Communications Specialist

About the role

As a part of a diverse community of faculty and staff who represent many faith systems and worldviews, Marian University seeks a Communications Specialist to promote our Catholic Franciscan mission and identity through clear, strategic, and compelling communications. Reporting to the Executive Director of Communications, the Communications Specialist serves as a communications partner to assigned colleges, schools, departments, and administrative units; develops and executes communications plans; creates high-quality written content; supports media and internal communications; and coordinates projects across the Marketing and Communications team. The successful candidate will be an excellent writer and editor, a collaborative project manager, and a thoughtful communications professional who can translate institutional priorities into timely, audience-centered messaging.

Responsibilities

• Actively engage the Catholic Franciscan mission and identity of Marian University by modeling the Franciscan Sponsorship Values, honoring the legacy of the founding congregation, promoting unity in diversity, and integrating the Catholic Franciscan intellectual tradition into communications, programs, and services.
• Serve as the communications liaison and strategic partner for assigned colleges, schools, departments, and administrative units.
• Develop and execute communications plans for university initiatives, events, announcements, academic programs, and institutional priorities.
• Counsel campus leaders and partners on messaging, audience, timing, communications strategy, and appropriate communication channels.
• Identify, develop, and elevate storytelling opportunities that demonstrate Marian University's mission, priorities, people, programs, and impact.
• Write and edit news releases, media advisories, Marian Newsroom stories, feature stories, website copy, newsletters, talking points, campus-wide messages, and other institutional communications; assist with executive communications as assigned.
• Edit and proofread communications created by campus partners, ensuring accuracy, clarity, consistency, and alignment with Marian University's editorial standards and brand voice.
• Manage communications requests in Monday.com from intake through completion, establishing scope, priorities, timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder expectations.
• Prioritize projects based on institutional goals, audience needs, urgency, and deadlines while maintaining production schedules and keeping stakeholders informed of project status.
• Coordinate communications projects with colleagues in marketing, multimedia, social media, web, design, enrollment, advancement, athletics, and other university areas to ensure integrated execution.
• Develop and maintain annual communications calendars for assigned colleges, schools, departments, and university initiatives.
• Build and maintain relationships with local and regional media; assist with story pitching, media inquiries, interview coordination, press conferences, media availabilities, and other media-facing events.
• Identify faculty and staff experts for media opportunities and prepare faculty, administrators, and other university representatives for interviews through briefing materials, key messages, and media preparation.
• Maintain media contact lists, track media coverage, and compile communications and earned-media reports to help assess reach and effectiveness.
• Partner with Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Athletics, Advancement, university leadership, and other campus partners on internal communications.
• Draft and coordinate campus-wide emails, leadership communications, policy changes, operational updates, and other internal messages; use institutional email and SMS platforms, including Delivera, as appropriate.
• Assist in developing key messages, FAQs, talking points, and supporting materials for major university initiatives and announcements.
• Coordinate photography and video requests with multimedia staff to support communications plans and storytelling needs.
• Assist with crisis and issues communications and support emergency communications as a member of the university's crisis communications team, including occasional work outside normal business hours when circumstances require.
• Help develop resources and provide guidance or training to campus communicators on communications standards and best practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, English, or a related field.
• Two or more years of professional experience in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing communications, or a related field; higher education or similarly complex organization experience preferred.
• Demonstrated excellence in writing, editing, proofreading, and translating complex information into clear, engaging content for multiple audiences and channels.
• Strong interpersonal and consultation skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with faculty, staff, university leaders, media, and external partners.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and coordinate work across teams.
• Sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive, confidential, or time-sensitive information.
• Working knowledge of media relations, internal communications