Apply By: 5/19/2017

At Laurier, we are a community. It’s what brings our students here and what keeps our people here.

As an educational institution, we inspire lives of leadership and purpose in our student community. As an employer, we seek, foster and value the same qualities of leadership and purpose in our employee community.

We currently have an opportunity to join the Laurier community as an Communications Officer (Alumni).

We are looking for someone who lives and breathes digital communications, who is articulate and creative, technical and strategic. You can manage web content management systems, email marketing programs and social media channels. You can engage people through social media and develop integrated communications that support alumni relations and fundraising goals for Laurier. Our goal is to enhance and expand Laurier’s Development and Alumni Relations’ e-communication strategy, particularly with our newest alumni. We want to sustain the intimate Laurier/student relationship into our alumni’s career years, meeting them wherever they are on the web. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of our social media policy, then use it to engage alumni in ideas, debate, networking and opportunities for professional development. As a key member of the communications team within Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), the Communications Officer (Alumni) is also responsible for managing imodules, the digital platform that handles the alumni website, email communications, online giving, event registration.. The candidate will write and edit stories, marketing materials and select internal documents, as well as assist with the communication needs of the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association (WLUAA).

Reporting to the Manager of Communications: Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), with a dotted line report to the Assistant Vice-President of Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, Stewardship & Donor Relations, and working in close consultation with colleagues throughout DAR and Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM), the incumbent plays a pivotal role in advancing the university’s mission and vision by developing and coordinating both targeted and broad-based communications to alumni. We want to inspire our grads to stay in touch, come back to visit and to support the university that helped them launch their careers.

The Communications Officer (Alumni) is responsible for meeting objectives established in consultation with the Manager, Communications: D&AR, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, Stewardship & Donor Relations, and the senior management team of DAR.

This is a full-time, limited term position from May 2017 to February 2019.

Accountabilities:

• In consultation with the Manager, Communications: DAR, creates, implements, and manages strategic communications and marketing initiatives to engage alumni and, including but not limited to: homecoming, reunions, event communications, e-communications, and chapter communications.

• Oversees DAR’s digital communications platform, imodules, including building, approving, scheduling and sending emails, managing web content, building event registration forms, trouble-shooting, implementing enhancements for the system, training colleagues in the use of the system.

• Evaluates communications effectiveness, recommends improvements, develops communications strategies to better engage stakeholders.

• In consultation with the Manager, provides strategic direction for and oversees the Alumni website. Writes, creates and posts content to the website and Alumni social media channels.

• Utilizes html design software to create electronic communications and accompanying materials based on design guidelines provided by the Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing Department (CPAM).

• Writes stories and communications and marketing material for DAR web and print publications, and social media.

• Ensures adherence to comprehensive institutional visual identity standards for all Alumni Relations communications and marketing pieces based on guidelines and standards provided by CPAM.

• Develops key messages for Alumni Relations target audiences and ensures consistent integration of these through all alumni communications.

• Attends university events as required to gather information that is pertinent for the Alumni Relations target audiences (e.g. guest lectures, alumni relations events, meetings of Senate and Board of Governors, etc.).

• Liaises with external affinity partners to coordinate the deployment of affinity partner-specific communications.

• Maintains a communications schedule for Alumni Relations and Annual Giving and makes recommendations regarding scheduling.

• Provides day-to-day support and oversight for student co-op position(s).

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism or a related discipline with a minimum of four (4) years of recent related work experience in communications, web development, journalism, and/or publications development.

• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including proficiency in news, web, social media, and marketing writing.

• Excellent proofreading skills.

• Sound news judgment and excellent interviewing skills.

• Experience writing, creating and posting online content to websites and social media channels.

• Demonstrated success in developing and executing strategic communications initiatives.

• Ability to successfully deal with multiple demands and priorities, and often competing deadlines.

• Superior interpersonal skills and proven ability to work in a collaborative environment.

• Strong problem-solving and prioritizing skills in a multi-task environment.

• Appreciation of diverse perspectives and ability to work with diverse groups including affinity partners, administration, faculty, staff and students.

• High level of knowledge regarding social media, email, the web, mobile communications, video production, and photography.

• High proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite, HTML, CSS and web development.

Qualifications: