The Utah State University College of Veterinary Medicine Public Relations Specialist II is responsible for managing the public relations and strategic communication efforts of the college. The person in this position creates content that supports college goals and branding through written, visual, and digital communications to reach various audiences. The ideal applicant has a public relations background and excellent written and verbal communication skills. This position helps plan and execute publications, advancement support, digital strategies, college branding, and other communications. The successful candidate must be collaborative, a problem solver, flexible, and customer-service oriented.

The public relations specialist will be joining the college at an exciting point of transformation. Currently, the USU College of Veterinary Medicine participates in a “2+2” program with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University and the broader Washington – Idaho – Montana – Utah (WIMU) Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine, which provides instruction to 30 students in each class cohort. However, in 2022 the state of Utah approved the creation of a full four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program at USU, with the goal of admitting its inaugural class of 40 students in the fall of 2025 and supporting a class size of 80 veterinary students in subsequent years. The new college is the only veterinary medical education program in Utah.

• Support university and college goals and objectives by developing, implementing, and delivering publications, press and media communications, special promotions, and general information directed at multiple audiences.
• Develop, coordinate, and execute multiple communication plans that support the college’s initiatives and strategies.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive list of press, media, and community communication mediums specific to the college’s audience.
• Research, write, produce, and distribute news releases, feature stories, public service announcements, website content, and social media content across different platforms, as well as other kinds of content as needed.
• Serve as a media contact for the college and create positive working relationships with members of the local and state media. Work with the university’s news director to proactively manage media inquiries.
• Manage projects including engaging freelance expertise to provide video and photographic support, graphic design work, and other areas as needed.
• Work with USU’s trademarks and licensing office to create and order products (swag, banners, signage, etc.).
• Be a liaison with staff, advancement, admissions, and student groups to share consistent messaging about the college and its accomplishments.
• Lead internal communication efforts for the college and training others as needed.
• Serve as editor and contributor to the college magazine (1 to 2 issues/year).
• Supervise wage/hourly communications employee(s).
• Engage with USU Marketing and Communications to support university communication efforts on behalf of the college.
• Approve communications materials and coordinate with the USU trademark and licensing staff to maintain compliance with the university’s brand guidelines.
• Attend administrative meetings as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, public relations, journalism, advertising, communication, or related field plus two years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in agricultural, medical, or science communications.
• Basic or more advanced photography skills.
• Experience with website content management systems and writing content for the web.
• Experience in supervising others.
• Experience with Canva, Slack, project management tools such as Click-Up, Asana, AI writing tools, and email marketing software.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to create, compose, and edit content for media releases, magazines, the web, video, print, and social media.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate media activities and promotional events.
• Knowledge of journalism, marketing, and branding principles and techniques.
• Ability to work with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Ability to transport and set up displays.
• Ability to develop and execute annual short and long-term communication plans and move a project from concept to execution.
• Ability to summarize and interpret facts and trends as they pertain to complicated materials.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks under tight deadlines and within established budgets.
• Proficiency using the AP style and ability to adapt writing to fit the USU editorial style guide.
• A basic understanding of effective social media strategy and social media platforms.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Strong analytical and written/verbal communication skills.
• Ability to analyze results of communication activities and present findings and recommendations to the dean and administrative team.

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under "Resume/CV"

2. Three samples of your own published material to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under "Document 1-10"

3. Name and contact information for 3 professional references to be entered into Candidate Profile

4. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions. This position requires daily computer use and occasional work outside typical hours for special events.

The Utah State University College of Veterinary Medicine is dedicated to providing top-tier education and training to the next generation of veterinarians. Our program emphasizes hands-on learning, innovative teaching methods, and a commitment to excellence in veterinary care. Join our dynamic team and contribute to shaping the future of veterinary medicine!

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

*updated 04/2024

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023