Director of Communications

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and is the city's largest private employer. USC is consistently ranked among the nation's most prestigious universities, and the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology features one of the world's best degree and research programs in gerontology. The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology has an international reputation as a hub of aging research, and with additional strong programs throughout the university, itleads the way in defining and advancing the field of gerontology: https://gero.usc.edu.

The University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Gerontology seeks a Director of Communications to join its executive team and vibrant student community. This role involves crafting and executing internal and external communication strategies while ensuring their effectiveness. The Communications Office is vital in highlighting the school's leadership in aging research and education, showcasing its outstanding people, projects, programs, and discoveries through various media platforms.

Primary roles include oversight of and contributions to:

Content Creation:

• Developing news stories, articles, press releases, and blog posts highlighting groundbreaking research, faculty expertise, and student accomplishments.

• Producing multimedia content, including videos, podcasts, and social media posts, to engage diverse audiences.

• Drafting speeches, remarks, and opinion pieces for school leaders.

Media Relations/Crisis Communications:

• Promoting the school's research, faculty achievements, and academic programs to external media outlets.

• Responding to media inquiries and coordinating interviews with faculty experts.

• Anticipating issues and managing crisis response for internal and external audiences.

Website and Digital Presence:

• Maintaining the school's websites and ensuring up-to-date, relevant, and accurate content.

• Enhancing visibility through SEO and other digital strategies.

Social Media Management:

• Managing the school's social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn) to share updates, events, and engaging content.

• Building community engagement and increasing visibility of the school's activities.

Digital Marketing:

• Ensuring consistency in branding and messaging across all platforms.

• Online promotion of certificate and degree programs to attract prospective students.

Event Promotion:

• Supporting the planning and promotion of events, including conferences, guest lectures, and public outreach initiatives.

• Creating materials such as flyers, newsletters, and programs.

Internal Communications:

• Disseminating crucial information to faculty, staff, and students through newsletters, emails, and other internal channels.

Alumni and Donor Communications:

• Producing content to engage alumni and potential donors, often through newsletters, special publications, and updates about school achievements.

Measurement and Tracking:

• Monitoring and sharing content engagement metrics and leveraging that data to assess campaign effectiveness and inform future efforts.

Award support:

• Assist in collecting letters of support for award nominations and grant submissions.

Core Skills

Writing and Editing:

• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills for creating clear, compelling, and audience-specific content, such as articles, press releases, social media posts, and newsletters.

• Ability to adapt tone and style for different platforms and audiences.

Digital Marketing and Content Strategy:

• Expertise in developing and implementing content strategies across websites, blogs, social media, and email campaigns.

• Knowledge of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and keyword research to optimize content for search engines.

Social Media Management

• Proficiency in managing and growing social media platforms with an understanding of platform trends, algorithms, and best practices.

• Experience using social media scheduling and analytics tools

Data Analysis and Performance Measurement:

• Ability to track, analyze, and report key metrics like engagement rates, ROI, impressions, and lead conversions using tools such as Google Analytics, CRM dashboards, and social insights.

• Strong data interpretation skills to make evidence-based recommendations for strategy improvement.

Media Relations and Public Relations:

• Strong skills in building and maintaining relationships with media contacts, pitching stories, and managing press inquiries.

• Understanding how to craft and position stories to align with new trends and media interests.

Project Management:

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and coordinate with various teams.

• Familiarity with project management tools.

Technical and Design Proficiency:

• Basic knowledge of design tools like Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) or Canva to produce visual content.

• Familiarity with content management systems (e.g., WordPress) and email marketing platforms (e.g., MailChimp, Constant Contact).

Interpersonal and Professional Skills

Communication Skills:

• Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.

Creativity and Innovation:

• A creative mindset to develop engaging content, campaigns, and strategies that resonate with the audience.

• Ability to bring new ideas and approaches to enhance visibility and impact.

Adaptability and Problem-Solving:

• Ability to adapt to evolving priorities, deadlines, and challenges while maintaining high-quality work.

• Strong problem-solving skills to address unexpected challenges in communications and event promotion.

Attention to Detail:

• Precision in producing error-free content and ensuring consistent branding and messaging across platforms.

Strategic Thinking:

• Strong strategic skills to align communications initiatives with the school's goals and audience needs.

This is an exempt position with a hybrid work schedule. Onsite work is expected in the Andrus Gerontology Center from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM during normal operating hours, after hours, and on weekends as needed. Some travel for events, training and conferences to maintain skills and knowledge is required.

This position's annual base salary rangeis $140,000-$165,000. 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, and external market and organizational considerations.

Benefits include a competitive salary and a rich array of USC benefits, including healthcare (including dental and vision), 403(b), tuition reimbursement, national holidays, paid vacation, and more.

If interested, please submit your completed application, including a cover letter and resume with references. Thank you for your interest!

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. 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 for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100 or email uschr@usc.edu. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
Minimum Experience: 5 years, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience
Minimum Field of Expertise: Management experience in journalism and public relations.