Communications Specialist - Massey en Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes: comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefit, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more. Learn more about VCU’s benefits here.

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Mission

To improve the lives of all Virginians by delivering cutting-edge cancer care through patient-centered prevention and treatment; high-impact, innovative research; community input and engagement; and education and training of the next generation of researchers and healthcare professionals.

VCU is committed to hiring veterans! VCU will include a veteran’s period(s) of military service in the calculation of their annual leave accrual rate. This may provide veterans with an increased leave accrual!

The university and the region

VCU is a public research university unlike any other, dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients. Inclusion is our heartbeat and it drives us to tackle difficult challenges others can’t or won’t. We’re home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing. Our location in the heart of downtown Richmond, Virginia, means the nonstop energy of our city ignites our innovation and provides unlimited opportunities for our students.

About Virginia Commonwealth University

We are the university for Virginia. We know that the unique backgrounds and life experiences of the VCU community are what drive the university forward. Together, we’re forging a future that is built by us. Here, artists and engineers, doctors and designers come together to reimagine the human experience and tackle the problems of tomorrow.

VCU dates to 1838 with the formation of the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College, whose mission was to educate physicians in central Virginia and which was later renamed Medical College of Virginia. In 1968, Richmond Professional Institute merged with the Medical College of Virginia to become what is now known as Virginia Commonwealth University.

Located in downtown Richmond, the state capital of Virginia, VCU enrolls more than 28,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate programs across its urban campuses: the downtown Monroe Park and MCV campuses in Richmond; the Rice Rivers Center in Charles City, Virginia; satellite locations in Fairfax, Virginia, and Abingdon, Virginia; and a campus in Doha, Qatar, for the School of the Arts.

Ignited by the energy of the city, we’re ready to lead industries — or disrupt them. We seek out the unexpected, the experimental, the never-been-tried. VCU is designated as a research university with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation, garnering more than $500 million in sponsored research from federal and other agencies in FY2024. The National Science Foundation ranked VCU among the top 50 public research universities in the country, and we are one of only 69 public universities nationwide to be designated by the Carnegie Foundation as “Community Engaged” with “Very High Research Activity.”

This research enterprise, and the influence of having one of the nation’s top-ranked public graduate arts schools, ensures students receive unique educational experiences that equip them with a creative mindset that sets them apart.

VCU’s contributions in talent, innovation and entrepreneurialism, regional stewardship and local culture shape the economic impact and overall quality of life in the region. VCU as a whole generates more than $9 billion in economic activity. It is the largest employer in Richmond with more than 26,000 employees at VCU and VCU Health, and it supports approximately 58,000 jobs in Virginia. In addition, Virginia classifies VCU with a Tier III status — the highest possible status for universities and colleges — allowing VCU more flexibility in managing its operations to implement best practices and streamline processes. To learn about VCU’s finances, visit about.finance.vcu.edu.

 VCU’s mission, under the leadership of President Michael Rao, Ph.D., is to serve as one national urban public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of our students, patients, faculty, staff and community through:

•  Real-world learning that furthers civic engagement, inquiry, discovery and innovation.
•  Research that expands the boundaries of new knowledge and creative expression and promotes translational applications to improve the quality of human life.
•  Interdisciplinary collaborations and community partnerships that advance innovation, enhance cultural and economic vitality, and solve society’s most complex challenges.
• Health sciences that preserve and restore health for all people, seek the cause and cure of diseases through groundbreaking research and educate those who serve humanity.

Welcome to VCU. A world unlike any other.

Benefits At a Glance

•  Continuing education and professional development for undergraduate and graduate tuition in addition to mandatory fees (except the transition student fee) for a maximum of six credits per semester;
•  28 University Leave Days, 11+ State Holidays, and 2 Enhanced Community Service Leave Days;
•  Medical, Dental and Vision Health Benefits to meet the needs of employees and their eligible family members from the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as optional FSA; 
•  Participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and other retirement saving options;
•  Parental and Caregiver Leave, Short Term Disability (STD), Disability Insurance, Voluntary Long Term Care Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program;
•  Professional development opportunities encouraged and offered for employees as part of annual career development, e.g. certifications, seminars, courses, annual conferences, mentorship, etc.

The Alliance for Equity in Cancer Care (Alliance) is a national, multi-site initiative increasing access to timely, high-quality cancer care. Funded by a $20M commitment from the Merck Foundation, Alliance program partners – or grantees – work alongside community organizations to better reach populations disproportionately affected by cancer.

Through evidence-informed programs, the Alliance is tackling some of the most pressing challenges cancer patients face, such as language barriers or lack of insurance. Grantees are also developing tools and resources to help cancer facilities deliver care more equitably, particularly in community-based settings.

Position details

The Communications Specialist is an integral member of the National Program Office (NPO) team, led by the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center in collaboration with the VCU Center on Health Advancement. The NPO oversees all grantee activities, adherence to funding guidelines and provides technical assistance and support. This individual is essential in promoting and amplifying programmatic outcomes across various platforms and communication channels.

The Alliance is a 5-year, grant-funded initiative which will conclude in June 2027. This is a fully remote position.

The ideal candidate will possess the following characteristics

• Is a self-starter, capable of working both independently and as part of a team
•  Has a passion for storytelling, leveraging multi-media strategies to reach broad audiences
•  Demonstrates exceptional attention to detail and organizational capabilities, including the ability to proactively track and address action items
•  Is interested in gaining a deep understanding of health care practices and improving access to quality care for underserved populations

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

 The Communications Specialist will be responsible for:

•  Producing compelling content that raises awareness of the Alliance NPO mission and grantees’s work by creating and sharing relevant and engaging content. The ideal candidate will identify new and innovative ways to enhance and expand audiences and outreach to various stakeholders.
•  Managing the Alliance NPO website, which includes creating content, ensuring that the site is engaging and accurate, and representative of the Alliance’s varied bodies of work.
•  Coordinating and creating regular, topical and timely content for a monthly blog; working with grantees, community partners and subject matter experts to author and disseminate blog posts.
•  Coordinating the development and dissemination of regular newsletters for internal and external audiences, including list-serve management.
•  Writing and editing articles for commentary and peer-reviewed publications.
•  Identifying strategies to engage with national media outlets, reporters, and strategic partners.
•  Developing content for social media, events, and other marketing opportunities.
•  Tracking and monitoring communications and outreach metrics to inform content creation; setting benchmarks and goals to track progress and growth.
•  Facilitating communications-related activities among Alliance grantees. This may include development of collaborative publications, blogs, or presentation abstracts for national conferences.
•  Maintaining and upholding Alliance branding and messaging guidelines in all digital and printed materials.
•  Providing communications support to Alliance grantees, as needed.
•  Other duties as assigned by the Alliance NPO leadership.

Minimum Hiring Standards:

•  A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism or relevant field
•  2-5 years of experience working in a similar or related position 

 Proficiency in:

•  Microsoft Office Suite, Canva, and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Acrobat)
•  Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube)
•  Basic HTML and website publishing
•  Mailchimp
•  Experience storyboarding, pitching and creating compelling, and ROI-driven digital content (e.g., social media content, infographics, reels, etc.)
•  Experience executing social media strategy for maximum engagement, particularly for mission-driven non-profits
•  Ability to work effectively and accurately under pressure and to manage and prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines
•  Outstanding written and oral communications skills
•  Ability to work independently; a self-starter with a high level of motivation, creativity, and proactivity

Preferred Experience

•  Scientific writing experience
•  Experience with TerminalFour or other Content Management Systems
•  Photography and video creation and editing skill
•  Project management and/or product management experience

About Richmond, Virginia

As the commonwealth’s capital, Richmond, Virginia, offers a vibrant mix of history, diverse culture and real-world opportunities. Distinct neighborhoods, cozy restaurants and cafes and quaint local markets give the city an intimate feel, but theaters, galleries, music festivals, sports attractions and a steady stream of annual events bring RVA — as locals call the region — to life. Established in 1780, its rich history can be seen in the architecture, the Capitol grounds and the cobblestone streets around the city. With the historic James River and 600 acres of parks bordering it, bike trails, wineries, breweries, a flourishing arts, entertainment and restaurant scene (Food and Wine called Richmond a “culinary powerhouse”) and affordable suburbs, this small city punches well above its weight in terms of attractions and buzz. In fact, Travel + Leisure named Richmond the best place to live in Virginia in 2023 and Southern Living named Richmond one of the 20 best cities to live in the South in 2024.

Richmond’s location in the middle of the state allows for day or weekend trips to the beach, the Blue Ridge Mountains or Virginia’s many wineries. It’s within a two-hour drive of Washington, D.C., and a multitude of excellent institutions of higher education. The Richmond metropolitan area is also home to several Fortune 500 companies, a broad base of financial companies, hospitals and media firms, high-tech manufacturing companies and state and local government agencies. Entrepreneurs and artists put down roots in Richmond, and Thrillist named it one of the best U.S. cities for creatives in 2022.

Beyond Richmond, CNBC has named Virginia as the No. 1 state in the country to do business six times since the study began in 2007. It has accomplished this by bringing in billions in capital investment and thousands of new jobs; investing in education; expanding access to quality health care for all; making sure everyone has access to opportunity; and more. Business Facilities magazine named Virginia the 2024 State of the Year. Suffice to say, Virginia is full of growth and opportunity, making it the perfect location for a university determined to erase barriers and provide students with robust learning experiences that will make them unstoppable.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer

Massey Cancer Center
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