Communications, Events, & External Relations Manager

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Career Placement, Events & External Relations of the Electrical Engineering Department, the Communications, Events & External Relations Manager promotes the department's work and increases its visibility through writing faculty & student profile pieces, press releases, industry stories, newsletters and marketing brochures. The incumbent manages external communications and social media platforms, distributes departmental communications and liaises with communications partners within the university as well as externally with academia, industry, government, media, and other entities. The manager is also responsible for managing, updating and creating new content for the department's website.

The manager organizes and manages the marketing and execution of all events for the department's portfolio of programs. This includes the design, planning, scheduling, execution, publicity, and evaluation of events ranging in purpose, size, and scope. The portfolio currently includes colloquia, seminars, panels, guest speakers, workshops, faculty meetings and retreats, recruiting visits, career and other student events.

Responsibilities

(50%) Promote and increase the visibility of the department through writing faculty & profile pieces, press releases, industry stories and other publications. Develop and design brochures to build awareness of the department's brand. Write, design, and create the newsletter that is distributed internally and externally each semester. Manage external communications & social media platforms and coordinate the dissemination of information to the Electrical Engineering Department's network of contacts to increase its visibility and to promote its research and academic accomplishments. Manage departmental communications and messaging to students and prospective students to promote programs, research activity, and news within and outside the department. Manage the department's website including all updates and craft stories through interviews with faculty and students in regards to their research. Create social media posts, serve as a point of contact, and actively respond to followers. Partner with communications colleagues throughout Columbia. Update directories, rosters, and mailing lists for communication purposes.

(30%) Organize and manage the marketing and execution of events in the portfolio of existing and new programs and activities for the Electrical Engineering Department. Plan, budget for, orchestrate and manage colloquia, seminars, guest speakers, special events, panels, site visits, workshops, graduation, career and other student events. This includes all related marketing (written & electronic), travel arrangements, catering, restaurant reservations, and coordination of reimbursements. Compare venues, caterers, and vendors to keep costs down without compromising on services.

(10%) Function as a primary point of contact and liaison for the Department with visitors, guests, and partners in academia, industry, government, the media, and other entities.

(10%) Manage special projects, as assigned, and perform other tasks, duties, or responsibilities, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree and / or its equivalent required.

Minimum of two to four years related experience.

A breadth of communications and marketing expertise, including knowledge of media and public relations, digital marketing, social media, print publication and event management.

Previous experience in event planning, working in a communications-focused role and writing press releases, newsletters, profile stories.

Strong organizational, project management, communications, and interpersonal skills required.

Must be able to work independently and exercise good judgment and discretion, and to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent tasks.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Self-motivated attitude with the ability to work well independently.

Proficient in Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.) including cloud-based platforms like Google Drive.

Knowledge and experience with Drupal, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite (specifically Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator).

Proficient with social media.

Application Requirements : Resume, Cover Letter, 1-2-page Writing Sample from past work relevant to this position (e.g. blog post, press release, article or other contribution).

This position is primarily in person (4 days a week) and may require working occasionally on evenings / weekends as needed for events.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, journalism, English, digital media or a related field.

Understanding of the higher education landscape and familiarity with the field of education.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.