Digital Communications Specialist

Date Posted: 05/02/2025
Req ID: 42650
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Citizen Lab
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00046409

Description:

About us:

The Faculty of Arts & Science is the heart of Canada’s leading university and one of the most comprehensive and diverse academic divisions in the world. The strength of Arts & Science derives from our combined teaching and research excellence in the humanities, sciences and social sciences across 29 departments, seven colleges and 46 interdisciplinary centres, institutes and programs.

We can only realize our mission with the dedication and excellence of engaged staff and faculty. The diversity of opportunities and perspectives within the Faculty reflect the local and global landscape and the need for curiosity, innovative thinking and collaboration. At Arts & Science, we take pride in our legacy of innovation and discovery that has changed the way we think about the world.


Your opportunity:

The Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy proudly offers 14 teaching programs in a variety of areas of global expertise. As part of the University of Toronto, we are home to exceptional faculty, experts, and researchers from around the globe, and over 40 academic centres, labs, and programs. Our goal is to build a unique, world-renowned research, teaching, and public engagement centre that shapes the new field of global affairs from Canada. Our School unifies those who are passionate about global affairs to discuss the problems of a fast-changing world.

The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, focusing on research at the intersection of digital media, global security, and human rights.

Under the supervision of the Communication Strategist, the Digital Communications Specialist is responsible for developing, executing, implementing, and evaluating the Citizen Lab’s digital communications activities in order to mobilize research knowledge and support the Lab’s communication strategy. The incumbent will be responsible for translating Citizen Lab research into engaging and informative visual and written content, tailoring communication outputs to a variety of digital channels, and target audiences. The ideal candidate for this role is someone who is able to work effectively both individually and within a team environment while coordinating tasks showing creativity, initiative and strong judgement.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Producing and disseminating communications/marketing materials to support the Lab's objectives
• Implementing a digital media plan that supports marketing/communications strategy
• Planning, writing, editing, and designing content for newsletters, web, and social media to promote research activities
• Analyzing and evaluating communication metrics to support the optimization of campaign and content performance.
• Maintaining website content according to strategic communications objectives and user feedback
• Liaising with departmental staff to support effective content/story development
• Producing visuals to communicate scientific data and research findings
• Serving as a resource to others by providing (non-supervisory) job-related guidance

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Professional Writing or a related discipline
• Minimum four (4) years’ recent and related experience in communications, journalism, or marketing in a research lab environment, including experience developing and implementing compelling communications/marketing plans and content for a variety of mediums, including digital, and social media, to increase knowledge mobilization.
• Demonstrated experience conducting post-campaign evaluation and analysis.
• Experience in communicating research knowledge/findings.
• Experience identifying media and publication opportunities to promote research activities.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace Applications (Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides), Web content management (WordPress or other current software), newsletter content management (MailChimp or similar) and design software including Adobe Creative Suite or related tools.
• Excellent attention to detail and solid copyediting, fact checking, and proofreading skills.
• Understanding the needs and sensitivities of different audiences and adapting appropriate writing style and content.
• Ability to work effectively individually and within a team environment while coordinating tasks showing creativity, initiative and strong judgement.
• Excellent creative skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent Organization skills with the ability to meet deadlines, with a sensitivity to organizational priorities.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Communicator
• Organized
• Problem solver
• Resourceful
• Self-directed
• Team player

Closing Date: 05/12/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing 
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  
USW Pay Band 11 -- $75,223. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $96,196. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol. 
Job Category: Communication/Media/Public Relations

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.