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Communications Specialist (7461U) - 67768

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome and included. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world's leading institutions of higher education, distinguished by its combination of internationally recognized academic and research excellence; the transformative opportunity it provides to a large and diverse student body; its public mission and commitment to equity and social justice; and its roots in the California experience, animated by such values as innovation, questioning the status quo, and respect for the environment and nature. Since its founding in 1868, Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic and social value in California, the United States and the world.

We are looking for equity-minded applicants who represent the full diversity of California and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at Berkeley, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice that requires broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students and community partners. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Berkeley, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, our Principles of Community, and our Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. To find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley, visit grow.berkeley.edu.

Departmental Overview

The Division of Social Sciences in the College of Letters & Science is the largest and most diverse academic Division at UC Berkeley with 20% of the faculty and 25% of the student body. Its 15 departments and programs are consistently ranked among the nation's best by U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Schools - Sociology No. 1, Psychology No. 1, History No. 1, Economics No. 4 and Political Science No. 4. U.S. News also ranked Psychology and Economics No. 1 for their undergraduate programs in 2024. Berkeley Social Sciences has had six Nobel laureates and several John Bates Clark Medal winners, while other prestigious awards and honors given to faculty include the Berlin Prize, Fukuoka Prize, Jessie Bernard Award, Berkeley's Distinguished Teaching Award and numerous memberships into the National Academy of Sciences.

Position Summary

The Communications Specialist at Berkeley Social Sciences will primarily create content such as news articles, press releases and content for social media, newsletters and the website to raise the visibility of Berkeley Social Sciences. Content includes stories about the Division's programs and initiatives, and news and feature articles about faculty and students, and other topics. Other communications projects and assignments may be assigned depending on the needs of Berkeley Social Sciences. The Communications Specialist will report to the Communications Director.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 04/29/2024. This position is open until filled. The start date for this position is July 1, 2024.

Responsibilities

Content creation

• Drafts, edits and distributes content, including articles, press releases, newsletters and social media posts, web content and marketing copy.
• Coordinate with faculty, staff and students in Berkeley Social Sciences' 15 departments and programs to gather information and stories that highlight the Division's achievements and initiatives.
• Write articles about Divisional events.
• Highlights faculty research in web articles .

Media relations

• Monitor media coverage and social media engagement and compile analytics and reports to gauge the effectiveness of communication strategies.
• Respond to media inquiries by organizing information.
• Prepares faculty, students and staff for media opportunities.

Ensures communications are both inclusive and ADA compliant.

• Ensures content that appears on the Social Sciences-owned channels such as the website, YouTube, etc are ADA compliant

Other duties, as assigned.

• Collaborate with other UC Berkeley academic units and external partners to support interdisciplinary projects and initiatives.
• Helps gather performance metrics for social media and stories that get placed in the media.

Required Qualifications

• Strong computer skills with proficiency in Google Suite, Microsoft Office, media and social media monitoring platforms, content management platforms with the ability to learn new computer programs and software systems.
• Demonstrated excellence in writing, editing and content creation across various formats (press releases, web articles, social media posts, etc.).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of working collaboratively with diverse groups including faculty, staff, students and external partners.
• Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team, with a high level of initiative and self-motivation.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIBJ), and ability to apply and integrate core concepts of DEIBJ into everyday practice.
• Thorough knowledge of appropriate editorial style, such as AP style and publication guidelines.

Education/Training:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in a communications, public relations or marketing role.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience generating news content for a media outlet as a journalist or as a public relations/communications professional producing articles for a higher education institution, business, nonprofit or other organizations.
• Familiarity with the higher education environment, particularly within a research-intensive university like UC Berkeley.
• Ability to capture photos and/or video.

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $31.13 - $38.31.

• This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) non-exempt career position and eligible for UC Benefits.
• This position is non-exempt and paid hourly.

How to Apply

• To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This is not a visa opportunity.
• This position is hybrid eligible.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Mandated Reporter

This position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter required to report the observed or suspected abuse or neglect of children, dependent adults, or elders to designated law enforcement or social service agencies. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon completion of signed statements acknowledging the responsibilities of a Mandated Reporter.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California 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, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the https://apptrkr.com/get_redirect.php?id=5184504&targetURL=U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.

The University of California's Affirmative action policy.

The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.



To apply, visit https://careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psp/ucb/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=21&JobOpeningId=67768&PostingSeq=1