Digital Communication Specialist, Durham, NC Campus

POSITION TYPE: Permanent, 12-Month, SHRA, FLSA Exempt, 1.0 FTE

HIRING SALARY RANGE: $53,248 - $54,895

Hiring salary will be determined based on education, experience, equity, budget, and market considerations.

NCSSM and the Division of Public Affairs foster an environment of collaboration across departments and divisions and support community-engaged service and research. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as an individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran or national guard. If you are an individual with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process, please contact us at hr@ncssm.edu.

Description of Duties:

Under the direction of the Director of Communications, the Digital Communication Specialist is a subject matter expert and specialist for social media marketing communications, charged with managing the presence and reputation of NCSSM's social media channels including institutional and place-based channels on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and collaborating with colleagues around the institution who operate specialty sub-channels (such as Admissions, the Ryden Program in Artificial Intelligence, Fine Arts, Summer Programs, etc.). The position is responsible for producing original content to be utilized across various platforms including social media, video, and the web. The Digital Communication Specialist will utilize established methods for locating and messaging to target audiences, increasing visibility with those audiences, and utilizing digital methods to help accomplish strategic communication goals, foremost of which are to underpin fundraising efforts and assist with student recruitment particularly within underrepresented populations. The position provides critical bandwidth and focus on populating these social and digital media channels with engaging content week after week, helping to expand the strategic online presence of the school and its units and engaging and expanding key audiences for our content and messaging. In line with the school's brand platform and in collaboration with larger departmental efforts, the position is responsible for front-line execution of the director's strategic social media and digital initiatives.

The position will be based on the Durham, NC campus of NCSSM. While regular presence on campus is crucial for this position, hybrid in-person/remote work may be an option after an initial orientation period. Working hours are generally 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday with occasional flex for evening and weekend assignments or to accommodate the employee's personal needs.

• In-depth knowledge and understanding of social media channels and their audiences and the ability to develop and integrate into campaigns targeted messages and calls to action to engage these audiences

• Marketing communications experience and expertise

• Experience using social media channels to accomplish strategic objectives for an organization; professional experience or doing so at an educational institution are a plus

• Strong interpersonal skills that promote collaboration and productivity

• Excellent oral and written communication skills that effectively convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email, and social media

• Strong project management and organizational skills

• Ability to establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with external and internal audiences

• Headline-writing and caption-writing skills

• Ability to meet tight deadlines and respond appropriately to time-sensitive issues.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize workload

• Professional experience at producing graphics and multimedia content

• Experience recording footage and editing video projects; to include social media content, long form content for YouTube and external audiences

• Professional experience managing and analyzing metrics

• Professional experience managing social media campaigns

• Professional experience writing blog entries and/or feature stories for web and/or print

• Professional understanding of website content management systems

• Working knowledge of Associated Press editorial style

• Ability to create web-suitable graphics in Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar software

• Professional experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, or similar software to design printed materials, basic logo designs, and other organizational collateral

• Ability to work in a consensus-driven, collaborative team environment to produce content and deliverables

• Flexibility to attend and gather content at occasional events (approximately 1-2 times monthly) on evenings and weekends and to travel overnight 2-5 times per year, usually within North Carolina.

Bachelor's degree in marketing, journalism, communications, or a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Team NCSSM Benefits

Free On-campus Parking

Vacation and Personal Leave: SHRA employees earn from 14 days to 26 days per year based on years of state service. Leave is earned monthly.

Sick Leave: 12 days per year. Leave accruals for part-time and less than 12 month employees are pro-rated.

Additional Leave: Family Medical Leave (FMLA), Paid Parental Leave (PPL), Civil Leave, Personal Observance Day, Extended Illness, Short/Long Term Disability, Family Illness Leave, Military Leave, Community Service Leave, Voluntary Shared Leave and Leave Without Pay.

Holidays: 12 days per year

Benefits: The University System offers eligible employees a flexible and comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to University-provided group life insurance, various retirement savings options, group health plan coverage, dental, vision, critical illness, cancer, flexible spending accounts, accident, disability coverage, educational assistance, and more. These programs can help employees achieve retirement savings and career goals, as well as assistance with meeting everyday health and educational needs. The benefits programs are designed for employees to tailor a benefits package that best meets their needs.

Health Insurance: Employee only coverage under the State Health Plan (PPO) is provided to employees that work 30 or more hours a week. The cost is determined by the type of coverage elected by the employee. Dependent coverage is available by payroll deduction.

Retirement: Required participation for all employees working 3/4 time or more. Option (1) Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System (TSERS) requires 6% of gross salary. Employees are vested for retirement after 5 years. Option (2) The Optional Retirement Program (ORP) requires 6% of gross salary. Employees in ORP are vested after 5 years of participating in ORP. As a participant in either retirement program, you are automatically covered for short-term disability (eligible after 1 year of service/no cost), long term disability (eligible after 5 year of service/no cost). Death benefit of minimum $25,000/maximum $50,000 based on previous 12 month salary (eligible after 1 year of service/no cost).

Supplemental Retirement Plans: Supplemental retirement plans provide an additional opportunity to help you reach your retirement goals. Supplemental Plan offerings such as a 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b) on a Roth (after-tax) or pre-tax contributions.

Tuition Waiver: Three courses per academic year tuition free (at any of UNC 17 campuses that offer courses) for permanent full-time employees.

State Employees Credit Union: Membership welcomed. Contact the SECU Credit Union for information.

Community Service: 24 hours leave credited each calendar year (prorated for part-time) unless you choose the Mentoring/ tutoring option - 1 hour each week up to a max of 36 hours that schools are in session as documented by the elected board of the local education agency or the governing authority of any non-public school.

Facilities: Library & Gymnasium - other athletic facilities available at no cost to employees. Cafeteria on site.

About NCSSM:

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) is a world-class public high school with statewide reach empowering academically talented students from diverse backgrounds from every corner of the state to design their own future. We offer residential high school programs in Durham and Morganton for juniors and seniors or virtual high school courses and programs that students can take alongside their local curriculum, all tuition free. Our wide array of summer offerings for rising 5th- through 12th-graders includes free opportunities for in-state students alongside paid options for students from anywhere in the world. NCSSM Extended Learning partners with communities and regions to advance student learning and outcomes.

Specializing in science, technology, engineering, and math, and embracing the fine arts and humanities, NCSSM has become the model for 18 such specialized schools around the globe since its founding in 1980 and is a full constituent of the University of North Carolina System. NCSSM's Ignite + Transform comprehensive campaign seeks to raise $50 million in private support for our mission.

The new NCSSM-Morganton campus opened in 2022 for summer programs and its first fall academic term. NCSSM-Morganton focuses on the booming fields of data science and artificial intelligence, preparing the leaders of tomorrow to navigate a future driven by data and machine learning, with emphasis on the humanistic implications and ethical use of these tools.

Nearly two-thirds of NCSSM graduates earn a bachelor's degree in a STEM field -- over three times the national average, including 58 percent of our underrepresented minority graduates, which is nearly four times the national average. Nearly three-quarters have earned or are seeking a graduate degree. A 2020 economic impact study found that 54 percent of our alumni continue to live and work in North Carolina, catalyzing nearly $1.3 billion in annual economic activity. NCSSM values the diversity in our student body, and all members of the NCSSM community are expected to foster a safe environment of respect and inclusion for all faculty, staff, and students.

For more information, please read the NCSSM strategic plan and visit ncssm.edu.

How to Apply:

Submit electronic application via this link: Digital Communication Specialist, Durham, NC Campus

Please complete your application in full. All required Competencies, Work History, and Credentials must appear on the application in the Education and Work Experience sections of the application to receive consideration during the selection process. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing the State Application form in its entirety. "See Attached Resume or an Embedded Text Resume" will be considered incomplete and will not be processed. Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, along with the state application. Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS) if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. If applicants are a former member of the NC National Guard who served for at least six years and was discharged under honorable conditions, they must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22 along with their state application.

Final candidates are subject to criminal and sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require a motor vehicle check. If the highest degree is from an institution outside of the U.S., final candidates are required to have their degree equivalency verified at www.wes.org or equivalent service. NCSSM participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Please refrain from submitting multiple applications. However, if multiple applications are submitted to a posting, only the most recent application received prior to the posting close date will be accepted. There is a 24 hour waiting period before an applicant can re-apply to a position.

If you have questions, please contact Tracy Fullgraf at fullgraf@ncssm.edu.

NCSSM is an EEO/eVerify/VEVRAA Employer