Job Board

Communications Specialist

Description

About Southern Scholarship Foundation
Through rent-free housing and cooperative living, Southern Scholarship Foundation supports students who lack financial resources, demonstrate excellent academic merit, and exemplify good character attend institutions of higher education. Since 1955, SSF has helped students achieve their dreams of attending their choice university through our partnerships at Florida Gulf Coast University, University of Florida, Santa Fe College, Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College. While SSF does not provide monetary-based scholarships, we offer rent-free homes located near our partner institutions. We currently have 26 homes statewide and serve 470 students.

Summary
Responsible for coordinating a consistent voice for all aspects of the organization’s online presence, managing the growth, brand, and producing content for the company’s social and digital media sites. Assists in the development and implementation of SSF’s strategies and tactics to inform the media, general public, and related stakeholders of SSF’s initiatives and
events. Maintains website standards and functionality, while supplementing other departments with event planning, coordination and execution. Focuses effort on applicant recruitment. Coordinates and supports the Board of Directors and various committees in preparing meeting documents, technology, minutes, and events.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Communications (75%)

• Coordinate with the SSF team in the creation and implementation of quarterly digital
  marketing plans, including but not limited to relevant online communications, social media, southernscholarship.org, videos, blogs, webinars, and emerging digital formats.
• Ensure all online and multimedia plans are researched, planned and executed, both as stand-alone activities and as part of larger strategies.
• Maintain SSF brand standards and style guidelines across all communication platforms.
• Design and create eNewsletter and assist with flyers and/or handouts for Foundation events, meetings, fundraisers, mailings, etc.
• Independently compose original, style-specific content for Student Affairs and Development.
• Document foundation events and activities (via photographs, videos, etc.)
• Stay current in emerging website/online trends and marketing techniques, recommend improvements, and understand how to apply best practices to SSF.
• Format and coordinate digital media campaigns including eNewsletters and online fundraising pages.
• Manage SSF’s resident volunteers for social media content sourcing and creation.
• Collaborates with Development to create and implement communication strategies.

Student Affairs (5%)

• Works with Student Affairs on resident recruiting and marketing campaign strategy and implementation.
• Develops recruitment materials and helps select promotional items for various recruitment activities.
• Assist with design of program materials.

Administration/Team/Board Support (20%)

• Assist President/CEO arrange and prepare for Board of Directors and committee meetings including agendas, packets, technology, meeting minutes, and events.
• Maintain office schedule and invitations for large/group meetings on behalf of the President/CEO.
• Attend community and/or Foundation events/meetings when required.
• Engage in professional/business networking activities to further enhance the Foundation’s community presence.
• Collaborate with team leaders across the organization to develop and implement initiatives that support team priorities and goals.
• Cross train in front desk responsibilities.
• Arrange/assist colleagues in foundation special events/activities (planning, preparation, and execution).
• Contribute to general office duties.
• Manage and hire Federal Work Study students for the front desk administrative assistant positions.
• Manage volunteers, FWS students, and interns as needed.
• Occasional evenings and weekends will be required.
• Occasional overnight travel will be required.

Qualifications

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: Associate degree from two-year college or university in Communications, Media, Public Relations, Marketing, or related field; or two to three years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificates and Licenses: No certifications needed

Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies, but not limited to: Use of Technology, Problem Solving, Customer Service, Communication, Teamwork, Leadership, Ethics, Achievement Focus, Dependability, Initiative, Innovation, and Planning/Organizing.

Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have experience promoting online material and generating traffic through website and social media.

• Proven ability to maximize opportunities and engagements through Applications, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and various social media outlets.
• Experience with web traffic metrics in Google Analytics, Buffer, and Facebook Creator Studio.
• Experience in website design/content management and technical skills, including familiarity with HTML5, WordPress, and Photoshop.
• Experience with video creation and editing, including familiarity with Adobe Premiere Pro.
• Experience with event photography and photo editing, including familiarity with Adobe Lightroom.
• Knowledge of MS Office and Adobe Reader required. Familiarity with fundraising platforms and donor management software is a plus.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and
standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.

How to Apply

To Apply
Send your resume to jobs@southernscholarship.org with ‘Communication Specialist’ in the subject line, preferably with a cover letter. Applications may also be submitted through LinkedIn or Indeed. For priority consideration apply on or before 11:59 PM Eastern, March 8th, 2024.

Job Originally Posted on: Friday, March 15, 2024