Job description

Department: Marketing and Communications

Location: Moulsecoomb

Job title: Student Engagement Officer: Campaigns

Post number: MK5049

Grade: 6

Responsible to: Internal Communications Manager

Main areas of responsibility: 1. Support the Internal Communications Manager to develop and implement a university-wide annual communication and engagement plan for existing students, based on student research, to ensure the highest levels of student satisfaction and retention.

2. Develop and deliver a range of communication activities.

3. Be responsible for establishing a student engagement panel to help inform the type and nature of communication and engagement with students.

4. Contribute to ensuring a seamless, high-quality, digital communications experience for our students.

Specific duties: 1. Support the Internal Communications Manager to develop and implement a university-wide annual communication and engagement plan for existing students, based on student research, to ensure the highest levels of student satisfaction and retention.

1.1 Develop a segmented (by student type) annual communication and engagement plan that will cover channels such as ebulletins, social media etc.

1.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of student communication and engagement channels and methods, including the development of key performance indicators and make improvements to activity based on these findings.

1.3 Work closely with colleagues in colleges, schools and central departments to gain buy-in to this annual plan. 2. Develop and deliver a range of communication activities.

2.1 Write, edit and publish regular segmented student e-bulletins using Dotmailer.

2.2 Work collaboratively with colleagues from across the university to ensure high quality, timely and responsive content for the e-bulletins.

2.3 Work closely with colleagues in Marketing and Communications department to maximise the use of content across internal and external communication channels.

2.4 Develop and implement university-wide student engagement campaigns such as the National Student Survey across multiple channels.

2.5 Work with the Student Engagement Officer (Channels) and colleagues across the university to develop student communication plans for high profile projects that impact on the student experience.

2.6 Work closely with the Creative Services team to ensure all activity is in line with the corporate guidelines.

2.7 Be responsible for ensuring communications and engagement campaigns are measured and evaluated, demonstrating how they impact the student experience.

3. Be responsible for establishing a student engagement panel to help inform the type and nature of communication and engagement with students.

3.1 Make recommendations on the terms of reference and membership for a student engagement panel including the Students’ Union, students, academics and professional staff.

3.2 Be responsible for ensuring the panel meets on a regular basis and a cross section of representatives attend, with support from the Internal Communications Manager.

3.3 Ensure an appropriate agenda is discussed and all members have an opportunity to provide feedback.

3.4 Report on the results of the panel meetings to senior colleagues and other staff as required.

4 Contribute to ensuring a seamless high-quality digital communications experience for our students.

4.1 Work closely with the Social Media Marketing Manager to develop the use of social media as a key engagement channel that ensures a seamless high quality experience for our students as they transition from prospective students to enrolled students and through their years of study with us. 4.2 Make recommendations and maximise the use of social, multi media and emerging technology to improve engagement and satisfaction with students.

4.3 Proactively identify emerging communications technology that would improve our student experience, reflecting their own personal use of technology. Make recommendations about the appropriate adoption of these and embed these into our suite of communication channels.

4.4 Make recommendations on how to maximise the use of the social and multi media at different stages in the student journey.

4.5 Gain buy-in from academics and support staff to adopt social media and emerging communications’ technology.

4.6 Work collaboratively with the Student Engagement Officer (Channels) to ensure that we deliver a coherent and integrated communications experience for our students - that covers all student communication channels and the communication aspects of studentcentral.

Selection criteria: The criteria below indicate the qualities that are needed to do the job well. Candidates for the post will be selected according to the extent to which they satisfy them, and their evidence of potential for developing the rest. Most of the criteria must normally be met in order to qualify for selection.

Essential:

Knowledge/qualifications / experience:  Knowledge and experience of managing strategic communications campaigns, from setting objectives to measuring success;  Considerable proven evidence of implementing communications activity across multiple channels from events to digital communications;  Relevant professional qualification such as CIM or CIPR;  Considerable proven evidence of strong writing and editing skills;  Considerable experience of writing and publishing copy for the web, and use of email platforms such as Dotmailer;  Educated to degree level or equivalent.

Communication:  Exemplary communication skills, both written and verbal;  Ability to facilitate meetings to an agreed agenda;  Must be able to communicate information in an understandable way and be able to explain technical matters in a clear non-technical language;  Listens well and considers others' needs and perspectives;  Be diplomatic and have strong negotiating skills.

Team work  Be a strong team player and have the ability to work with students and staff at all levels across the university;  Have credibility and influence. Technical skill:  Experience of working with intranet content management systems, email platforms and social media;  Competent in the use of Microsoft packages;  Appreciation of evolving technologies and their application in relation to internal communications;  Able to learn new technology rapidly and continuously.

Self-motivation / organisation:  Uses time efficiently; meets priorities and deadlines with minimum of supervision;  Committed to continuous self-development;  The ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.

Analysis, creativity & problem-solving:  Considers various perspectives and the overall picture; solves problems and develops plans successfully;  Ability to improve services through innovation;  Ability to make decisions based on evidence.

Physical:  Able to undertake all the physical requirements of the job, such as extensive use of keyboard, mouse and display screen equipment according to health and safety guidelines; able to access other university sites efficiently and frequently.

Desirable:  Have some knowledge of SharePoint as an intranet system.

This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.