Career Center

Email a cover letter, resume, and link to a portfolio. Selected applicants will be contacted to submit samples of social media collateral and strategy.  

The University of Michigan is committed to excellence in research, education, and public impact. The U-M Office of Social Media and Public Engagement and Director of Executive Communications are seeking an experienced communications specialist to support the creation and coordination of communications materials, dynamic visuals, engagement strategies, written articles, and integrated campaigns for institution-wide presidential initiatives and priorities, including Sustainability, Precision Health, Poverty Solutions, Bioscience, Campus Climate, Arts, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, and the Michigan Impact.

The ideal individual will be skilled in developing high-quality, consistently branded content that encourages sharing, engagement, and promotion of highly valuable programs and initiatives. This specialist should be interested in not just producing dynamic content but also assessing its value and return on investment while working with diverse stakeholders to achieve associated program goals. The ideal candidate will be an effective project manager, a big-picture thinker, and an excellent written and verbal communicator.

This is an opportunity to work with a global brand that serves a standard of best practice for communications implementation across higher education. To succeed in this role, you must be enthusiastic and uncompromising about ensuring the University of Michigan is always seen as a primary influencer in social communications both among our peers and in the world -- and passionate about the success of initiative teams.

• Design, curate, and manage the creation of compelling strategic social media, visual, web, and written content for several U-M priority initiatives
• Conducting interviews and authoring written narratives that highlight members of the U-M community to be shared with internal and external stakeholders.
• Analyze metrics for social media, website, and email newsletter campaigns to organize in regular reports to be used for measuring success and determining strategic campaign adjustments.
• Work collaboratively with staff and leadership responsible for communications strategy across the institution and initiative areas
• Capture and edit photographs, video, and audio interviews
• Develop and implement communications plans that advance the goals of the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice President for Communications, and university priorities
• Create and maintain editorial calendars that elevate key messages aligned with the U-M brand
• Track, measure, and communicate results by overseeing deliverables
• Research and make recommendations on best practices for priority initiatives to reach target audiences on a variety of platforms
• Monitor and report on trends and technologies and apply knowledge to develop new strategies and tactics
• Research, source, build, manage, and nurture online relationships/groups/communities
• Maximize the exposure of content through collaboration with the U-M social media team and campus communicators

• Prioritize projects and develop roadmaps for the execution of content strategy recommendations
• Coordinate, monitor, and contribute to the strategic alignment of the Presidential initiative’s communications
• Assist in staffing and planning events and communications opportunities involving the President.
• Draft remarks and scripts for key leaders, including the university president, as assigned by the Director of Executive Communications and Strategic Initiatives.

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, or a related field.
• 5+ years of combined social media, content creation, digital strategy, and writing experience
• 3+ years of applying project management skills at an expert level
• Knowledge of communications channels; publications, web, and multimedia with an understanding of online/social media strategy and savviness with platforms.
• Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro and After Effects; experience with Illustrator and Audition

This position will be appointed for a two year period with possible extension.

This position has a dual reporting structure to the Director of Social Media and Public Engagement and the Director of Executive Communications. It is located within the Office of the Vice President for Communications.

The Office of the Vice President for Communications seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the diverse people of Michigan, to maintain the excellence of the University and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives and ways of knowing and learning.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

U-M COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

COVID-19 vaccinations, including one booster when eligible, are required for all University of Michigan students, faculty and staff across all campuses, including Michigan Medicine.  This includes those working remotely and temporary workers.   More information on this new policy is available on the U-M Health Response website or the UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint websites.

About University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

A great university is made so by its faculty and staff, and Michigan is recognized as one of the best universities to work for in the country. The Michigan culture is known for engaging faculty and staff in all facets of the university to create a workplace that is vibrant and stimulating.For two consecutive years, the Chronicle of Higher Education has placed U-M in its "Great Colleges to Work For" survey. In particular, the university earns high marks for strong relations between faculty and administrators, a collaborative system of governance, strong pay and benefits, and a healthy work/life balance.

Connections working at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor