Public Relations Spec, Senior

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America's leading research universities.

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

About Us

The Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University is one of the fastest rising, highly ranked engineering schools in the nation. The school consists of four departments with more than 130 tenure-track faculty members, 370 staff members, 100 postdocs, 1250 undergraduate students, 1400 master's students, and 600 PhD students.

Housed within a university renowned for its programs in the liberal arts, medicine, business and law, Pratt prepares future engineering leaders to address complex challenges with solutions that take into account the complexities and nuances of implementing them. Pratt takes a whole-student approach to education, ensuring students are well supported throughout their journeys and graduate with the grit and determination required to persevere in their careers and their lives. Pratt is dedicated to the values of diversity, equitability, inclusivity, and community in its pursuit of knowledge and service to society.

The Pratt School of Engineering's Institute for Enterprise Engineering (IEnE) provides high-impact professional education designed to meet the fast-evolving needs of industry. By combining cutting-edge computational technologies with essential leadership skills, the institute empowers working professionals and industry partners with the tools to enhance organizational performance and drive product innovation.

IEnE's programs are at the forefront of education, focusing on high-demand areas such as design and technology innovation, engineering management, AI and machine learning, financial technology and blockchain, cybersecurity, climate and sustainability, and game design, development, and innovation. These programs prepare candidates to lead teams in developing solutions to some of the most significant challenges facing the world today.

Occupational Summary

The Integrated Marketing Communications Specialist is responsible for the strategy and maintenance of the Pratt School of Engineering's portfolio of social media channels as well as creating and disseminating high-quality digital marketing content for the Institute for Enterprise Engineering. This includes creating compelling narratives, profiles, announcements, and more for both internal and external channels. We're seeking a proactive, creative individual eager to take initiative and strategize to improve visibility of Duke Engineering and IEnE.

Work Performed

Reporting and communications strategy: Work with the Executive Director of Communications & Marketing, Assistant Directors, the Associate Dean of Master's Programs, and the Director of Master's Admissions & Recruiting to identify objectives, strategies, key messages, and tactics. Develop and maintain productive relationships with stakeholders in each IEnE Professional Master's degree program to ensure alignment and informed communication strategies (15%)

Content creation and multimedia production: Consult frequently with stakeholders to identify opportunities to create high-quality written and multimedia content focused on the unique features of the Duke Engineering's master's student experience. Produce feature articles, student, alumni, and faculty profiles, social media posts and campaigns, and multimedia content. Collaborate with team experts to coordinate the production of photos, audio, and video. (40%)

Website content curation and management: Regularly survey and maintain the accuracy and quality of marketing content on the website(s) supporting Duke Engineering's IEnE Professional Master's Programs. Perform regular site content updates and reviews to ensure all information is current, effectively meets program goals, and serves the needs of site audiences. Work with program directors and the communications and marketing team members to review analytics data to strategize on improving site reach and effectiveness. (15%)

Social media strategy and execution: Work with the Executive Director of Communications & Marketing and the Assistant Director for Digital & Brand Strategy to refine and execute the social media strategy for the Pratt School of Engineering's social channels. Learn and implement Duke and Pratt editorial guidelines, brand standards, and quality expectations in developing compelling social media posts to maximize the impact of created content and drive engagement. (20%)

Editorial calendar and collaboration: Work with the Executive Director of Communications & Marketing and Assistant Directors to develop an annual editorial calendar that aligns content deployment with broader strategic objectives, such as new student recruitment, fundraising initiatives, and brand awareness campaigns. Maintain close, collaborative working relationships with the communications and marketing team within the school to develop a cohesive editorial content calendar for the school. (10%)

Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein. The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Qualifications:

Education/Training

Work requires writing, communications, marketing, and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, communications, media, marketing, English, or a related field.

Experience

Work requires two years of directly related experience in journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field with experience creating and publishing via web content management systems. Work requires communication, analytical, and organizational skills needed to manage and coordinate various communications tasks and deadlines.

Experience working in marketing or communications in consumer product, health care, engineering, or academic environments is preferred. Prior working experience in an academic environment is a plus.

Skills

We're looking for a proactive, creative, and motivated marketing communications professional with:

● Strong writing and editing skills for digital and print.

● Proficiency in AP Style.

● Experience with content management systems (Drupal or WordPress preferred) and social media tools (such as Hey Orca and Canva).

● Ability to produce and edit high-quality multimedia content.

● Experience creating and maintaining website and social media content.

● Experience using and developing actionable insights from tools such as Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity.

● Ability to work collaboratively, manage time and multiple projects, and adhere to deadlines.

● Strategic thinking and willingness to learn new skills and methods.

● Knowledge of the U.S. graduate student application, admission and matriculation process is preferred.

In addition to your application, please include a cover letter, three writing samples and a portfolio of multimedia work (video, photography, infographics, etc.) with the application.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires the ability to perform creative writing and related activities such as conducting interviews and research, and copy editing normally acquired through attainment of a bachelor's degree in Journalism, English or a related discipline.

Experience

Work requires two years of directly related writing experience. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.

To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Nearest Major Market: Durham

Nearest Secondary Market: Raleigh