Communications Specialist

About the role

For over 160 years, the University of Washington has been a hub for learning, innovation, problem solving and community building. Supporting this legacy and important public mission—with the goal of making the UW the world’s greatest public university, as measured by positive impact—guides everything we do in University Advancement. Bringing together development; alumni and stakeholder engagement; marketing and communications; and advancement operations, we advance the UW’s impact by developing meaningful connections that foster pride, advocacy and philanthropic support. The mission of University Marketing & Communications (UMAC) is to lead branding, marketing and communications efforts that advance the reputation, resources and relationships of the University. This starts with creating a culture of belonging within our organization that values the diverse experiences and expertise of our team members, allowing everyone to thrive and to contribute their unique talents as we strive to achieve our shared goals. University Marketing & Communications has an exciting opening for a Communications Specialist. This is a full-time permanent position. The Communications Specialist plays a key role in informing, connecting and engaging University of Washington faculty, staff and communicators through strategic internal communications. This position leads the production and distribution of several high-visibility newsletters and information channels, curating content that highlights impactful research, institutional priorities, achievements, media coverage and issues affecting higher education. The role also develops content for other University Marketing & Communications channels, including UW News, UW Insider and other digital and print platforms. Working closely with communicators across the University, the Communications Specialist identifies compelling stories, maintains editorial standards and delivers timely, accurate and engaging communications that strengthen awareness of the UW's impact.

Responsibilities

• Internal Newsletter strategy, production and distribution (70%)
  • Serve as the primary editor, producer and coordinator for key University internal communications products, including UW Today, UW in the Media, UW Morning News Scan and other platforms, as assigned.
  • Identify, curate, prioritize and package content that informs audiences about University achievements, priorities, initiatives and issues affecting higher education.
  • Draft, edit, proofread, manage review process and publish newsletter content while ensuring accuracy, clarity, consistency and adherence to University editorial standards.
  • Coordinate with communicators, faculty, staff and campus partners to gather content and identify timely communication opportunities.
  • Maintain editorial calendars and publication schedules to ensure timely and reliable delivery of recurring communications products.
  • Utilize email marketing and content management platforms to prepare, distribute and monitor communications.
  • Analyze readership, engagement and performance metrics to inform content decisions and improve newsletter effectiveness.
  • Recommend enhancements to newsletter formats, content strategies and audience engagement approaches.
• Writing and Content Development (15%)
  • Research, write and edit stories, profiles, news briefs and feature content for various University communications platforms.
  • Collaborate with communications colleagues and subject matter experts to develop compelling storytelling opportunities.
  • Conduct interviews with faculty, staff, students and University leaders, as needed.
  • Maintain high standards for editorial quality, accuracy, style and consistency across all communications products including providing a timely review schedule.
• Internal Communications Coordination and Engagement (10%)
  • Collaborate with communications professionals across the University to identify emerging stories, institutional priorities and audience needs.
  • Support enterprise-wide internal communications initiatives by developing content and communication materials for faculty and staff audiences.
  • Provide recommendations to improve internal communications strategies, processes and channels.
  • Monitor higher education, media and University trends to identify relevant topics for internal audiences.
• Other duties as assigned (5%)

Requirements

Bachelor's degree AND two years of experience in media relations, journalism, public affairs or related field.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience producing newsletters or recurring editorial publications.
• Experience with email distribution, content management or digital publishing platforms.
• Familiarity with AP Style and digital content best practices.
• Strong writing skills demonstrated through news stories, feature articles or institutional communications.
• Experience using analytics and engagement metrics to evaluate communications effectiveness.