Communications Specialist, Department of Design

Austin, TX (Hybrid)

$52K/yr – $56K/yrMid Level5+ years expFull time

Posted 3 months ago

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Job Summary

Drive department-wide communications for UT Austin's Design department, owning multi-channel storytelling, editorial planning, and event support to raise visibility and engage audiences.

  • Own multi-channel storytelling and editorial planning across web, email, and social.
  • Must-have: Ability to manage content calendars and coordinate vendors or photographers.
  • Strong cross-functional collaboration and event storytelling to support department initiatives.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Create, manage and execute effective communication strategies for multiple and versatile departmental programs, projects and initiatives to raise visibility of department and to reach its desired audience.
  • Implement content calendars and campaign plans that support key departmental initiative (e.g., showcases, exhibitions, recruitment periods) and adjust based on performance insights.
  • Maintain a steady pipeline of content ideas through active stakeholder engagement and editorial planning.
  • Draft and pitch story ideas, respond to media inquiries, and coordinate press materials in collaboration with college/university communications staff.
  • Propose, research, write, edit, and publish original content highlighting Design students, faculty, programs, projects, exhibitions, and initiatives across web, email, and social platforms.
  • Create compelling written, visual, and multimedia posts and stories.
  • Maintain and publish content for the Department of Design website (CMS-based) and department social accounts, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and alignment with college and UT standards and brand.
  • Develop and execute communications support for public-facing events: create promotion plans, produce and schedule event announcements, and prepare day-of and post-event storytelling content.
  • Document departmental events by sourcing and coordinating photographers/videographers, developing shot lists, managing timelines and deliverables, and organizing assets for future reuse across channels (web/social/marketing materials).
  • Manage multiple communications projects concurrently, set timelines, coordinate inputs and reviews, and deliver final materials on schedule.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree. 5 years of professional experience
  • Demonstrated communications experience including developing and executing communications strategies, writing and editing for digital channels and managing multiple projects with deadlines.
  • Demonstrated experience with building and maintaining content priorities and editorial calendar.
  • Experience sourcing and coordinating photographers/videographers, developing shot lists, managing timelines and deliverables, and organizing assets for future reuse across channels (web/social/marketing materials).
  • Required Competencies:
  • Initiative
  • Effective Communications
  • Teamwork
  • Service Excellence
  • Accuracy and Attention to Detail
  • Decision Making and Critical Thinking

Preferred

  • More than five years’ experience of relevant professional experience.
  • Experience managing content on a large website and applying information architecture/content strategy principles.
  • Professional journalistic writing experience for digital channels and/or online marketing/communications experience.
  • Experience coordinating multimedia production (photo/video) and working with external creative vendors.

Benefits

  • 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
  • Retirement contributions
  • Paid vacation and sick time
  • Paid holidays
  • Other services and perks.
The University of Texas at Austin logo

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United States. Founded in 1883, the University has grown from a single building, eight teachers, two departments and 221 students to a 350-acre main campus with 21,000 faculty and staff, 16 colleges and schools and more than 50,000 students.

Founded in 2014
Austin, Texas, USA
26K employees (1,078 in marketing)

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
12.9M
Monthly Google Ads Budget
$987.3K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
45.4%
Direct
46.7%
Referral
6.7%
Social
0.5%
Paid
0.6%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~26.1K

Marketing Team

Marketing Team Size
738 (3% of company)
Median Career Experience
13 years
Median Tenure
4.2 years
Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
5

Funding

Total Funding
$189.6M
Last Raise
$3.3M
Grant, 2 years ago

Funding History

  • Jul 2024
    Grant • $3.3M
  • Jun 2023
    Grant • $18M
  • Jul 2022
    Grant • $100K

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