Marketing Content Specialist

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise would like to welcome applications for the position of Content Specialist. UVA Wise is a four year liberal arts college located in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. The College is a division of The University of Virginia.

The Content Specialist is a professional writer and editor who thoroughly understands online and print marketing channels. The specialist will adeptly apply industry best practices, creative skill, and in-house style to produce content that engages key audiences, particularly prospective students and their families. Content produced will consistently lead to increased engagement with academic and co-curricular topics, as laid out in the College’s marketing and communications plan, and will serve to elevate UVA Wise’s local and regional reputation.
Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications, the specialist is responsible for understanding and contributing to the marketing and communications goals of UVA Wise and writing and editing content that assists in meeting those goals. In doing so, the position will employ research methods to contribute to an inclusive and in-depth understanding of key audience needs and to propose and implement appropriate tactics that target audience key entry points.
Collaborating with other marketing and communications team members, this person will develop, recommend and implement plans for generating purposeful and effective content across channels that meet the College’s strategic objectives, particularly those relating to enrollment content.

Responsibilities include:

Write and edit content to market the College to prospective students:

• Work closely with internal constituents in admissions and academics to conceive, implement, manage, complete, and deliver content initiatives and editorial processes that align with UVA Wise’s enrollment strategies (e.g. write copy for visit and apply campaigns including emails to prospective students; gather and write content for webpages and print collateral).
• Contribute to an evolving editorial vision and voice, ensuring clear, concise, and consistent messaging across channels.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, ranging from other writers and editors to admissions and faculty colleagues.           
• Comply with systems and standards for departmental project management and archive maintenance.

Assist with content development for marketing and communications goals:

• Assist AVC of Marketing & Communications with developing content for and tracking implementation of content on a cross-departmental content calendar.
• Uses expertise in SEO, accessibility, readability, and usability to calibrate content to meet user needs to complete top tasks; advocates for user-friendly content.
• Develop content for broader organizational goals that can be distributed through a storytelling email, social media, the magazine, and other communication tools.
• Conducts regular analysis of content effectiveness to continuously optimize content.
• Stays current with platform evolutions, adjusting and applying relevant styles and standards.

In addition to the above job responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree in English, journalism, communication or a related field.
• Three or more years of professional writing experience. (No licensure required.)
• Strong interpersonal skills, including professional written and verbal communication to both internal partners and outside organizations.
• Excellent organization skills and proven ability to prioritize and execute multiple projects at one time.
• Diplomacy, sound judgment and ability to work with tact and professionalism with people from different walks of life.
• Collaborative and flexible team-player.
• Experience with writing web content; experience working within editorial calendar/content strategy.
• Ability to use Associated Press style in writing and editing.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• An inquisitive nature and is a self-starter in collecting and sharing story ideas and capturing stories.
• Able to edit and deliver content on tight deadlines.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience writing and publishing within a content management system and/or customer relationship management system.
• Experience writing digital advertising copy and contributing content planning for paid search or social campaigns.

In addition to an application, applicants must submit a three writing samples of their work (or a portfolio) that supports their ability to perform the responsibilities of the position.

UVA Wise is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to excellence through diversity.  Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Employee fulfills duties as a “responsible employee” under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.  A Responsible employee includes any employee:  who has the authority to take action to redress sexual violence; who has been given the duty of reporting incidents of sexual violence or any other misconduct by students to the Title IX Coordinator or other appropriate school designee; or whom a student could reasonably believe has this authority or duty.

UVA Wise is committed to helping the campus community provide for their own safety and security.  The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report containing information on campus security and personal safety, including alerts, fire safety, crime prevention tips, and crime statistics is available at www.uvawise.edu/ASR .  A copy is available upon request by calling 276-328-0190 or 276-376-3451.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Education: Bachelor’s degree in English or Communications or a related field.
Experience: At least three years of experience
Licensure: None
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines  webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.

The University of Virginia, i ncluding the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person’s perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.