A cover letter is required for consideration for the position described in this posting and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your areas of interest and qualifications within the range of opportunities described.

A cover letter is required for consideration for the position described in this posting and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your areas of interest and qualifications within the range of opportunities described.

Job Summary

The Stone Center for Inequality Dynamics (CID) at the University of Michigan is seeking a full-time, in-residence Engagement Manager. The successful candidate will bring a creative approach to communications and outreach for a growing and dynamic research center with a strong public-facing presence.

CID is a relatively new research and training program within the Survey Research Center at the Institute for Social Research dedicated to producing cutting-edge research on social inequality in a supportive intellectual community. The Stone Center examines how between-group inequalities are shaped by geographic, political, and institutional contexts. As an organization, CID seeks to create a democratic and inclusive environment that communicates its research to a broad audience.

For details, please see https://inequality.umich.edu/.

We are looking for a communications professional to promote and communicate the efforts of CID and its affiliates to a broad public, the larger University of Michigan community, and the center's collaborators, affiliates, and team. The Engagement Manager will create and coordinate a strategy to increase CID's visibility and engagement through both established and emerging communication tools and tactics, including website and social media content, video formats, data visualization, print media, and more. We are looking for a person who is creative, energetic, and has the ability to connect with a diverse set of stakeholders. This person is willing to try new things, can work independently as part of a team, is highly dependable, and has a positive attitude.

Communications Management & Strategy (35%)

• Develop and implement CID's communications strategy, taking into account internal and external stakeholders, market trends, and users' needs.
• Understand and co-develop CID's goals, vision, and organizational culture.
• Measure and report on the effectiveness of communication strategies and tactics including data analytics reports on open rates, Google Analytics, traffic and engagement, user experience, stakeholder satisfaction, etc.
• Increase CID's public profile and visibility by working with Michigan News and other news outlets/journalists to distribute releases and promote research findings.
• Identify and develop relationships with news outlets and journalists to promote research findings.
• Collaborate with communications professionals at U-M, ISR, and peer institutions to increase the public profile and visibility of CID's work and events.
• Connect with campus communications professionals to make CID's work visible on campus and to associate CID activities with Michigan efforts. 
• Manage freelancers and vendors for marketing and communications projects including events, design, and multimedia projects.

Internal and Employee Communications (15%)

• Update and expand CID contacts database and mailing lists.
• Provide constructive feedback and media coaching to faculty and affiliates as needed.
• Participate in internal team meetings to understand priorities and promote activities as appropriate to various audiences through social media, website, video, and print.
• Coordinate content for team meetings, such as slides and agendas. 
• Create branded templates and other external branding materials for use at conferences and research presentations.

Community Engagement and Outreach (50%)

• Publicize CID events and lecture series, including marketing campaigns and communication strategies.
• Increase CID's visibility across campus. 
• Develop and manage research and center content for web, social media, video, newsletters, and press. Ensure all content and communications are compelling, accurate, accessible, and appropriate for various audiences, stakeholders, and platforms.
• Conduct interviews with affiliates to help communicate their research findings. Publish and promote CID research experts' findings through public relations, social media, and the broader research community. 
• Create, print, and publish marketing and event materials throughout the year including an annual report, external e-newsletter, event invitations, articles, and more.
• Develop and execute social media strategy for multiple social platforms, including LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, and other emerging platforms.

We'd like to hear from you if you have: 

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or another relevant field
• Minimum 5 years of successful communications/journalism/marketing experience (may include internships and/or other non-paid experiences)
• Experience with:
  • Content management systems, WordPress preferred.
  • Graphic design programs, Adobe or Canva preferred.
  • Social media platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, BlueSky, Instagram, YouTube).
• Experience creating compelling, long-form content from interviews or source material.

• Effective organization and management of multiple priorities in a complex

  environment.

• Attention to detail.
• Ability to both work independently and as a successful team member.

We'd especially like to hear from you if you have the required qualifications and these:

• Education or experience beyond the required level.
• Familiarity with video or other multimedia production, Adobe Premiere preferred.
• Expertise in managing the web presence of an organization.
• Experience communicating with the media.
• Interest in or expertise with social science and/or economic inequality topics.

Benefits at the University of Michigan

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and any eligible family members, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off

• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting upon meeting eligibility requirements

• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance

• Life insurance

• Long-term disability coverage

• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

 Learn more about U-M benefits.  

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

This position will be on-site at the University of Michigan offices in Ann Arbor, with flexible scheduling and remote opportunities as made available within our overall Center policies.

The statements included in this description are intended to reflect the general nature and level of work assigned to this classification and should not be interpreted as all-inclusive.

The Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan seeks to create a community of respect and authentic collaboration by recruiting and retaining individuals that represent a variety of voices as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of Michigan, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to ground our research in varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third-party administrator to conduct background checks.  Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.