• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $62,400 - $65,000

Position Summary

The Communications Assistant provides necessary administrative support for the Communications team and its members as needed. The Communications Assistant will act as a liaison between the Communications team and the offices and departments it serves, proofread and copy edit all print and digital assets that come through the office, assistant with the execution of SOA's organic social media strategy, manage the team's meeting agenda, and assist with web editing and financial processing. The Communications Assistant will also assist on all production efforts, as needed, whether photography or video, coordinating scheduling, on site requirements, media releases, and day-off necessities such as meals and snacks.

Other duties as assigned.

Please note this position's anticipated start date is on/about July 1st, 2024.

Responsibilities

• Fields daily email inquiries via the soa-comms email alias.
• Responsible for all Communications team form submissions and inquiries, and maintains the Communications landing page on the Arts website, which serves the School and its community.
• Copyedits news and editorial content and publishes content to the website, working closely with the Assistant Director of Communications, Content Strategy and student news fellows as needed.
• Sourcing media assets as needed in support of news circuit, social media efforts, and other various digital and direct marketing efforts, using platforms such as iStock and direct contact with affiliates.
• Oversees the regular refreshing of media content on all digital screens in School buildings, shares screen content with University partners, working closely with the Graphic Designer who oversees the student fellow who prepares these presentations. Provides administrative support to Graphic Designer for key large-scale design projects such as the Thesis Catalog or Spring Gala.
• Supports the Assistant Director of Communications, Content Strategy with all regular web updates. Oversees the regular creation of faculty profiles (as directed by Human Resources), landing pages, and other webpages as needed, communication directly with Faculty members.
• Responsible for maintaining best web practices and policies documents and circulating them to the team annually.
• Maintains the brand guidelines, revising to keep up with ever-changing style guide and language changes on an annual basis (work closely with Graphic Designer). Circulates updated documents to the larger team and uploads to the website annually.
• Manages photography requests, scheduling photography vendors as needed, compiling shot lists, inspiration folders, and finalizing image selects with any necessary stakeholders. Meets once weekly with staff photographer to ensure project requirements are clear and client expectations are met. Oversees student Production Assistant who is available to assist on all video and/or photography efforts on site.
• Manages photography deliverables and oversees organization of the Communications Media Library in Google Drive. Includes regular purchase on stock images. Compiles proposed marketing images representing the School and its programs on a regular basis, obtaining approval from all stakeholders and keeping approved marketing images fresh for easy use.
• Manages the Communications weekly team meeting agenda and runs weekly meeting.
• Manages the vitrine schedule and brokers competing demands on this space.
• Submits simple print orders and coordinates delivery/pickup schedules with printers and clients, as needed.
• Reviews materials prepared locally within programs or by University partners to ensure proper branding and use of house style.
• Makes purchases on behalf of the Communications team and reconciles the team's p-card, working directly with the Business Office.
• Miscellaneous research tasks as needed.
• Provides general additional office support as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or its equivalent required. Three years of related experience also required.
• Demonstrated superior customer service and interpersonal skills and excellent written and oral communication skills required. Strong organizational skills required. Must demonstrate strong computer abilities and excellent proofreading/editing skills. Must be able to work under pressure on concurrent projects and minimal supervision.
• Please include a cover letter in your application; applications without cover letters will not be considered.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.