Marketing and Communications Specialist

Job No: 536126

Work Type: Full Time

Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)

Categories: Communications/Public Relations/Marketing, Advancement

Department: 16010500 - LS-COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT

Job Description

Classification Title:

Communications Specialist

Classification Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor's degree and two years of relevant experience; or an Associate's degree and four years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Description:

The Marketing & Communications Specialist plays a vital role in advancing the University of Florida College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' external engagement and fundraising efforts through strategic, donor-centered communications. This position is responsible for developing persuasive messaging and storytelling that resonates with alumni, donors, and stakeholders—strengthening relationships and inspiring philanthropic support. By producing compelling campaign materials and communications that reflect the college's values and impact, the Specialist helps elevate the college's visibility and reputation. Reporting to the Associate Director of External Engagement, the Specialist collaborates closely with a dynamic, on-campus marketing team within the college's Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs.

Creative Communications Production

• Conceptualize, develop, and produce written content to promote philanthropic giving, advance external engagement, celebrate donor impact, and build alumni connections.
• Craft original ideas and transform them into compelling stories to enhance audience engagement and support the college's giving and engagement priorities.
• Write tailored marketing materials, including brochures, information sheets, proposals, concept papers, impact reports, and special campaign collateral.
• Ensure all content aligns seamlessly with the college's branding guidelines and organizational voice.
• Work with graphic designers and multimedia specialists to produce visually compelling assets such as graphics, banners, event promotions, and video content.
• Write press releases, media communications, and social media campaigns to promote the college's achievements, celebrate donors, and engage stakeholders.
• Support fundraising appeals and special projects by developing and executing print and digital campaigns as part of strategic multichannel campaigns and constituent journeys.
• Create communications materials that highlight personal stories, donor impact narratives, and human-interest pieces to inspire giving and connect with stakeholders.
• Collaborate with other Advancement Strategic Communications, Marketing & Engagement teams and colleagues to produce campaign materials and leverage content on digital platforms as it aligns with an overall strategy.
  
  

Email Marketing & Digital Analytics

• Implement a robust email marketing plan, using the full marketing mix, to support the college's strategic priorities, with a clear focus on relationship-building.
• Write and refine personalized, engaging, and donor-centric messages for email copy and calls-to-action.
• Build robust end-to-end automated drip marketing campaigns for units throughout the college and campaign initiatives, ensuring consistent and engaging communication around key priorities.
• Leverage segmentation tools to target specific audience groups (e.g., alumni, donors, friends of the college) and tailor communication for maximum impact.
• Collaborate with Advancement and Marketing teams to align strategies with audience segmentation, donor journeys, and campaign objectives.
• Use data-driven insights to personalize messaging, enhance engagement, and improve donor retention.
• Monitor campaign performance metrics (e.g., open rates, click-through rates, conversions) via Salesforce reporting tools, optimizing workflows and automation for seamless transitions between email stages.
• Regularly review and refine campaigns based on analytics and donor engagement trends.
• Provide analytics reports and make strategic recommendations to improve the college's digital strategy.
• Research standards, best practices, trends and breakthroughs in digital marketing to inform ongoing strategy adjustments.
  
  

Multimedia Production

• Participate in creative and artistic planning and execution of high-quality multimedia content for use across digital channels, including social media, websites, and email campaigns.
• Produce promotional, educational, and storytelling materials that highlights the college's programs, people, and strategic initiatives.
• Identify needs and facilitate planning, determine communications concepts and designs, and support strategic, long-term marketing objectives.
• Generate ideas for productions, develop new formats and shooting styles, and understand each project's story and narrative style to deliver the highest quality product.
• Work closely with teams from communications, marketing, advancement, and academic departments to gather project requirements and execute them effectively.
  
  

Strategic Project Management

• Project manages a wide variety of marketing initiatives, including brochures, fliers, email campaigns, web content, and advertising.
• Oversee the scheduling and execution of email marketing, with a focus on regular and timely donor and alumni communications.
• Participate in strategic marketing and communications planning, including yearly advertising, marketing, and communications plans as needed.
• Participate in and assist with communication for the organization and update content calendars as needed.
  
  

Expected Salary:

The salary is $50,000 - $60,000.

This is a TEAMS position—UF's designation for staff roles—eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including paid leave, retirement plans, and health insurance. Learn more about TEAMS benefits here.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and two years of relevant experience; or an Associate's degree and four years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Business expenses are reimbursed through a standard accounting system. The ability to pay for expenses using your own personal credit card or funds and have them reimbursed is essential.
  
  

Preferred:

• Master's degree in related field.
• 1-3 years of content production experience, preferably in a higher education setting.
• A passion for storytelling, along with a talent for motivating audiences.
• Prior experience in alumni relations, development, or marketing/communications is strongly preferred.
• Creative vision, strong written and verbal communication skills, and excellent attention to detail.
• Exceptional technical, persuasive writing, editing, and verbal communication skills with strong grammar, spelling, and proofreading skills, including the ability to shift voice and tone based on audience and channel.
• A collaborative spirit and strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collegially and interact effectively with stakeholders.
• Excellent research skills and the ability to gather and synthesize large quantities of information, organize ideas and turn institutional objectives and messages into compelling cases for philanthropic support and engagement.
• The ability to communicate clearly and effectively, meet deadlines, be self-motivated, and work independently.
• Accuracy, attention to detail, a customer service-oriented attitude and the ability to work in a complex organization are necessary for success in this position.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify challenges, analyze situations, and devise effective solutions.
• Demonstrated success collaborating with stakeholders; strong project management skills; experience in a data-driven environment; excellent organizational abilities; and the capacity to lead, influence, and inspire others are essential.
• Effective time management and organizational skills are essential for success in this position.
• The incumbent should be computer proficient in these areas: Windows, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Google Analytics, HTML. Experience using Salesforce
  
  

Special Instructions To Applicants:

In order to be considered, you must upload your cover letter and resume. Additionally, we kindly request that you submit 2-3 samples of recent articles or written material projects that showcase your work

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.

This requisition has been reposted. Previous applicants are still under consideration and need not reapply.

Health Assessment Required:

No.

Applications Close: 30 November 2025

To apply, visit https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/536126

Our Commitment:

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the U.S. The University of Florida is a public institution and is subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392- 2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.

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