Associate Director, Communications for FLI Network

The Center for Student Success (CSS) seeks a creative, team-oriented Associate Director, Communications for FLI Network to design and lead the communications efforts offered through the FLI Network. The network was created in 2018 as a home base for our growing community of first-generation and/or limited income (FLI) undergraduate students, along with FLI staff, FLI faculty, FLI alumni, and FLI friends. Since then, our rapidly expanding wraparound services for FLI students and work toward institutional readiness - now known as "the FLI Initiatives" - has disclosed the need for a more clearly designated and easily visible hub for the FLI community on campus as well as prospective FLI students and their families. During 2021-2023 we have begun repositioning the FLI Network at the center of the CSS with the following aims: to provide a coordinated core of social and educational programming, including signature events that honor and celebrate the FLI community; to shape and broadcast out affirmative messaging about the diversity and strengths within the FLI community; and to supply a home base for engagement efforts. The Associate Director for Communications has a key role in transforming the FLI Network into the primary communications hub for the FLI community at JHU.

Organizationally, this role belongs to the leadership team within the FLI Network. In addition to operating as the lead architect of communications and marketing, the role establishes a communications hub that aligns with program delivery and stakeholder engagement. Within this team, the role directly supervises one FTE. This role is expected to be a highly visible presence within the FLI Network, demonstrating an investment in knowing and effectively telling the stories of FLI stakeholders, inviting them into conversation about their experiences, strengths, and aspirations, and ensuring their continued engagement in the FLI Network in and outside of Johns Hopkins.

The person in this role must move effortlessly among CSS programs and lead the development and implementation of a communications strategy to engage internal and external stakeholders"including students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, community partners, donors, and prospective donors. Responsibilities include conceptualizing, acquiring, creating, editing, and delivering content in traditional and innovative ways across multiple channels. The candidate should also demonstrate the ability to work well with individuals from all backgrounds to promote equity and access, foster inclusion, and effect positive change. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, creative and collaborative, with considerable experience in producing high-quality, engaging, and effective communication efforts.

The position reports to the Director of the FLI Network in the Center for Student Success.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Brand Management & Storytelling - 60%

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for brand management, online and direct marketing, media relations, and community engagement and will work closely with CSS leadership as the communications partner on a variety of strategic initiatives.
• Lead the development of strategies and objectives for building and executing year-round brand engagement through partnerships, social media, the website, and other marketing vehicles.
• Develop benchmark criteria and track and evaluate the effectiveness of the communications strategies on a regular basis.
• Create, manage, and sustain an impactful online presence through social media, website, and/or targeted email marketing to internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee and directly contribute to the creation of original content across a variety of channels and platforms, including articles, news releases, social media posts, weekly announcements, quarterly newsletters, reports, and others as agreed upon.
• Collaborate closely with FLI Network stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, alumni, families) to learn about their experiences and find ways to highlight their experiences and impact through the art of storytelling.
• Lead communications strategy and coordinate media relations outreach plans for events, live, hybrid, and virtual, including FLI Compass and other signature programs and events, connecting closely on goals, themes, key audiences, and outreach strategies across the FLI Network.
• Coordinate with the Student Affairs Communications and Marketing team to align the FLI Network's strategies and tactics with department-level communications and marketing goals, channels, and best practices.
• Work with the FLI Network Director to develop an overall assessment plan for communication and marketing; work with the Assistant Director for FLI Network in the implementation of the plan.
• Ensure all communication projects and marketing efforts comply with the University Branding Guidelines of JHU Use of Name Guidelines.

FLI Network Programming (15%)

• Drawing on the catalog of signature programming, develop fall semester and spring semester programming calendars and work with the Associate Director for Programming to advertise events in a timely fashion.
• With the Director of the FLI Network and Associate Director of Programming, coordinate and innovatively develop a repertoire of programs for FLI families, working with Parent & Family Programs and Admissions.
• Lead communication and marketing efforts of FLI Network signature events including a welcome reception, National First-Generation Day, Halfway There, and a graduation celebration.
• Stay current on best practices for supporting FLI college students.
• Support academic year programming alongside the programming team; support the promotion and implementation of the Hop-In Program.

Supervision & Collaborative Partnerships (15%)

• Develop strong inter- and intra-departmental relationships with Central Communications, Student Affairs Communications, as well as across the institution to strengthen and align messaging between the FLI Network, Student Affairs, and the University at large.
• Supervise 1 FTE (program coordinator); collaborate closely with Assistant Directors for FLI Network.
• Serve as liaison to major campus programming within Student Affairs (NSO, Student Life).

Budget & Administrative (10%)

• Provide fiscal oversight including the development of annual budgets, including forecasting expenditures and revenues, maintaining records, and linking program objectives and assessment to the annual budget process.
  
• In consultation with the FLI Network Director, develop a budget for FLI Network Communications and Marketing that aligns fiscal resources with programming objectives.
  
• Manage and implement the communications budget for the FLI Network.
  
• Provide updates and reports on communication and engagement metrics, as needed.

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to write clear, concise copy for digital and print materials; strong editing and proofreading skills.
• Solid understanding of principles of design; demonstrated experience working within established brand standards.
• Extensive knowledge of and fluency within social media platforms.
• Experience using content management systems (e.g. WordPress) and email marketing platforms; familiarity with HTML/CSS.
• Understanding of measurement tools (e.g. Google Analytics) and how to translate data insights into action.
• Superior attention to detail; ability to think creatively, strategically, and analytically.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cultural responsiveness, and the ability to work collaboratively with multiple groups, including students, staff, and administrators.
• Self-motivated with excellent problem-solving, time management, and project management skills.
• Ability to work effectively under deadlines and simultaneously juggle several assignments.
• Strong budgetary, planning, organizational, supervision, and management skills and experience.
• Demonstrated capacity to work effectively with persons from diverse backgrounds and to foster sensitivity to diversity and an inclusive campus and community culture.
  

• Fluency in issues of access, equity, and inclusion in higher education.
  

• Strong interpersonal, oral, public speaking, writing, and listening skills.
  

• Understanding of the academic experiences of FLI students at a highly selective residential campus and the hidden curriculum that students navigate in both academic and non-academic spaces.
  

• Demonstrated experience collaborating, negotiating, and building consensus.
  

• Ability to use appropriate judgment when dealing with sensitive issues.
  

• Demonstrated success in a complex, multi-layered, and data-driven organization.
  

• Proven ability to cultivate trust and credibility with colleagues and to build positive and effective relationships.
  

• Proven track record of establishing strategic relationships to strengthen program and service delivery.
  

• Must be able to flex working hours as required for some evening/weekend events and programming.

• Bachelor's Degree in related field.
  

• Four years related experience.
  

• Advanced degree may substitute for required experience, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Demonstrated experience in strategic communications and experience integrating the latest technologies to support communications objectives.
  

• Professional experience in nonprofits, civic engagement, public service, community development, higher education, and K-12 education.
  

• Three to five years of experience supervising professional staff, managing fiscal resources, and establishing partnerships with campus offices and academic departments to achieve a common goal.
  

• Skills in graphic design, photography, or videography are preferred.
• Passionate storyteller with superior writing and editing skills and sensitivity to nuance and tone.

Classified Title: Communications Associate
Job Posting Title (Working Title):Associate Director, Communications for FLI Network
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PD
Starting Salary Range: $62,900 - $110,100 Annually ($72,010 targeted; Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Mon - Fri / 08:30am - 5:00pm
Exempt Status:Exempt
Location:Hybrid/Homewood Campus
Department name: Center for Student Success
Personnel area: University Student Services