Senior Writer

What you will do:

• Works collaboratively with the communications team to produce and coordinate a variety of electronic and printed communication vehicles targeted to internal (current students, faculty, staff and alumni) and external audiences.
• Reports on campus news, which ranges from music/public events to academic issues and highlights to student campus life.
• Contributes to all GCU communication as needed for GCU News and GCU Magazine.
• Serves as a resource to internal university clients by assisting them in planning, editing and writing marketing- and nonmarketing-related, internally focused communications messages.
• Assists with internal communications and public relations efforts with outside media.
• Ensures that internal communications reflect the voice, tone and culture of GCU and helps apply related internal communications standards and policies.
• Develops a production schedule and meets with internal clients on a regular basis to ensure that all project deadlines are on schedule. 
• Assists with maintenance of the GCU News website, which involves publishing stories, slideshows and videos and may involve taking and posting photos.
• Participates in meetings regularly with internal clients to understand their challenges and requirements. Responsible for proposing and supporting effective communications strategies for targeting specific audiences using the appropriate tone, vehicle and frequency.
• Researches internal communications projects and events being conducted at competitive institutions and offers ideas and suggestions to assist the team in remaining current and responsive to the changing communications landscape.
• May assist with project scheduling and coordination for the department.
• May assist with budget tracking and reconciliation.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Exceptional writing skills for both internal messaging and content publishing.
• Strong writing, editing and copywriting skills to AP Style.
• Ability to convey complex subject matter in an understandable and interesting style.
• Ability to distill information to key message points.
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with all internal stakeholders to craft meaningful, understandable communications based on audience needs.
• Ability to confidently converse with associates at all levels of the organization through a variety of channels.
• Ability to think and communicate clearly — formulate a clear point of view on complicated issues and create a concise and well-written narrative to express it.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity; have a bias for action and form a cohesive and effective outcome from potentially incongruous facts (or lack thereof) and individual perspectives.
• Strong project management skills, including establishing performance metrics and milestones; planning, organizing and facilitating meetings; and working within established deadlines.
• Must be highly detailed-oriented and a self-starter, with the ability to check facts and figures for accuracy as well as manage the timeliness of approvals.
• Computer proficiency utilizing routine office software such as MS Office Suite, email, internet, Photoshop, blog software, etc., and a familiarity with social media platforms.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends or holidays when necessary.
• Must pass a pre-employment background investigation.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, preferably in journalism, communications, marketing or English.
• Minimum of 5 years’ related work experience in public relations or public/external affairs.
• Proven record (portfolio) of writing for a variety of audiences and taking complex concepts and key messages and simplifying them into easy-to-read stories.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends or holidays when necessary
• If supporting Athletics, may require ability to travel overnight during weeknights and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Photoshop.
• Experience working with WordPress Block Editor and Salesforce Marketing.
• Experience in working with still cameras and with video teams.
• Experience in formatting and distributing electronic publications and/or developing web content.
• Strong editing experience a plus.

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