News and Communications Specialist

Publicizes and promotes WMU through news and feature stories.

• Writes and edits news releases, magazine features, news articles and news website postings to publicize and promote the University. Identifies and pitches stories that are aligned with the University's brand position to advance the brand messages in earned media.
• Enters news stories into the content management system and edits news stories produced by other colleges and departments for the content management system.
• Fields requests from news media, provides information and arranges interview opportunities.

Minimum qualifications based upon job documentation and industry best practices. Any current employees not meeting these qualifications will be grandfathered until they move to a different job.

• Bachelor's degree in related field from an accredited institution.

• Three years' relevant experience.
• Knowledge of Associated Press style guidelines.
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks.
• Strong news writing skills and ability to adhere to Associated Press writing style.

• Five years' relevant experience.
• Ability to conceive and manage multimedia storytelling projects, including podcasts and video, from conception to completion.

Office or other indoor work with minimal physical demands such as occasionally lifting or moving materials less than 25 pounds.

Work is generally performed in a well-lit, temperature-controlled indoor environment with occasional exposure to the outdoors or any number of elements.

Revised: 2019-07-18