Communications Assistant

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Communications Assistant

The Development and Alumni Relations (DEVAR) communications team is seeking a Communications Assistant to join its award-winning team. As the Communications Assistant for the department, you will contribute to the effective delivery of communications to alumni and supporters, and provide professional administrative support to the Communications Manager and wider team. You will offer outstanding support in delivering the communications strategy which will include print, digital and social media communications. Candidates should possess strong writing and organisational skills, whilst being able to deliver to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Experience of design and/or video work would be an advantage, as would the ability to communicate confidently in Welsh.

We want to employ people with a wide variety of experiences. We welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We are particularly seeking applications from candidates who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented at the University, including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

This post is full-time at 35 hours per week, is open ended and available with immediate effect.

Salary: £24,715 – £28,929 per annum (Grade 4). This will change to £26,444 – £29,605 per annum from 1st August 2023.

Candidates are asked to submit an example of previous writing work with their covering letter, along with any other examples of creative work (video, design web etc) they feel are relevant.

For an informal conversation prior to applying for this role, please email Anna Garton, Communications Manager at [email protected]

Date advert posted: Friday, 30 June 2023

Closing date: Friday, 14 July 2023

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Job Description

Provide comprehensive professional administrative support to the Communications Team, and contribute to the effective delivery of supporter relations communications and campaigns. Support the Communications Manager in delivering the communications strategy which will include print, digital and social media content and communications.

Produce high-quality written content that is accurate and engaging on a regular basis, support communications projects and graphic design work, and contribute to the delivery of the team’s social media strategy.

Act as the first point of contact for the department’s Communications Team and undertake all aspects of communications administration including reporting, organising meetings, liaising with internal colleagues and external suppliers, and assisting with content and design briefings.

To support the University’s ambitions as expressed in The Way Forward, and to undertake all this in keeping with the mission and values of the Development and Alumni Relations department.

Key Duties

• The position holder will regularly produce high-quality engaging written content for use across print and digital platforms such as the monthly alumni e-newsletter, supporter stewardship communications, websites and social media
• Identify impactful stories and carry out interviews with alumni, supporters and researchers to develop engaging written and digital content
• They must support the ongoing development of the Alumni and Donate websites, working with the Digital Communications Officer, and assist with content gathering and image sourcing
• Liaise with internal and external suppliers such as designers and printers to ensure the University receives best value and quality
• When required, deliver in-house graphic design support, creating projects for online and print. Work with the Communications Team and wider department to write and build a range of e-communications for alumni, event attendees and supporters
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the team and department
• Contribute to the team’s social media strategy by supporting the Digital Communications Officer with social media activity and administration, as well as identifying news items and opportunities
• Support the Digital Communications Officer with filming and video editing projects
• Contribute to the strategic goals that ensure that alumni, University donors and prospects, and other stakeholders appreciate the impact and importance of Cardiff University, perceive it as relevant to their lives today and support the University (financial, current students, reputational, community)
• Gather and analyse data to inform decisions, establishing basic trends and patterns in data and creating regular reports
• Instruct and guide other employees across the University to ensure compliance with brand guidelines, legal and regulatory requirements in respect of equality and diversity, data protection, copyright and licensing, security, financial and other University policies, procedures and codes as appropriate

General Duties

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Perform other duties which are not included above, but will be consistent with the role

Person Specification

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THIS ROLE (PERSON SPECIFICATION)
There are usually certain skills, qualifications, or experiences that any employee should have before they can be considered for a role.  Some of these will be essential and you would not be able to perform the role without them, but some are desirable.

It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.  You should do your best to show clearly how you meet all the essential criteria by giving examples of how, when and where you have performed the required actions before.  You can draw on elements from any aspect of your life, such as education, work, home, or community life, as long as you focus on its relevance in comparison to the needs of this job.  Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined below. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element.

To start your Supporting Statement, simply copy and paste the next section into a separate document, writing your answers and examples at each point.  Save the document with the title YOUR NAME – BR NUMBER – JOB TITLE and attach it to your application on the recruitment system.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

1.   NVQ 3/A-Levels or equivalent.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
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2.   Experience of using content management systems (e.g. Wordpress, Squiz), email marketing systems (e.g. Campaign Monitor, Mailchimp) and creative software for graphic design and video editing (e.g. Adobe creative suite – Indesign, Photoshop etc)

3.   Experience of creative writing for print and digital, including using social media in a professional context.

4.   Substantial experience of working in a communications administrative role. Ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate.

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

5.   Excellent communication skills, with evidence of ability to work to a high level of accuracy and attention to detail, with a particular focus on editorial writing.

6.   Ability to communicate specialist and complex information effectively and professionally to a range of customers with varying levels of understanding.

7.   Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered.

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving

8.   Evidence of ability to solve problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose practical solutions and to resolve problems where there are a range of potential options available.

9.   Evidence of ability to analyse processes and procedures, and advise on improvements.

10. Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work.

Desirable Criteria

1.   Degree or an equivalent qualification or equivalent work related experience

2.   Experience of working in a Higher Education environment

3.   Fluency in Welsh, written and oral

Additional Information

The working pattern for this post is Monday – Friday.   All of the Development and Alumni Relations team work a hybrid pattern which includes at least one day in the office (McKenzie House, Newport Road), on Wednesdays; this postholder may also need to spend additional time in the office to provide in-person support on other occasions.

Job Category

Admin / Clerical