Communications Specialist

Bemidji State University (BSU) invites qualified applicants to join our team as the Communications Specialist for the Minnesota State Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, housed at Bemidji State University. BSU’s vision is to educate people to lead inspired lives. To accomplish BSU’s vision, the University prioritizes creating a culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated.  Centered between the three largest Tribal nations in Minnesota – Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth – BSU also prioritizes increasing engagement with American Indian communities to become a destination university.

Enrolling more than 5,000 students, BSU offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. BSU’s Shared Fundamental Values include civic engagement and leadership, international and multicultural understanding, belief in the power of the liberal arts, and environmental stewardship. BSU is located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota and occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji.  BSU balances rigorous academia with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust, outdoor culture.  The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation.

The Minnesota State Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence is an innovative, collaborative effort between education and industry to recruit, educate, and train workers for dynamic careers in advanced manufacturing.  We are one of eight Centers of Excellence throughout the Minnesota State College and University System that was developed to serve the needs of industry through education and outreach. The Center works closely with Minnesota technical and community colleges to develop resources that are effective and deliver education that meets the needs of the industry. We listen to manufacturers throughout the state to understand their current needs and recruit their next skilled worker. We do this through enhancing education, outreach, development of resources, and working to develop ongoing solutions to support manufacturing education contributing to industry needs.  We offer education, resources, and solutions for educators, students, and parents for inspiring and educating students to choose an exciting career in the manufacturing industry.

Our Purpose is to Engage Industry, Enhance Education, Inspire Students by: 

• Inspiring young people to prepare for and seek careers in Advanced Manufacturing.
• Improving the public’s image of manufacturing.
• Influencing schools, parents, and guidance counselors to embrace manufacturing careers.
• Involving Minnesota Manufacturers in a leadership role.

The Communications Specialist is responsible for external communication for the Minnesota State Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence. Primary responsibility includes Center communications, branding for the Center and its programs, management of website and associated pages, production of print materials, management of social media platforms, and generation of e-newsletters and press releases. This position leads promotional strategies for Center resources, coordinates youth outreach distribution activities, stays abreast of youth outreach events, and distributes manufacturing career information. The Communications Specialist provides work direction to student workers. This position interacts and helps maintain relationships with BSU, marketing and communications offices of colleges and universities across Minnesota, Minnesota State centers of excellence communications personnel, state and national manufacturing associations, and the manufacturing industry. This position supports all Center programs, including the Minnesota Manufactured Technical Education Conference, Minnesota Manufactured Statewide Tour of Manufacturing, Minnesota Manufactured Youth Outreach Funding Program, as well as all Center events and outreach activities.

Responsibilities of the Communications Specialist include:

• Communications and distribution (50%)
  • Writing professional content for external communications, including press releases, newsletters, annual reports, social media platforms, and video platforms.
  • Ensuring all Center activities, publications, and programs, and stakeholder events/communications are communicated and promoted according to established deadlines.
  • Communicating programs and initiatives of the Center to multiple audiences through meetings, presentations, conferences, exhibits, and other events.
  • Developing and managing Center communications strategies for purposes of promoting the Center, manufacturing education programs, and the manufacturing industry.
  • Contributing to the development of Center marketing and communications plan.
  • Executing marketing and communications campaigns for Center projects and events Developing strategies and identify opportunities to promote and distribute Center resources, programs, and activities to local, statewide, and national audiences.
  • Managing the Center’s external image and communication to ensure the Center brand and programmatic identity is promoted in all digital/print materials, internal/external communications, at meetings, and at career events, including logo and template management.
  • Staying up-to-date on the latest news in manufacturing, manufacturing career and education related information, including manufacturing events statewide.  
  • Providing work direction to student workers and interns for design and communications projects, to ensure all deadlines are adhered to, resulting in relevant, timely, and up-to-date communications.
  • Measuring effectiveness of communications and marketing strategies and make recommendations for improvement.
• Support Center programs (20%)
  • Support programs/activities/initiatives aligned with Center strategic priorities – Engaging Industry | Enhancing Education | Inspiring Students
  • Support pipeline development efforts for purposes of promoting advanced manufacturing careers.
  • Support resource development and projects for all Center programs and initiatives.
  • Perform appropriate state and federal archiving of Center documentation and materials (e.g., hard copy, electronic files).
  • Additional special projects as assigned.
• Travel and meetings (20%)
  • Attend Center-related meetings as directed.
  • Attend manufacturing association meetings as directed.
  • Attend regional, statewide, and national conferences and events.
  • Other travel as assigned.

• Website and Social Media Management (10%)
  • Ensure all communications methods (e.g., websites, social media marketing, advertising) are effective and in-line with latest communications trends and best practices.
  • Ensure Center website (mnmfg.org) and associated pages are functional and populated with relevant/current information.
  • Generate and publish content for the Center’s multiple social media platforms (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).
  • Ensure the Center is present on effective social media platforms and in other media spaces.
  • Review and report website, social media platform, other communications statistics.

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, graphic design, mass communications, digital media management, website design/management, business management, public relations, or related field.
• Three (3) years of work experience in communications (e.g. press releases, social media management and branding) and/or project management.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Master’s degree or evidence of pursuit of Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Advanced knowledge of WordPress, Adobe InDesign, and/or Adobe Illustrator.
• Experience developing and executing marketing and communications plans.
• Demonstrated success in developing, executing, and coordinating communication strategies, plans, and projects.
• Demonstrated understanding of the advanced manufacturing industry including workforce needs.
• Demonstrated understanding of the status of technical and engineering education in the K-12 system.
• Exhibit strong understanding of branding, and be able to develop, manage, and effectively communicate brand guidelines and usages.
• Experience in developing written communication pieces from concept, content generation, graphic design, to printing Experience utilizing technology to create efficiencies in a process or service.
• Evidence of ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Exhibit flexibility, adaptability, and a desire to develop professionally.
• A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

Apply online:             https://bemidjistate.peopleadmin.com/

Inquiries:

Jeremy Leffelman

Executive Director, Minnesota State Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence

jeremy.leffelman@BemidjiState.edu

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application or bid, contact Melanie Pakonen at Melanie.Pakonen@BemidjiState.edu

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

Bemidji State University is nestled among the pines along the shores of Lake Bemidji, just blocks from a thriving downtown community. In this Northwoods setting, students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities at their fingertips. Possessing all the charm and character of a college town, Bemidji remains a tight-knit community of good neighbors and engaged citizens who always come out to cheer for the Beavers. While the city of Bemidji — named after the Ojibwe Chief Shaynowishkung (nicknamed Bemidji) — is home to a diverse population of more than 15,000 people, it serves a regional population of more than 100,000.

Though quaint and historic, the city offers the urban conveniences upon which college students rely. Bemidji State is conveniently located minutes away from affordable restaurants, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores, city parks and more. Small, locally owned shops and art sculptures line the streets of downtown Bemidji, while national chains can be found in and around the Bemidji area, including an uptown selection of department stores and restaurants. students at Bemidji State University have the opportunity to experience a dynamic local culture and history. Bemidji also sits at the center of the legends of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The famous statues of Paul and Babe greet students as they drive in from the south along Lake Bemidji.

The thriving downtown community presents ample opportunities for engagement off-campus. Among other things, there are fine-dining restaurants, cafes, and a natural foods co-op in downtown Bemidji. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows; restaurants and lounges offer weekly live music performances; the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits; and annual events such as the Loop the Lake Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Blue Ox Marathon, Bemidji Winterfest, and The Minnesota Finlandia bring the community together.

For those who love the outdoors, there are wooded, multi-use trail systems within minutes of campus and community parks with walking trails, playgrounds and a skate park. Lake Bemidji State Park and its miles of navigable trails is located directly across the lake from BSU, and the Buena Vista Ski Area — just 12 miles north of campus — offers downhill skiing and BSU-sponsored student transportation in the winter months. Further, the Mississippi River Headwaters is a mere 45 minutes from Bemidji.

For further information About BSU visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu

Review a "special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise" at Bemidji 2.0

Other Resources:

• Visit Bemidji – https://www.visitbemidji.com/ 218 Relocate / Greater Bemidji – https://www.218relocate.com/ Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce – https://www.bemidji.org/  Explore Minnesota – https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/top-things-to-do-bemidji