Associate Director for Communications & Student Life, Moody School (HR title: Marketing Specialist II)
Southern Methodist University Inc

Description

Salary Range:

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

About SMU

SMU's more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University's small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

SMU serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem - paired with entrepreneurial drive - creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU's relationship with Dallas - the dynamic center of one of the nation's fastest-growing regions - offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

About the Department:

SMU's Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies is proud to offer doctoral and master's degrees in a wide variety of fields across four different colleges and schools: the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, the Lyle School of Engineering, the Meadows School of the Arts, and the Simmons School of Education and Human Development. These programs help students to pursue their passions and make significant contributions in both academia and industry.

About the Position:

This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

Reporting directly to the Senior Assistant Dean of the Moody School of Graduate & Advanced Studies, The Associate Director of Communications and Student Life plays a vital role in crafting the public identity of the Moody School and fostering a vibrant community of graduate students and other advanced scholars at SMU.

The Associate Director develops strategies for and manages the School's outreach to graduate students and other internal audiences, public-facing websites, social media posts and accounts, and student social events and activities.

In addition, the Associate Director works closely with Marketing & Communications on initiatives to promote the brand of the Moody School, to external audiences, produces materials that appear on the School website, oversees installations in the School's building, Frances Anne Moody Hall, and serves as project manager for the Moody School's student competitions and other large events.

Essential Functions:

• Collect content for weekly Moody School newsletter and produce and send newsletter with the support of the Graduate Student Life Assistant; manage other announcements to student populations. Share content from the Moody School with other offices to be included in their newsletters and announcements.
  
• Develop social media strategy. Oversee social media accounts and create and post social media content with the support of the Social Media Assistant (student worker).
• Coordinate with SMU Marketing and Communications on marketing initiatives to promote the brand of the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies to external and internal audiences. Develop strategies, project manage, oversee and produce the creation of marketing initiatives across print, digital, web, video, and social media platforms. Coordinate with the Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Admissions on initiatives that impact graduate recruitment.
  
  
• Maintain digital screens and other installations in graduate student spaces in Frances Anne Moody Hall. Oversee shared graduate student spaces in Moody Hall and bring issues in those spaces to the attention of building management. Coordinate with other offices to promote Moody School content on screens and other venues around campus.
  
  
• Organize monthly student life activities for graduate students and support graduate student groups, with the assistance of available student workers.
  
  
• Serve as project manager for graduate student competitions, including the annual Research and Innovation Week graduate poster competition and the annual Three Minute Thesis Competition.
  
• Regularly review and update Moody School web pages. Produce new pages as needed.
  
• Serve as the backup for the Senior Assistant Dean on committees related to student affairs.
  
• Produce minutes for Graduate Council, Graduate Student Advisory Board, and other meetings of Moody School advisory committees, and post them on the Moody School website.
  
• Manage the Moody School page of SMU's student life platform, SMU 360, and other platforms as necessary.
  
  

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Master's degree is required.

A minimum of two years of work experience in marketing and/or communications is required, preferably in higher education.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate and build trust with colleagues in various departments and with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills. A strong customer service orientation and the ability to relate well to students are essential.

Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning and time management skills. Demonstrated ability to manage high-level tasks that can impact operations across campus and ability to involve key stakeholders appropriately when necessary are essential.

Demonstrated tact, diplomacy and discretion, and appreciation for the values of higher education are also required.

Candidate must have a strong working knowledge of Microsoft 360 Office Suite. Experience with social media platforms, including Instagram and LinkedIn preferred. Project management experience desired.

Physical and Environmental Demands:

• Sit for long periods of time

Deadline to Apply:

October 21, 2024

Priority consideration may be given to submissions received by October 14, 2024

EEO Statement:

SMU will not discriminate in any program or activity on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. The Executive Director for Access and Equity/Title IX Coordinator is designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies and may be reached at the Perkins Administration Building, Room 204, 6425 Boaz Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-768-3601, accessequity@smu.edu.

Benefits:

SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefits. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.

SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.

The value of learning at SMU isn't just about preparing our students for the future. Employees have access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.

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