Communications and Marketing Officer

General Purpose

The department of Student Experience is committed to supporting all students at the University of Guelph. Student Experience houses many specialized supports for students identifying as First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Black, racialized, people of colour, and/or members of the LGBTQ2IA+ community, and members of cultural, international, religious, and spiritual communities. We welcome applicants sharing through their application the ways in which they believe they can contribute to the diversity of thought, approach, and practice in Student Experience.

Reporting to the Manager, Communications and Marketing, the Communications and Marketing Officer plays a strategically important role in advancing the mission of Student Experience. This position supports the planning, implementation, and evaluation of departmental communications, marketing, and outreach strategies across all Student Experience units. The Officer develops inclusive and accessible communications that resonate with diverse student audiences, manages student staff, and supports departmental engagement through events, media, and digital platforms.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Officer is responsible for supporting the design, implementation, and assessment of departmental marketing and communications strategies in Student Experience. The role involves creating and sharing digital content, maintaining websites, supervising student staff, and coordinating communications for events. The Officer also ensures all communications meet accessibility standards and reflect the University of Guelph’s brand identity.

Responsibilities include:

• Developing a content calendar to support day-to-day social media activities, ensuring brand consistency and alignment with the University of Guelph’s visual identity.

• Maintaining and updating departmental website and SharePoint sites to ensure accuracy and accessibility.

• Supervising a team of student staff with training and mentorship, providing coaching and professional development opportunities while ensuring their work reflects departmental values and priorities.

• Tracking and evaluating the effectiveness of communications and marketing efforts by monitoring engagement trends, emerging best practices, and peer institution approaches. The Officer uses analytics tools to assess the reach and impact of campaigns, applying insights to strengthen future efforts.

• Applying accessibility standards and inclusive practices across all communications to ensure Student Experience messaging reaches a broad and diverse audience.

• Supporting departmental outreach and events, providing communications planning and on-the-ground coordination for flagship programs including Orientation Week, the Student Experience Awards, and other campus-wide initiatives.

Requirements

To be successful in this role, the incumbent is required to have:

Education & Training

• An Undergraduate degree

• Minimum of two (2) years of relevant, progressive experience in a communications/marketing role.

Skills & Experience

• Proven supervisory experience with student staff or volunteers in communications roles.

• Strong technical and graphic design skills with demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Canva.

• Experience developing and executing communications and marketing strategies in a student-focused or community-based environment.

• Demonstrated ability to create inclusive, audience-specific content across web, social media, and email platforms.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards (AODA, WCAG 2.0) and experience applying them to communications.

• Familiarity with web analytics and digital tools (Google Analytics, Sprout Social, CMS platforms).

• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with attention to tone, accuracy, and accessibility.

• Strong time management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities and work under tight deadlines.

• Superior interpersonal, intercultural, and presentation skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with students, staff, and campus partners.