory responsibility. This position reports directly to the administrative manager.

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree is highly preferred. A moderate level of experience in a directly related field may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-by-year basis. Director approval will be required for substitution.
• A degree in communications, marketing, marketing analytics or related field is preferred.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible full-time paid employment in an advertising, communication, journalism, marketing, public relations or related discipline is required.
• Candidate should possess proven experience creating targeted content.
• A strong knowledge of communication practices and techniques is advantageous.
• Candidate must demonstrate outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Candidate must be able to multitask, manage strict deadlines, and work well under pressure.
• Candidate must possess excellent organizational and leadership abilities.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Impeccable oral and written communication skills.
• Experience with Photoshop and WordPress or other content management system is required.
• Experience executing paid marketing efforts through LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Google Search, and Google Display is preferred.
• Strong understanding of social media platforms and website content development.
• Photography and videography experience is strongly preferred.
• Proficient in general office tools, as well as photo and video editing software.
• Comfort with new technology systems. Adapts easily to changes in technology and processes.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated celebration of and commitment to inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility.
• Extremely well organized with excellent time management skills and the ability to successfully handle multiple tasks at once.
• High level of creativity is a must.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to interact fluidly with the many different individuals and organizations that will contact and work with the Center.
• Flexible with job expectations and schedule in an office that is on the cutting edge of innovation.
• Willing to jump in wherever needed with a solutions-focused mindset.

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.

Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.

Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.