Communications Specialist - Tennessee Reading Research Center - UTK

This position will serve as the communications specialist for the Tennessee Reading Research Center housed in the College of Education, Health, & Human Sciences (CEHHS) at UTK. This position will manage long-term projects that require an evaluation, originality, and ingenuity approach to content creation, news/media releases, web content, research summaries, campaigns, and webpage creation. This position will supervise student workers and will be responsible for the performance management of those who create document layouts, design webpages and keep them maintained, and provide graphic design work. Additionally, this position will use their professional judgment to ensure that messaging and content are on brand with center, college, and university standards and expectations, keeping a cohesive and consistent writing style and appropriateness for the specific audience. This position will have knowledge of existing university systems, policies, and processes in order to evaluate and implement solutions. In addition, this position is responsible for ensuring compliance in regard to college and university brand standards and has the authority, in consultation with the director, to either approve, advise, and/or reject department-created content in relation to the UT brand, image, and/or policies. This is a 100% grant/soft funded position.

The Communications Specialist develops and manages the Tennessee Reading Research Center’s communications plan and produces original content across web, print, video, and digital platforms by determining the appropriate style, audience, and purpose for each product. The position manages long-term communications projects that require evaluation, originality, and creative problem-solving, including research summaries, news and media releases, web content, blog posts, social media campaigns, event coverage, brochure text, white papers, and development and maintenance of the Center’s website. Responsibilities also include reviewing written products generated by Center staff for accuracy, clarity, adherence to APA 7th edition style, and alignment with the Center’s mission, university brand guidelines, and funder requirements, as well as planning and coordinating graphic design and production for print and digital publications. The Communications Specialist works independently, manages multiple projects simultaneously, and supervises student employees, collaborating with the Director on policies and procedures and ensuring deliverables are completed on time and meet quality standards. 

• Develops and manages a communications plan for the center.
• Creates and produce original content after first determining the style most appropriate for the medium, (web, print, video, and digital), audience, and purpose (e.g., communicating with stakeholders, disseminating research findings, informing educators, marketing, recruiting research participants, reporting center information, etc.).
• Works independently, and manages a small team of students, on a project-by-project basis to fulfill internal/external goals, timelines, and guidelines of the center.
• Manages long-term projects that require an evaluation, originality, and ingenuity approaches to content creation, news/media releases, web content, research summaries, blog posts, social media posts/campaigns, event coverage, brochure text, and appropriate white papers.
• Develops and maintains a website for the center.
• Reviews all written products (e.g., research reports, executive summaries, white papers, letters, proposals, reference lists, curricular materials, presentation slides) generated by center staff to ensure alignment with the center mission and vision.
• Checks documents for accuracy and adherence to APA 7th edition style.
• Makes recommendations for improving the writing quality, readability, and/or alignment to product guidelines.
• Coordinates with the college's Creative Content Manager (and external agencies  when appropriate) on the approval of creative content developed.
• Follows the university and funding agency approval processes for outward-facing documents in print, digital, and video form.
• Plans and coordinates graphic design and production details for center print and digital publications.
• Supplies design ideas and layouts; fits copy; suggests illustrations, photography, animations, video, or other media and imagery to support the design idea.
• Consults with center personnel to assess the needs for the product, ensuring design specifications meet specific budget restrictions, deadlines, and funder requirements.
• When needed, prepares specifications for quotes from vendors relevant to each production job.
• Prepares computer layout of the project and executes production of same.
• Prepares images for digital usage, including digital manipulation of images or creation of digital animati