Communications Specialist II

About the role

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Forest Service, and Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. As the nation’s largest and most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact between the Marketing and Communications unit and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
• Build and maintain relationships between Extension agents, specialists, and administrative staff to help identify real stories and examples of the Extension brand in action.
• Participate in selective Extension meetings to identify communication needs, priorities, and opportunities.
• Train Extension employees on the proper use of the Extension brand guide, communication tools and resources developed by the AgriLife Marketing and Communications unit.
• Coordinate and support the development of communication plans tied to Extension programs and initiatives.
• Assist in executing campaigns that promote program impact, public awareness, and stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure messaging is consistent with organizational brand standards and communication guidelines.
• Assist with the development of content.
• Serve as project manager for Extension communications projects to ensure timely delivery of projects and proactively communicate status updates.
• Understand the needs of Extension employees and make suggestions for new tools and resources to be created by the Marketing and Communications unit.
• Support the event outreach communication strategy by communicating progress, sharing updates, and coordinating respective training.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, agriculture communications, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Two years of related experience.
• Ability to stay focused on the mission of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the land-grant mission.
• Understanding of Extension structure, programming, and community-based outreach.
• Ability to travel consistently across the state to work with Extension employees.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to simplify complex information.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a collaborative environment.
• Proficiency in standard communications tools.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work across various teams and stakeholders.
• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

Qualifications

• 3 years of professional experience in communications, marketing, or a related field.
• Experience coordinating projects or working with multiple stakeholders.
• Previous experience as a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agent or similar Extension role.
• Familiarity with Extension audiences and community engagement practices.
• Experience in a land-grant university system, public sector, or mission-driven organization.
• Experience developing content that highlights program outcomes and impact.
• Experience in inspiring others to take action.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums.
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays.
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife.