Specialist, Instructional Communications

Austin Community College is a public two-year institution that serves a diverse population of approximately 41,000 credit students each Fall and Spring semester. We embrace our identity as a community college as reflected in our mission statement. We promote student success and community development by providing affordable access, through traditional and distance learning modes, to higher education and workforce training, including appropriate applied baccalaureate degrees, in our service area.

As a community college committed to our mission, we seek to recruit and retain a workforce that:

• Reflects the diversity of our community
• Values intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Is attracted by the college mission to promote equitable access to educational opportunities
• Cares about student success and collaborates on strategies to facilitate success for under-represented populations
• Welcomes difference and models respectful interaction with others
• Engages with the community both within and outside of ACC

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

ACC is committed to the ongoing systemic changes needed to ensure the increased recruitment, inclusion, retention, and completion of historically underserved and under represented populations. Through continual strategic community engagement and professional development of administrators, faculty, staff, and students, the college demonstrates its dedication to fostering a culture and climate for equitable outcomes.

As an open access and low-cost institution, ACC is proud to serve a diverse student body. Dedicated faculty members are excellent professors who help students achieve their educational goals and are sensitive to the diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds of our students. In 2017 our faculty adopted a Statement of ACC Faculty Values. This Statement affirms that ACC's faculty members value collaboration, service, agency, scholarship, inclusion, and teaching, all of which attest to our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our mission.

Job Posting Title:

Specialist, Instructional Communications

Job Description Summary:

To help develop, implement, and manage faculty communications channels to promote engagement in
an effort to increase student success. This position serves as the lead writer and copy editor for
Instruction to foster effective, consistent, and timely internal communications relevant to ACC faculty
and the Instructional Division in support of the college's mission to reach and engage with its
culturally diverse employees.

Job Description:

Description of Duties and Tasks

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Develops, writes, and distributes a range of internal communications to increase awareness of instructional initiatives among faculty.
• Plans, writes, and manages faculty communications channels, including weekly email newsletter, communication archive, executive reports, and blog.
• Reviews and edits final drafts of instructional publications. Ensures writing is easy to read and fits the publication's editorial style. Ensures that articles are written in accordance with college style guide and other guides that dictate writing standards, such as tense, voice, or spelling of certain words.
• Assists with editing and updating major instructional publications such as TLED website, ACC Catalog, Faculty Handbook, and Student Success reports.
• Assists instructional leadership with developing, writing, and editing annual reports, presentations, and high-priority publications.
• Contacts writers' sources and conducts online research as needed.
• Uses data and feedback from the audience to help evaluate and enhance the value of instructional publications and websites.

Knowledge

Must possess required knowledge and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of strategic communication principles and current best practices.
  
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of corporate communication practice including planning and execution.
  
  
• Thorough knowledge of technical writing and editing for print and web.
  
  
• Advanced knowledge of editorial style guides and plain language principles.
  
  
• Familiarity with online communications and client tools including web content management systems, broadcast email marketing tools, and social networking.
  
  
• Expertise in use of English grammar, punctuation, and syntax.
  
  
• The ability to present the college in a positive way to diverse, multicultural communities.
  
  

Skills

Must possess required skills and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Maintaining an established work schedule, including some evenings and weekends.
  
  
• Exceptional writing and editing skills.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex information.
  
  
• Exceptional organizational skills, including consistent, exacting attention to detail and consistent follow-through.
  
  
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, including tact and diplomacy.
  
  
• Works independently but seeks direction or clarification as needed.
  
  
• Maintaining confidentiality of work-related information and materials.
  
  
• Ability to compile and create reports.
  
  

Technology Skills

• Use a variety of spreadsheet, word processing, database, and presentation software.
  
  
• Use of WordPress or similar web content management systems.
  
  
• Use of ConstantContact or similar email marketing/contact database systems.
  
  

Required Work Experience

• Two years related work experience.
  
  

Preferred Work Experience

• Work experience as an editor.
  
  
• Work experience with email marketing.
  
  

Required Education

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
  
  

Preferred Education

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Journalism, English, Marketing or related field.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed in a standard office or similar environment.
  
  
• Subject to standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling.
  
  
• Occasional lifting of objects up to 10 pounds.
  
  

Safety

• Work safely and follow safety rules. Report unsafe working conditions and behavior. Take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent others from engaging in unsafe practices.
  
  

Salary Range

$33,982 - $48,545

Reports to Manager, Instructional Communications

Number of Openings:

1

Job Posting Close Date:

February 25, 2022

ACC Benefits Overview

Full-time faculty and staffing table employees who work in full-time and/or part-time positions at the college are eligible for ACC medical benefits effective the first of the month after their first 60 days of employment. Benefits include medical, dental, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, retirement plans and AD&D.

ACC does not participate in Social Security. ACC participates in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and the Optional Retirement Program (ORP-Faculty and Administrators Only). Part-time and Hourly employees participate in the ACC Money Purchase Plan (ACCMPP) as a retirement program required by federal law.

EEO Statement

The Austin Community College District is an Equal Opportunity Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, political affiliation or other protected categories.

Clery Act

As required by the US Department of Education, employees are required to report violations under the Title IX and, under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), select individuals are required to report crimes. If this position is identified as a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified, trained, and provided resources for reporting.

Disclaimer

The above description is an overview of the job. It is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Duties and responsibilities may change with business needs. ACC reserves the right to add, change, amend, or delete portions of this job description at any time, with or without notice. Employees may be required to perform other duties as requested, directed, or assigned. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made by ACC as its discretion to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

If you are a current Austin Community College employee, please click this link to apply through your Workday account .