Communications Lead

**About Olds College of Agriculture & Technology**

Founded in 1913, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology has been offering high quality hands-on education for over a century. Through our core programming including continuing education, online and blended programming, we provide accessible educational opportunities within Alberta and beyond. We are passionate about the Agriculture industry. Through our applied research and integrated learning, we are proud to be Canada’s Smart Agriculture College, specializing in agriculture, agrifood, horticulture, land and environmental stewardship. We work closely with industry to advance and adapt our programming to ensure our graduates have the skills to succeed.

**Purpose of Position**:
Reporting to the Director of the Teaching and Learning Centre of Innovation (TLCI), the Communications Lead - Academic will create, execute, and evaluate strategic communications and marketing plans that support the academic division of the College.

This position will work closely with the School of Life Science & Business, School of Trades & Skills, Werklund School of Agriculture Technology, Industry Training & Continuing Education and Dual Credit programming to support the Olds College brand and social purpose of transforming agriculture for a better world. These areas are responsible for developing and delivering quality academic programming to ensure a high level of educational excellence that positions Olds College as a top post-secondary institution in Canada.

The Communications Lead - Academic will collaborate and coordinate with other Communications Leads and the External Relations department to meet the overall needs of the college. This position works with the External Relations department to share the Olds College story across multiple platforms, including the Olds College website, social media, intranet, external publications, newsletters and magazines. This position will be responsible for annual communications planning for the academic division as well as for turning plans into reality.

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This position is covered by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) Collective Agreement Job Classification: Business Analyst_**

**Key Job Functions**:
Develop and manage deep, collaborative relationships with internal clients, becoming fully integrated into their teams, to understand their needs, provide strategic guidance, and ensure seamless communication and support- Working collaboratively with the Deans and Associate Deans, oversee the overall development and implementation of the strategic communications and marketing plans for the the Schools, Dual Credit programming and for the department of Industry Training & Continuing Education- Working with Deans, Associate Deans and other members of the academic teams, manage the annual review of academic program information, funneling new information from faculty, through school leadership and to the MarComms Operations team- Champion and exercise collaboration with the Schools, Dual Credit programming and the department of Industry Training & Continuing Education to facilitate and maximize effective content sharing, engagement and best practices- Work with academic teams to translate technical content into easily understood material suitable for sharing with a general audience- Identify and develop content about academic projects and student initiatives- Write magazine articles, web stories and social media content that support the Olds College brand and highlight our top-quality educational experiences- Develop relationships with media to pitch stories, write media releases and prepare faculty and other members of academic teams for media interviews- Support events hosted by the Schools, Dual Credit programming and Industry Training & Continuing Education- Arrange and manage photo and video shoots, as required.- Provide recommendations to the Director, TLCI regarding departmental expenditures that support the needs of the Schools and the department of Industry Training & Continuing Education.- While there is no management or supervisory responsibility for this role, the incumbent should be able and willing to advise and mentor junior staff and interns, as needed.

**Education/Experience/Skills/Knowledge Required**:
- A degree in Communications, Marketing or a related program. (Equivalent experience may be considered)- A minimum of five years related work experience; marketing and communication in post-secondary is an asset- Demonstrated success in creating and executing communications plans and initiatives from start to finish.- Demonstrated success in managing strong, positive relationships with client groups- Must be able to translate very technical information into easy to understand content.- Detail-oriented with strong project management skills.- Extremely strong written, verbal and critical thinking skills- Knowledge of CP style and the conventions of English grammar- Ability to work in a team environment or i