Description

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director of Admissions Communications, the Communications Specialist for Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives is responsible for planning, developing and managing recruitment communications in collaboration with key internal and external partners. Collaborators include campus partners across VCU, community partners and third-party vendors. The Communications Specialist plays a critical role in meeting recruitment and enrollment goals through strategic, student-centered partner communications.

This role is essential to strengthening partner relationships, supporting new initiatives and executing communications that align with the university's recruitment and enrollment goals. The position requires excellent writing, communications planning and interpersonal skills, along with a strategic mindset and comfort with project management tools and CRM systems. The specialist will serve as a liaison with partners, ensuring that messaging supports shared goals and reflects VCU's brand and values.

Core Responsibilities:

Partner Communications (60%): Coordinate partner marketing and communications to support undergraduate student recruitment (e.g., email, text and call campaigns, print media, direct mail, digital marketing, video and photography, and other forms of communication) and create new materials consistent with VCU's brand and marketing strategy.

• Develop and coordinate partner communications across channels including email, direct mail, print, video, and digital media.
• Create and review copy for digital outreach, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and accessibility standards.
• Collaborate with partners and technical colleagues to define target audiences and ensure communications are effectively segmented.
• Manage updates and revisions to print and digital collateral used for internal and external partner recruitment communications.
• Maintain consistent messaging across communications.
• Support project management for communication initiatives, including developing timelines, coordinating tasks, monitoring progress, and ensuring deliverables are completed accurately, on time and within scope.
• Contribute to an annual marketing plan that reflects the needs of strategic partners and enrollment objectives.
• Conduct market research to develop effective and proactive strategies that adjust to shifting trends, leverage existing technologies, and engage emerging technologies to meet enrollment goals.

Partner Engagement (20%):

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Collaborate to identify new initiatives and communication needs that support recruitment strategies.

Admissions Events (10%):

• Attend local on-campus and off-campus recruitment events and assist as needed.

Other Duties (10%): Complete other duties as assigned by the Director for Admissions Communications.