Communications Specialist - Center for Primary Care

Do you have at least four years of professional experience creating marketing strategies, using your skills to execute them, and tracking success? Are you excited by the idea of assisting the launch of a new healthcare initiative to improve healthcare delivery to communities throughout Greater Minnesota?

We are looking for an energetic, creative, detail-oriented, and data-driven communications specialist to join the Center for Primary Care (CPC). The CPC works to foster a collaborative and innovative primary care environment throughout Minnesota where providers, researchers, and communities come together to advance knowledge, address healthcare challenges, and improve patient outcomes through evidence-based research and continuous learning.

Your responsibilities will include the following:

• Craft a marketing strategy to launch the CPC while helping to raise awareness over time.
• Manage digital channels (web, social media, and email marketing).
• Create compelling content (written and visual) to support internal and external communications.
• Communicate research study findings to the public using plain language.
• Partner with fellow communications professionals across the U of M and external organizations to promote the Center.

This role is essential for raising awareness of the Center, promoting strategic initiatives throughout Minnesota, and building connections with key stakeholders.

The ideal candidate has at least four years of professional experience with marketing and communications best practices, including marketing plans; brand identity; content creation; website creation, SEO, and upkeep; mass email and social media; keen attention to detail and deadlines; writing, design, and communications skills; a history of effective collaboration; ability to multitask; and tracking marketing analytics.

Job Duties:

Content Strategy, Development & Management (70%)

• Work closely with the department communications manager, department administrator, and Center leadership to develop and implement short- and long-term marketing and communication strategies.
• Write blog articles, web copy, marketing emails, social media posts and other various marketing communications-related content.
• Manage content on the CPC website, including creating and updating pages and layouts, implementing SEO techniques, and managing assets in the media library.
• Manage content, production, and dissemination of e-newsletter and maintain newsletter contact list.
• Monitor news, social media, and partners' websites for content ideas and emerging trends.
• Create and maintain strategic marketing materials geared toward a variety of stakeholders, including video, articles, infographics, flyers, social media campaigns, digital ads, and more.
• Coordinate the sending and receipt of translated materials to/from an external vendor and community reviewers and process files for publishing as needed.
• Coordinate and assist with program photography needs, including promotional photos when needed and maintaining a photo library.

Media, Events, and Social Media Strategic Communications (20%)

• Manage the Center's public and media relations needs, including coordinating faculty media appearances across a variety of media (print, electronic, radio/TV). Work closely with the department and Medical School communications teams on promotion of the Center.
• Lead the communication strategy and promotional materials for program events, including conferences, seminars, and community outreach initiatives as needed.
• Build and execute social media strategy.
• Generate, edit, publish and share daily social media content on social media channels.
  

Analytical Skills and Leadership (10%)

• Track, report and evaluate audience behaviors and recommend strategic changes to communications plans to achieve behavioral outcomes.
• Keep current with developments in the field and marketing trends along with continued professional development.
• Work to create bridges to communicators and leaders in other units, departments, and organizations and collaborate toward shared goals.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.
  

Required (please clearly indicate these skills in your resume and cover letter):

• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Marketing, or related field; plus a minimum of four (4) years of full-time, post-degree professional communications experience.
• Demonstrated experience with creating and leading marketing strategies using communications skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including proofreading, spelling, and grammar.
• Proven ability to work under general supervision while exercising discretion in daily operational decisions.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  

Preferred:

• Proficiency in Google Suite.
• Marketing writing experience such as articles, product copywriting, advertising promotional copy, and web copy.
• Graphic design and document design experience; proficient in Adobe Cloud, including Express, Photoshop, InDesign, and Acrobat.
• Experience editing websites using content management systems like Drupal, WordPress, Wix, Joomla, etc.
• Experience building and sending electronic newsletters and mass emails using software such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Constant Contact or Mailchimp.
• Experience managing social media for organizations and using tools such as Sprout Social, Loomly or Hootsuite.
• Experience creating videos using iMovie, PremierePro, CapCut, or similar software.
• Excellent organizational skills to include multitasking and time management.

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota was created more than 50 years ago in response to a legislative mandate to train primary care physicians. Since then, we have been leaders in transforming the specialty through education, research, and patient care. We are the academic sponsor of seven family medicine residencies-five in the Twin Cities, two in Greater Minnesota. We are involved in medical student education activities across the Medical School's two campuses: Twin Cities and Duluth. We sponsor five fellowship programs-sports medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, behavioral medicine, clinical informatics, and human sexuality- and offer continuing medical education opportunities. We are regularly among the top National Institutes of Health-funded family medicine departments. Our faculty are actively researching health disparities, healthcare delivery, and population health. More at https://med.umn.edu/familymedicine.

Annual Salary Range: $70,412 - $82,617; The actual starting rate depends on experience and qualifications, with most offers anticipated to be around the midpoint of this range.

Time Appointment Category: 100% Appointment

Position Type: P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).