Student Communications Specialist

Basic Function and Responsibility:To manage the Biola University student communications functions through providing excellence in strategic leadership and operational support.Job Description:The Student Communications Manager, reporting to the Director of Operations for Student Development, will assess, plan, develop, and deploy timely and relevant strategic communication targeting student audiences including current undergraduate, graduate students, and online students. In collaboration with Student Development leadership and other co-curricular departments, the manager develops content designed to help students navigate through their time at Biola and succeed in their college and career goals in support of Student Development's co-curricular communication plan and objectives. Coordinates communication to students from administrative and academic departments through a variety of physical (tabling, signage, flyers) and digital (e-newsletter, digital signage, mobile app) channels while ensuring consistency with Biola's branded tone and style, and explores new solutions to enhance communication. Writes, edits and formats institutional messages for students and ensures that the content of internal messages aligns with the goals of the university's efforts and keeps up on best practices, including innovative approaches to diverse communication strategies to students from varying generational backgrounds and experiences.Responsibilities:1. Establishes and maintains efficient and effective methods for coordinating and tracking communications to the student body from Biola, ensures that messages are delivered to students in a timely manner and in keeping with the goals established by the Student Development Leadership Team.2. Meets regularly with Student Development leadership and program planners to provide strategic insight, direction, support and to implement divisional communication plans.3. Maintains a pulse on the communication needs of students, undergraduate and graduate through bi-annual surveys, focus groups, etc.4. Creates and manages a content calendar for university student communication, annually.5. Responsible for tracking analytics on all recurring or seasonal messages, evaluating the effectiveness of student communication channels and campaigns on an annual basis in order to adjust ongoing efforts and strategies6. Providing monthly KPIs on the communication sent out from different departments as needed and available.7. Utilize a variety of forms of communications to effectively communicate with current undergraduate and graduate students that ensures consistent, strategic, and timely delivery of messages, including:a. Digital communications, including the strategy, management, reviewing, and approving content on digital signs across campus, the student email CRM (Slate), the Biola mobile app, social media tools and other relevant technology.b. Written communications, including execute mass email communication targeting current undergraduate and graduate students in collaboration with all departments across campus, managing the content on the Student Life blog, the weekly Student Life Newsletter, poster review and approval to be displayed at designated areas on campus, and targeted communications to students on behalf of the institution when needed.8. Collaborates closely with a variety of campus departments and stakeholders on behalf of the students, including:a. Partners with IT for integrations, training and providing consultation to departments on Biola mobile app, Carousel, and CRM usage, as well as managing the vendor relationship.b. Serves on the leadership team for Biola's Slate CRM as a content administrator.c. Partners with University Marketing and the social media manager to curate social media content targeting different student populations.d. Facilitating regular status meetings with key stakeholders across campus (i.e. Registrar, Student Accounts, Library, Financial Aid, Student Success, Auxiliary Services, etc.).e. Works closely with the Office of the Registrar, Student Accounts, and Academic Advising during the peak enrollment,registration, and commencement seasons.f. Partners with co-curricular departments across campus to implement the communications plan designed to ensure student awareness, promote student engagement, and increase student sense of belonging.g. Partners with University Marketing on graphic design and print requests.9. Serves on the crisis communication team and manages student communication.10. Other duties as assigned by the Director of Operations and the VPSD.Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications or related field; 3+ years of experience in a communication role preferred; must have strong writing and interpersonal skills; must have exemplary public relations and presentation skills; must be highly organized and interested in detail-oriented tasks. Demonstrated understanding of the needs of the student body and strategic methods of communicating with a wide range of student body constituents. Relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Writing experience required. Knowledge of AP style, Slate (or other relevant CRM), Google Suite, Asana, Canva and HTML preferred. Holds personal theological beliefs that are in agreement with the Biola Doctrinal Statement. Maintain a lifestyle in consonance with sound Christian principles and those promulgated by the institution.Supervision:Reports to the Director of Operations in Student Development with an indirect supervisory reporting line to the Vice President for Student Development.