Communications Specialist

19-Oct-2022

Harvard Kennedy School

60157BR

Job Summary

The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University seeks a dynamic, collaborative, and detail-oriented Communications Specialist to help develop successful strategies, manage projects, oversee schedules, track deliverables, and create excellent products for multiple communications channels, disseminating the Center’s work and increasing its reach.

Building on the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the University-wide Center aims to strengthen city leadership and governance and serve as a hub of world-class programs, teaching, and research on cities. The Center brings together faculty, students, and expertise from around Harvard to engage in continuous interaction with practice.

The ideal candidate will possess superb communications skills as a writer, editor, and proofreader with particular experience in short-form writing for general audiences on a variety of high-visibility platforms. A diligent project and task manager and deadline-driven team player with collaborative strengths and a customer service orientation, they will be at home on web and social channels with some basic design experience; awareness of tactics to reach target audiences; and eagerness to measure results in the service of ongoing improvements.

This role will report to the Senior Director of Communications.

Position Description

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Managing communications support with primary responsibility for creating frequent, short-form editorial deliverables for web, email, and social channels
• Project managing communications work with internal clients and external collaborators
• Managing social media accounts
• Leading efforts to track email and social metrics and media coverage
• Tracks customer/user experience and suggest improvements
• Maintaining files and deliverables in good order
• Adopting new communications projects and tools in a dynamic environment

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and four (4) years of directly relevant professional experience in non-profit, educational, or broadcast communications; journalism; web content development; or related field. 

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated ability to produce and iterate high-quality, effective, short-form and optimized writing for broad audiences on multiple platforms, including web, social, email, and print materials
• Care and discernment in creating communications products of the highest quality, with a love of precise, evocative language and an appreciation for storytelling
• Demonstrated ability to manage requests, build editorial or production calendars, design and carry out review and approval sequences, and collaborate well with communications team members and internal clients
• Knowledge of editorial role in one or more CMS tools such as Drupal, WordPress, or Open Scholar
• Hands-on experience with one or more CRM/marketing tools such as MailChimp, Pardot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud or Hubspot
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office/Office 365
• Experience with tools for light design work, such as Adobe Creative Cloud (e.g. Photoshop, InDesign) or Canva
• Prior knowledge of Salesforce, Dropbox, Slack, Meltwater, or Cision a plus
• A strong work ethic and resolute integrity
• Excellent interpersonal skills that resonate with diverse audiences
• We are committed to building and fostering a diverse and inclusive team of staff, students, and faculty, and we seek candidates who share our commitment and values

Additional Information

This position is a fully benefits-eligible term appointment through December 31, 2023 with very strong possibility of renewal.  

We regret that the Harvard Kennedy School does not provide Visa Sponsorship.
Harvard University requires pre-employment references and background checks.
Harvard University is committed to supporting a healthy, sustainable learning and working environment.

This is a hybrid position based on our campus in Cambridge, MA.  As a campus-based institution, we place a high value on the in-person experience, cross-team collaboration, and strong community building in order to create a vibrant campus for our students, faculty, staff, and research fellows. The position is required to work in-person on campus a minimum of three days per week during the academic year. Specific days and schedule will be determined between you and your manager.

The University requires all Harvard community members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccine boosters, as detailed in Harvard’s Vaccine & Booster Requirements . Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons. More information regarding the University’s COVID vaccination requirement, exemptions, and verification of vaccination status may be found at the University’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” webpage

Salary Range :$63,983- $104,541
Note: Starting salaries typically fall in the lower half of the salary range; however, they are ultimately determined by the scope of the position, the candidate’s relevant experience, and internal equity. 

Harvard offers a generous benefits package including:

• Time Off: 3- 4 weeks paid vacation, paid holiday break, 12 paid sick days, 12.5 paid holidays, and 3 paid personal days per year.
• Medical/Dental/Vision: We offer a variety of excellent medical plans, dental & vision plans, all coverage begins as of your start date.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive tuition assistance program, $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and discounted options through participating Harvard grad schools.
• Transportation: Harvard offers a 50% discounted MBTA pass as well as additional options to assist employees in their daily commute.
• Wellness Options: Harvard offers programs and classes at little or no cost, including stress management, massages, nutrition, meditation and complimentary health services.
• Harvard access to athletic facilities, libraries, campus events and many discounts throughout metro Boston.

Job Function

Communications

Location

USA – MA – Cambridge

Job Code

405004 Comm Professional (N)

Department

Bloomberg Center for Cities

Union

55 – Hvd Union Cler & Tech Workers

Pre-Employment Screening

Education, Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

At Harvard Kennedy School, fostering a diverse and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong is a matter of basic fairness consistent with our core values as an institution. It is also essential to our mission of improving public policy and leadership—because recruiting the best people and creating an environment where they can thrive make us better at what we do, because we learn more from people with different perspectives, and because we work in diverse groups and serve diverse societies.

Learn more about Harvard Kennedy School’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.