Community Outreach and Communications Specialist

Overview:
The Community Outreach and Communications Specialist provides leadership for student experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate programs and establishes and nurtures partnerships with community organizations and employers. This position also initiates and maintains relationships with student support groups, working together to support student transitions and successful progress throughout students’ academic careers. As Communications Specialist, the position designs and manages effective strategies for departmental communications using a variety of platforms and tools. This position reports to the Undergraduate Program Manager, but also works closely with the Associate Chairs for Undergraduate Studies and Graduate Studies, and the Events Coordinator and Program Assistant.

**Responsibilities**:
Student experiential learning
- Provides strategic leadership for organizing and monitoring practicum and internship placement opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, working with academic supervisors and key partnership contacts in community organizations and employers. Ensures all policies, procedures and best practices are followed including risk management forms and protocols, evaluation components, and course academic requirements
- Organizes with course instructors the various experiential learning components included in undergraduate and graduate courses such as capstone seminars, invited panels, guest speakers, first-year retreat, field trips, and other opportunities that may arise. Coordinates with the Events Coordinator and Program Assistant for joint event arrangements
- Primary contact for inquiries about experiential learning opportunities including practicums, internships, co-op work terms, EDGE certificate, academic exchange experiences, or other opportunities
- Manages teaching assistant training and supervision for the practicum and internship responsibilities
- Assists with problem-solving to help manage any issues that may arise during a placement or other experiential learning opportunity, involving course instructors or other administrative leaders (Associate Chair, Chair, Associate Dean) as needed
- Participates in RLS department meetings, Undergraduate Studies Committee, and Graduate Studies Committee (as needed), and Faculty of Health Communications Committee. Contributes to strategic planning for student experiential learning across the curriculum and provides summary information as requested. Participates in the creation of policies, procedures, and best practices for experiential learning opportunities

Community outreach
- Identifies, develops, and nurtures partnerships with relevant community organizations and employers for appropriate student experiential learning opportunities through practicums, internships, co-op work terms, classroom learning experiences, or other learning opportunities
- Provides continuity with community partners across courses so organizations are engaged at appropriate levels in reciprocal relationships, tracking student achievement of broad competencies throughout their degree, and linking classroom teaching with relevant experiential learning opportunities and authentic community support partnerships
- Coordinates with Cooperative and Experiential Education to follow up with co-op employer leads
- Maintains database of community partners for experiential learning opportunities at local, national and international levels. Records student placements or other forms of learning opportunities engaged in with each partner. Maintains database of student placement/affiliation agreements approved with each partnership, including monitoring renewal dates
- Identifies opportunities for outreach experiences with high school students. Works with the Executive Committee to determine viable options. Works with the Events Coordinator and Program Assistant to implement viable options

Communications
- Designs and manages effective strategies for departmental communications within Faculty of Health and University of Waterloo policies and best practices across a variety of platforms and tools including social media platforms, mass student communications, newsletters, Learn undergraduate and graduate groups, website updates (undergraduate and graduate current student sections, job board postings, news items), infocaster updates, video creation/editing, and other media as appropriate. Communications may include, but are not limited to, recruitment information, student orientation programs, scholarships and awards, student feedback surveys, volunteer and job opportunities, special events, and departmental announcements. Partners with Faculty of Health undergraduate and graduate recruitment teams to ensure print and web content is accurate and relevant
- Designs and prepares media content as needed for event promotions, news and research stories, and social media campaigns, working with co-op student assistants when available to prov