Responsibilities

• Strategy and Planning (25%): Develop a strategic communications plan for the NIA DECC, working with the NIA DECC Co-Directors, Communications Leadership Team, and NIA officials. Ensure that communications products are meeting program goals. Participate in the collection, review, and analysis of data with regard to research accessibility, effective science delivery, and outreach, evaluating the effectiveness of the communications program and products – and revising approaches as warranted.
• Dissemination (50%): Develop, design, and manage products to summarize research findings and publicize NIA DECC events and services. Work in consultation with NIA DECC Co-Directors, NIA stakeholders and D&E Centers.
• Newsletters
• Blog
• Website
• Social Media
• Conferences
• Other
• Develop a digital newsletter for the NIA DECC to highlight research findings and publicize events and services.
• Develop a process to solicit and publish content from D&E Centers for the Newsletter
• Manage email distribution and use metrics to monitor readership and to adjust content and distribution.
• Research, write, and edit newsletter content.
• Develop an NIA DECC Blog to highlight research, datasets, and opportunities related to NIA priority topics sponsored by the Centers.
• Research, write, edit, and publish blog posts on topics relevant to NIA DECC.
• Work with ISRDI IT professionals and DECC Co-Directors to manage the NIA DECC website
• Develop a process to solicit and publish content from D&E Centers on the NIA DECC website
• Provide day-to-day oversight and maintenance of the website, including development of new pages/functions, as well as general content management
• Establish and manage NIA DECC social media presence, determining best platforms for our purposes
• Prepare print material and displays for conference exhibits

Requirements

• B.A./B.S. plus four or more years of experience in a communications role, or a combination of related education and work experience equivalent to eight years
• Experience leading or relevant to leading a communications program, including developing, executing, and evaluating the effectiveness of plans, strategies, and tactics
• Experience building and executing a social media strategy
• Strong writing, editing, and design skills, lending themselves to creating a variety of content
• The competencies necessary to work effectively with distributed teams and with stakeholders who have diverse backgrounds, priorities, and perspectives
• Skill using various communications apps and tools, such as Google Suite, Project Management systems such as Basecamp, Adobe Creative Suite, Mailchimp and/or Salesforce Marketing Cloud, website content management systems, and social media management platforms
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and equity, and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment
• Proven ability to express scientific concepts, research findings, or other complex subjects in engaging, accessible language
• An ability to move projects forward independently (but not in isolation) – setting priorities, communicating progress, and balancing different streams of work

Preferred

• A professional background in a social science or health field related to the demographics and economics of aging (e.g., sociology, public health, gerontology, public affairs)
• A professional background in science communication and/or outreach
• Demonstrated ability to engage stakeholders and to grow long-term relationships with key partners and audiences

Benefits

• The University Offers a Comprehensive Benefits Package That Includes
• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area