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Staff Writer/Speech Writer

Employer: University of Massachusetts Boston
Location: UMass Boston

Employment Type: Full Time
Institution Type: Four-Year Institution

Job Details
Organization

Job Details

Job no: 508470
Position Type: Staff Full Time
Campus: UMass Boston
Department: Communications
Pay Grade: 31
Date opened: 03 Jun 2021 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 01 Jul 2021 Eastern Daylight Time

General Summary:

The Speechwriter/Staff Writer will research and write primary documents on behalf of the Office of Communications that will support university-wide internal and external communications, and capture the vision and message of the chancellor and the university. These include chancellor’s speeches and talking points, chancellor’s reports to the Board of Trustees, commencement and special event scripts, news stories and profiles for university publications and the website, and other material as needed.

The position is located in the Office of Communications, within the Division of Marketing and Engagement, and will work closely with the Chancellor’s Office, senior administration, as well as a broad cross-section of university faculty and staff. The Speechwriter/Staff Writer will also be called upon to edit and update the website as needed, contribute to social media, and assist with related public relations and marketing projects to support the Office of Communications and the university.

Examples of Duties:

Work with the Chancellor’s Office to research and write remarks for public appearances and major speeches to the campus community and external audiences; may also be called upon to write briefings or talking points to prepare for public events; and to write and/or edit remarks from other sources, when necessary, in an effort to bring a consistent tone to all of the chancellor’s speeches;

Draft issue-based opinion columns, memos, correspondence, and other materials to support the Office of Communications and Chancellor’s Office; edit columns, stories, and other material for other staff writers and content suppliers, when necessary;

Write stories highlighting particular university or faculty achievements for use online and in print, such as in the UMass Boston magazine;

Support the Office of Communications and the Division of Marketing and Engagement by assisting with public relations, website, and marketing projects, including presentations to various audiences;

Participate in Office of Communications planning meetings and contribute ideas to strengthen the university’s internal and external communications;

Research and write reports for the UMass Board of Trustees highlighting university accomplishments and summarizing achievements;

Write scripts for major events such as university commencement, convocation, and honorary degree awards to ensure smooth and orderly event flow, in coordination with the Office of Special Events;

Develop and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across the university.

Edit and update the website as needed, specifically the chancellor’s pages.

Contribute to large-scale projects as they arise;

Work with original requestors of speeches for proofreading and fact-checking to ensure that information is accurate;

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in English, Journalism, Communications or a closely related field and at least three-five years of professional writing experience, preferably in an academic environment is required. Experience writing speeches professionally is preferred. Exemplary writing portfolio is required.

Ability to write for the spoken word and written mediums alike;

Ability to work independently and efficiently;

Strong project management skills, including the ability to work under pressure and under tight timeframes;

Ability to research, collect, and organize information from diverse sources;

Strong interpersonal skills, including the capacity to work cooperatively with a wide range of individuals;

Exemplary writing and editing skills that require minimal editing from others;

Exemplary attention to detail,

Commitment to serving at an institution that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Application Instructions:

Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.

Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date.

Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.

Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link:

Grade: 31

Salary Ranges

This is an exempt position.

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.

Applications close: 01 Jul 2021 Eastern Daylight Time

Organization

Working at University of Massachusetts Boston

The University of Massachusetts Boston is nationally recognized as a model of excellence for urban public universities. The scenic waterfront campus is located next to the John F. Kennedy Library, with easy access to downtown Boston.

The second-largest campus in the UMass system, UMass Boston combines a small-college experience with the vast resources of a major research university. With a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students easily interact with professors because most teaching occurs in small class sizes. Ninety-three percent of full-time faculty hold the highest degree in their fields.

UMass Boston’s academic excellence is reflected by a growing student body of nearly 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The university’s eight colleges offer more than 100 undergraduate programs and 50 graduate programs. The University Honors Program serves 300 students who thrive on intellectual challenge. Enriched courses probe more deeply into theory or venture further into application.

UMass Boston’s diverse student body provides a global context for student learning, and its location in a major U.S. city provides connections to employers in industries such as finance, health care, technology, service, and education, offering students opportunities to gain valuable in-school experience via internships, clinicals, and other career-related placements.

More than 100 student organizations — including clubs, literary magazines, newspaper, radio station, art gallery, and 16 NCAA Division III sports teams — offer a rich campus life. Students live throughout Greater Boston and in apartment communities just steps from the campus, and enjoy the rich amenities, cultural attractions, and educational opportunities that make the city the biggest and best college town in the nation.

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