Manager, Web and Communications

This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.

The Web and Communications Manager is responsible for strategic planning and development of UBC Okanagan s main campus website and campus-wide communications for the UBCO community. Combined, these activities enhance the image and reputation of the University and reflect the mandate and strategic goals of the institution. The position serves as a key communications advisor for faculty communicators, administrative executives and other constituents. The primary purpose of this position is to establish and support strategic priorities for campus-wide web and internal communications.

The Web and Communications Manager is responsible for integrated strategic planning and delivery of campus-wide website initiatives. The position is also responsible for internal communications for the UBCO campus community.

The manager leads communications that can create opportunities for audiences to customize how and when they access information; oversees an annual communications planning cycle that would result in an integrated communications plan (including project budgets and deliverables); works effectively with units to create several high-impact annual communications campaigns; collaborates with strategic partners to coordinate communications campaigns; leverages emerging digital communications; executes market research to evaluate audience satisfaction and preferences regarding communications; and oversees and evaluates the operations of the web and communications team to ensure that it supports strategic communications goals.

This position requires the ability to create communications strategies, build partnerships, and establish best practices to support web strategy and internal communications on campus.

Organizational Status

This position reports directly to the Director Communications and Marketing, University Relations. As part of the University Relations team, the Manager works collaboratively with communications departments in the faculties, IT Services, Internal Communications, and Brand and Marketing. The incumbent also interacts with external organizations including suppliers and service providers.

Work Performed

Strategic Communications Planning, Assessment and Evaluation
- Leads the development, implementation and integration of comprehensive communication strategic plans for UBCO s campus-wide website presence.
- Leads the strategic planning and development of internal communications that support the campus vision and campus-wide communications goals and objectives.
- Develops and implements long-range strategic communications planning for campus-wide communications.
- Provides expert advice on strategic positioning, emerging trends and opportunities, and communication planning to faculty communicators and administrative leaders.
- Develops annual internal and web communications budget, reviews quarterly variance reports, and projects year-end position.
- Conducts research to understand internal and external audience satisfaction and preferences regarding communications.
- Contributes communication expertise in the development of operational goals within administrative portfolios.
- Leverages the impact of key operational goals and annual work plans through strong communications strategy.
- Develops targets, indicators, tools and reports to evaluate the success of strategic communications and support continuous improvement.
- Evaluates planning cycle to ensure effectiveness and make changes where required.
- Provides consultation on best practice to faculty communicators and administrative units.
- Develops campus-specific communication policies and procedures.
- Stays current with communications and marketing trends and makes relevant recommendations.

Communications Management
- Leads campus-wide internal and website strategic communications projects: manages projects and coordinates workflow of content providers, editors, designers, and external service providers to ensure needs of client units are met.
- Manages delivery of campus-wide internal communications services consistent with plans, budgets and timelines, evaluates client objectives and provides recommendations regarding deliverables, strategies, and desired outcomes.
- Implements a comprehensive editorial policy for ok.ubc.ca consistent with strategic communications goals.
- Optimizes internal communications by creating opportunities for faculty and staff to utilize preferred channels.
- Translates internal communications into high-impact, integrated campaigns that build awareness of ongoing faculty and staff messages.
- Identifies cross-promotional opportunities across units and other UBC departments to reduce volume and redundancy of messages to faculty and staff.
- Creates effective, brand-compliant advertising and promotional campaigns for specific programs and special events.
- Utilizes traditional and new media channels to drive audiences to customized content and preferred channels to access relevant information.
- As part of the University Relations team, collaborates with other communicators, including Brand and Marketing, Internal Communications and faculty communicators to build alliances and ensure communication methods are complementary and provide a seamless experience for audiences.
- Implements focus groups, surveys, and other methods of market assessment.

Digital Communications and Marketing
- Develops and executes ok.ubc.ca editorial policy designed to effectively engage strategic audiences.
- Manages the content, maintenance, and governance of the ok.ubc.ca website.
- Supports and contributes to the development of campus-wide content and digital and social media strategies.
- Works with IT Services to co-facilitate a campus-wide stakeholder group engaged in the development and execution of a campus-wide website strategy including website governance.
- Provides guidance and expert advice to faculties, administrative leaders and others to help shape UBCO s web ecosystem, including advice with user-centric design, site architecture, and implementation of UBC brand identity elements.
- Leads the adoption of new technologies to support campus-wide communication objectives.
- Maintains brand and quality standards for campus-wide websites and content management system themes.

Administrative/Data Management
- Develops operating plans, targets and measures for functional area and leads the day-to-day delivery of its programs, services and activities.
- Establishes and administers functional area budgets, ensuring for cost efficiencies.
- Negotiates for, sources and obtains financial, physical, or human resources to support long-term projects and programs.
- Develops and ensures policies, systems, procedures, and standards are created and followed which foster operational efficiency, mitigate risks, and achieve functional area results.
- Develops and manages reporting staff members, including recruitment, training, coaching, performance management and all other people practices.
- Reviews feedback on staff and conducts regular meetings and performance meetings with direct reports within the functional area.
- Participates on University committees, as appropriate.
- Performs other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position must exercise tact and diplomacy. This position must lead strategic marketing planning processes and effectively deliver on those plans. Public perception of UBC and the Okanagan campus is tied to the success and efficacy of communications initiatives managed by this position. The consequence of errors in judgement can have very serious impact on the public image and reputation of UBC s Okanagan campus on a provincial, national and international level. Recruitment goals and financial viability may be adversely affected by reduced visibility and reputation if marketing and communication are not managed effectively.

Supervision Received

Works independently within defined guidelines and objectives. This position reports to the Director, Communications and Marketing.

Supervision Given

Directly manages a team of communications strategists and specialists. Allocates work, reviews performance, trains, coaches, and resolves human resource problems. Establishes and manages the relationship with UBCO IT Services. Manages consultants and external communications service providers.

Minimum Qualifications

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.

Marketing, communications, or public relations preferred. Advanced degree is preferred, although equivalent training and experience in a relevant field may be considered.

Minimum of six years experience or communications services or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience initiating, managing, and evaluating complex projects (including digital communications projects) with multiple stakeholders and interests.
- Experience developing and implementing content strategies for a variety of audiences. Experience setting project resources and priorities.
- Strong negotiation skills and the ability to build and manage partnerships and work collaboratively with people at all levels of the University community and with internal and external suppliers. Knowledge of the communities served by UBCO and their goals, needs, and concerns related to the institution.
- Expertise in new media, digital channels, emerging communication trends and products.
- Knowledge of Adobe Acrobat, PhotoShop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver; WordPress CMS, Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook, Word, email and newsletter tools (Campaigner and Cyberimpact); experience with project management applications. Proven initiative and creativity and demonstrated skill in developing, implementing, and evaluating strategic communications and marketing plans.
- Ability to lead and work in an interculturally rich environment. Ability to effectively recruit, train, supervise, and motivate employees in a team environment. Ability to work across units, aligning priorities, and building relationships with key stakeholders. Ability to interpret complex concepts and communicate effectively to diverse audiences and stakeholders on key strategic issues verbally and in writing.
- Ability to analyze and interpret data, determine implications, and provide recommendations. Ability to carry out market research, and to experiment, analyze data and conduct assessments on the effectiveness of communication strategies.
- Ability to make thoughtful, informed, and thorough decisions. Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve. Ability to think conceptually. (i.e., use creative, conceptual, or inductive reasoning or thought processes to identify patterns in complex data, and identify key or underlying issues in complex situations).

- This is a hybrid position that requires in-person work at UBC Okanagan's campus in Kelowna, typically three of five days a week.