Senior Communication Officer (post level 9) (Job ID: 5559) - (1261) at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

Functional Communication:

• Coordinate internal communication activities on the Qwaqwa Campus.
• Coordinate and arrange photo and video opportunities for news purposes.
• Assist with the distribution of institutional messages to staff and students on the Qwaqwa Campus.
• Provide general guidance to stakeholders regarding internal/external communication.
• Serve on the university’s Reputation Management Forum (RFM) and provide input related to the marketing and communication function on the campus.
• Serve on Crisis Communication Team of the Department of Communication and Marketing (DCM) and coordinate crisis communication on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Content Curation for Communication Platforms:

• Participate in the content Hub of the Department of Communication and Marketing and curate content for the communication platforms according to the assigned portfolio.
• Ensure that content is presented timeously and in a multimedia format to optimise its use on the various communication platforms.

Platform Management:

• Coordinate content on the Qwaqwa Campus pages of the UFS website.
• Coordinate the compilation and distribution of the Ke Eo Taba! Staff newsletter, including writing and editing content.
• Manage diverse communication platforms, e.g., Emails and electronic media to communicate with staff and students.
• Ensure that communication platforms function properly and that feedback mechanisms are provided.
• Measure the success of internal communication at the Qwaqwa Campus and report on finding to the Manager: Internal Communication.

Project Management:

• Coordinate the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s internal stakeholder engagement programme on the Qwaqwa Campus.
• Provide assistance at public events presented on the campus, e.g., open days and graduation ceremonies.
• Build relationships with community leaders (including inviting community leaders to events on the campus).
• Serve as a member of various committees, such as Graduations, Open Day, First-year’s Official Welcoming, and events Management, to source relevant information for the purposes of content creation.

Stakeholder Management:

• Build positive relationships with stakeholders.
• Work closely with the senior leadership of the campus to ensure that news and announcements are communicated to staff.
• Work with colleagues across units to contribute to departmental projects.

Campaigns:

• Collaborate with staff in the Department of Communication and Marketing on the conceptualisation of institutional awareness campaigns.
• Oversee the coordination and roll-out of campaigns on identified platforms on the Qwaqwa Campus.
• Support ad-hoc institutional events arranged by the Department of Communication and Marketing.

Resource Management:

• Coordinate the costs of Qwaqwa Campus integrated marketing and communication projects against the approved budget and in line with organizational policies and guidelines for the Unit for Internal Communication.

Reporting and Benchmarking:

• Monitor engagement on staff and student communication platforms. Analyse and track engagement and feedback, provide regular reports on findings to the Manager: Internal Communication.
• Ensure that research trends in internal communication remain current on relevant topics and report on findings to the Manager: Internal Communication.

Inherent Job requirements:

• A Bachelor's degree or an Advanced Diploma/ B. Tech degree/ Postgraduate Certificate on NQF level 7or a 3-year National Diploma on NQF level 6/ in Communication/ Journalism/Media Studies.
• A minimum of two (2) years’ relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities.

Recommendations:

• Valid Driver’s Licence.
• Knowledge of journalism and corporate communication.
• Demonstrable knowledge of internal communication reporting using analytical data.
• Demonstrable knowledge of communication planning.
• Work experience in the higher education environment.
• Demonstrable proficiency and experience in writing relevant content for digital and print channels/publications, including design processes (print and electronic).
• Experience in coordinating internal communication platforms in a higher education environment.
• Experience of project management.
• Basic photography skills.