Manager, Communications & Outreach

Department Information

The Department of Resident Life serves a highly diverse population of approximately 12,500 undergraduate students living in traditional residence halls, apartments, and suites, including some public/private partnership apartment communities. About 46% of all resident students are enrolled in twelve living-learning programs covering a wide array of academic areas.

Resident Life employs a diverse workforce of 88 full-time and graduate staff members and about 600 undergraduate student staff members. The Department values respectful, equitable, and inclusive practices and actively seeks candidates who can represent and serve the diversity of persons who live and work in the University of Maryland's residence halls. The University of Maryland campus is located in the greater Washington, DC metro area just eight miles from downtown DC and 30 miles from Baltimore, MD. Additional information about the Department of Resident Life is available at www.reslife.umd.edu.

General Description of Duties

The Department of Resident Life's Manager for Communications has a critical role within the department, and is responsible for supporting and promoting the Maryland Residential Experience and educational messaging to students via a well-developed communication strategy. The Manager works collaboratively with staff throughout the Department and the Division on behalf of students and is responsible for creating, executing, and overseeing internal and external communications that effectively describe and promote the department and inform/educate students about programs, resources, and expectations.

The manager is a member of the Resident Life Assignments, Communications, and Information Technology (ACT) unit and will work collaboratively and effectively with the team to create, write, edit, and produce accurate, compelling, engaging, high-quality content that uses internal and external communication platforms, including social media, to promote our brand, housing processes and educational initiatives. Responsible for ensuring consistent voice, brand, and message accuracy in all communications and ensuring the Division of Student Affairs and Department of Resident Life's goals, mission, priorities, and ethic of care are illustrated effectively through digital and print materials for all stakeholders.

This role provides supervision and direction to two members of the Public Inquiry staff responsible for fielding phone, email, and in-person housing inquiries from various stakeholders, including current and prospective students, families, and other interested internal and external constituents. Works in conjunction with members of the Assignments, Communications, and Technology Services unit and serves as a Creative Services Office team member participating in brainstorming and idea generation for creative communication strategies for educational and marketing campaigns.

Responsibilities include proactively developing a communications strategy with smart brevity in mind to attract and retain students to on-campus housing; writing, editing, and proofreading materials; in consultation with the Associate Director and Manager for Creative Services assisting with the development, design, and production of print and digital materials; supporting marketing campaigns; writing, editing, and managing the production and distribution of newsletters (both print and digital); supporting the development and production of content for digital training, the department website, and social media presence; coordinating mailing lists and events; ensuring message and brand consistency and accuracy across all mediums. Successful candidates must actively demonstrate an appreciation for and promotion of diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion in all areas of work.