The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism seeks to hire an enthusiastic social media and digital communications professional to join its high-performing team.

As a critical member of the communications and marketing team at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the social media and digital communications Specialist is responsible for driving strategic growth and engagement across the school's social media platforms. They will create, manage, and monitor content to increase visibility and brand recognition while developing relationships with key stakeholders. 

Reporting directly to the Assistant Director of Digital Content, the successful candidate will be creative, self-motivated, and adaptable in utilizing social media to connect with various audiences. As a secondary focus, this role is responsible for writing diverse content for the school’s signature communication vehicles, including its website and social media channels.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Plan, develop, implement, and manage a high-impact, data-driven social media strategy for USC Annenberg that advances the school’s reputation and brand.
• Strategize a sustainable balance of actionable, shareable, engaging, cutting-edge content per channel that builds and strengthens the school’s audiences.
• Create original, authentic, high-quality content for diverse audiences.
• Develop and execute content calendar for social media that includes campaigns, event postings, and creating exceptional storytelling experiences on social media to increase follower growth, engagement and retention.
• Monitor the USC Annenberg’s social media channels on a daily basis (including evenings and weekends on as-needed basis).
• Track, report and respond to social media metrics and engagement, troubleshooting and pivoting when necessary.
• Build relationships with constituents such as faculty, administrators, students and alumni to encourage cross-promotion of all content and to stay up to date with faculty research and campus news and events.
• Remain current with trends in social media, making recommendations for content strategy on existing channels, and/or creation of presence on new channels.

Additional Roles and Responsibilities

• Write and edit profiles, news stories, and features about faculty, students, alumni, donors and events.
• Research information, interview sources and verify facts. Read, proof, edit and revise copy.
• Oversee content for digital screens in USC Annenberg facilities, including updating Tagboard content and rotating event flyers.
• Collaborate with communication and marketing team on best practices, promotion of content, and overall strategy.
• Other duties/projects as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communication, public relations, journalism or a related field.  
• Minimum 3 years’ demonstrated experience in creating and managing a brand’s social media platforms.
• Demonstrated understanding of refining messages to meet audience needs, through production of clear, credible, relevant and impactful content.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate inclusive environments that support the creation of content that effectively represents and speaks to diverse communities.
• Excellent command of the English language and facility in spelling, grammar, usage, and style consistent with professional writing and editing standards.
• Ability to initiate activities independently and organize, prioritize and complete work in a timely manner amidst competing deadlines and requests.
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a marketing and communications team, with particular emphasis on collaborating with colleagues in graphic and web design, social media and videography.
• Interpersonal skills to develop and maintain close working relationships with academic leaders, colleagues, faculty, staff, students and supporters.

Required Competencies

• Effective communications: Engages clearly and empathetically in interactions with others in all forms of communication, including verbal and written, one-on-one and group, etc.
• Interpersonal awareness: Builds and maintains positive relationships and contributes actively as a member of working teams to achieve results.
• Professional credibility: Takes responsibility for meeting goals, objectives and obligations, as well as solving problems while representing the mission, vision and values of the school.
• Critical thinking: Obtains, analyzes and evaluates information effectively in the face of ambiguity.
• Diversity and inclusiveness: Respects, values and contributes to USC Annenberg’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and access. Approaches inclusion as a lifelong learner, committed to examining personal beliefs and biases and continuously developing as a member of a team devoted to equity.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficiency with social media scheduling software and deep knowledge of social media platforms
• Proficiency in using social media analytics and reporting tools as well as monitoring and analyzing social media metrics and tracking communication impact
• Proficiency in team collaboration tools such as Slack, Asana and Google Drive
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite
• Design skills (can include Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Canva, etc)
• 5 years of experience
• Master’s degree in a relevant field

Applications should be submitted via usccarreers.usc.edu and must include the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• 2-3 examples of social media posts and descriptor of your participation/role in each post
• 2 writing samples – may include stories and/or press releases

(Our system will allow you to add additional documentation by clicking the “upload” button in the same section where you attach your resume.)

Additional Information:

• This is a full-time (37.5 hours per week) hybrid staff position.
• The annual base salary range for this position is $73,000 - $78,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
• Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.
• USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff and their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans; tuition benefits for staff and their family; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, transit subsidy program, buses and free tram pick up services; discounts to sporting and other campus events.

About the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is a national leader in education and scholarship in the fields of communication, journalism, public diplomacy and public relations. With an enrollment of more than 2,200 students, USC Annenberg offers doctoral, master's and bachelor's degree programs, as well as continuing development programs for working professionals across a broad scope of academic inquiry. The school's comprehensive curriculum emphasizes the core skills of leadership, innovation, service and entrepreneurship and draws upon the resources of a networked university located in the media capital of the world. For additional information, see our website: https://annenberg.usc.edu/.

USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at [email protected]. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative

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About University of Southern California (USC)

USC is the leading private research university in Los Angeles—a global center for arts, technology and international business. With more than 47,500 students, we are located primarily in Los Angeles but also in various US and global satellite locations. As the largest private employer in Los Angeles, responsible for $8 billion annually in economic activity in the region, we offer the opportunity to work in a dynamic and diverse environment, in careers that span a broad spectrum of talents and skills across a variety of academic and professional schools and administrative units. As a USC employee and member of the Trojan Family—the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who make USC a great place to work—you will enjoy excellent benefits, including a variety of well-being programs designed to help individuals achieve work-life balance.

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