Communications Officer

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Professional and Managerial Group

Communications Officer

Research Communications, Office of Vice-President (Research)

Temporary full-time from July 2024 to April 30, 2025
Hiring #: 2024-0400

Please read the Application Instructions before applying

The Research Communications unit advances University of Guelph's $186-million research complement through an integrated communications and marketing portfolio. This includes initiatives that promote dialogue, understanding and communication about research opportunities, accomplishments and activity at University of Guelph. To do this, Research Communications collaborates with and supports units in the Office of the Vice-President (Research) as well as other units on U of G campuses. 

Research Communications has an exciting opportunity for a communications professional with strong writing and editing skills to take on a new role in the Office of Research. The Communications Officer will be responsible for a number of internal and external communications activities. Mainly this position will be responsible for tracking funding awards and embargo dates and writing funding announcements at U of G. This involves clear communication in a complex process that involves federal and provincial funding agencies, staff in the Office of Research Services, researchers and other communications units on campus.

This position will also provide internal communications support for the Office of Research including responsibility for reviewing, editing and publishing Research Alerts, the U of G communications technology that keeps faculty, staff and students up to date on news from the Office of Research. 

While this role sits in Research Communications, the incumbent will also provide communications support for other Office of Research units.

This position supports and reports to the Director, Research Communications.

General duties of the position include:

• Maintain a funding calendar to track funding deadlines, awards and announcements.
• Maintain and update as needed, an SOP for writing news releases about funding announcements.
• Communicate and collaborate with funding agencies, Research Services Office, unit and college communicators, government relations, and central communications to ensure timely and accurate information sharing.
• Research and interviews in order to write, edit, obtain approvals for, and publish news releases either through OVPR or central communications.

• Support internal Office of Research communications activities including internal funding programs.
• Review, edit and publish Research Alerts for the U of G research community about regulatory changes, funding opportunities, policies and procedures, news and Office of Research activities to faculty.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with internal stakeholders using a variety of communications methods, including sitting on cross-unit and cross-campus communications committees.

• Support the communications and marketing needs Office of VP Research, Office of Research Services, Research Innovation Office, Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance and Food from Thought including writing/editing and content creation for various vehicles.

Requirements of the position include:

• Undergraduate degree in communications, journalism, or related discipline, with a minimum of three (3) years’ experience.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent and proven high volume writing and editing skills; candidates must have the experience required to write quickly, accurately and compellingly.
• Excellent and proven high volume project management skills; candidates must have the experience required to coordinate and prioritize a large number of concurrent projects.
• Well-developed planning skills for complex and/or less well-defined projects.
• Ability to work well in a fast-paced environment where strict deadlines and project pivots are the norm.
• Ability to work effectively with people at varying levels including upper management, undergraduate students and distinguished academics.
• Experience as a journalist, or research communicator with a focus on content creation.
• Communication skills such as strong interpersonal skills required to solicit support from various internal and external groups for communications and marketing activities; diplomacy and negotiation skills; ability to effectively manage external relationships, specifically funding agencies.
• Strong problem-solving abilities; effective time management skills; event planning experience and relationship building skills.
• Strong knowledge of AODA compliance and CP style.
• Excellent skills with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Creative Suite.
• Understanding of the University’s research infrastructure, policies and procedures would be an asset.

Classification               P03
Professional/Managerial Salary Bands

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 2024 07 10
Closing Date: 2024 07 24