Communications Specialist

About North Park Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and the world. Located for over 125 years on the land of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes in what is today Chicago’s northside, NPU has recently been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and is committed to serving diverse populations. Elevating North Park University’s core distinctives of Christian, city-centered, and intercultural, NPU values diversity among its faculty and is committed to building a racially and culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages the nomination and candidacies of persons who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color regardless of gender. North Park University is located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler. Mission The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology. Vision Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet. Position Summary The communications specialist is part of the UMC communications team and shapes how North Park's stories reach prospective students, alumni, donors, and the broader public. The role's primary responsibility is to develop, edit, and collaborate on all written content representing North Park University in publications and projects the UMC office develops and manages—including marketing materials, press releases, the North Parker alumni magazine, website content, internal communications, and admissions and enrollment communications, across print and digital channels. The role requires expertise regarding North Park's editorial and branding style guides. Essential Responsibilities Drive UMC’s editorial calendar, including planning, writing, editing, and publishing press releases via newswire and stories to www.northpark.edu Serve as the lead writer and a copy editor for the annual North Parker alumni magazine Gather information through interviews with faculty, staff, students, and subject matter experts Attend university events for journalistic coverage—and photographic coverage as needed Write and edit marketing copy for signature university materials that build demand for North Park through print, digital, and outdoor channels Ensure the effectiveness, quality, accuracy, and relevance of the content UMC produces Collaborate with UMC team members within the communications, marketing, and design teams within established workflows to ensure high-quality products are delivered within the communicated timeframes Implement and shape the university’s editorial style guide, brand voice, and brand messaging Assign and manage student writers as needed Manage media monitoring, tracking the North Park brand, competition, and relevant news Maintain media lists and target journalists, connecting them with knowledge experts at North Park On a quarterly basis, analyze data, draw actionable insights, and report on the effectiveness of North Park’s media relations in achieving strategic communications goals Other duties as assigned Salary Range: $63,000-72,000 per year Bachelor’s degree, preferably in advertising, public relations, marketing, communications, English, or a similar field (or equivalent experience) required Two to four years of professional experience in public relations, journalism, or a similar role with demonstrated success Exceptional writing and editing skills, including the ability to connect with various audiences, strict attention to detail, concern for high-quality work, and high standards of grammar, spelling, and style Experience developing communication strategies and writing for an organization Experience writing feature-length articles, video scripts, and print and digital marketing materials Proficiency with Excel, Word, newswires, media monitoring tools, project management software, and content management systems Ability to handle multiple projects at once, with a built-in sense for what should be prioritized Ability to take verbal and written instruction, then execute independently with minimal oversight Team player with professional demeanor and strong stakeholder relationship skills Eagerness to work in an evolving environment and develop new skills as new applications emerge Personal commitment to North Park University’s mission of Christian higher education Desired Qualifications Experience working in higher education Experience using media monitoring tools (Meltwater or similar) Comfortable updating and maintaining content in a CMS (WordPress or similar) Familiar with The Chicago Manual of Style Experience with project management tools (Jira or similar) Experience in video creation Understand AI and LLMs and how to implement them into their work Medical Insurance Dental Insurance Prescription Plan Flexible Spending Account Commuter Benefit Life Insurance Disability Insurance Retirement Plan Tuition Remission Helwig Recreation Center