Salary and Benefits

PLEASE NOTE: The starting salary placement depends on qualifications and experience and is anticipated to be in the range of $4,146.00 per month to $5,823.00 per month.  

Cal State East Bay offers a broad range of benefits that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement (CalPERS), 401k, 457, 403(b), dependent and health care reimbursement accounts, life insurance, vacation and sick, 14 paid holidays, one personal holiday and tuition fee waiver.

For more information on the benefits program, please visit our benefits website. The CSU Total Compensation Calculator demonstrates the significance of our benefits package.

This position may be eligible to participate in the Cal State East Bay hybrid telecommute program subject to management approval. 

Classification

Public Affairs/Communications Specialist II

About Cal State East Bay

Cal State East Bay's beautiful main campus is located in the Hayward hills with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Situated above the city of Hayward, the campus offers an ideal setting for teaching and learning and yet easy access to the many cities along the bay. The University has a satellite campus in Concord, a professional development center in Oakland and a significant presence online. Founded in 1957, Cal State East Bay is one of 23 universities of the California State University system (CSU). Cal State East Bay is recognized as a regionally engaged and globally oriented university with a strong commitment to academic innovation, student success, engaged and service learning, diversity, and sustainability.

About the Position

The Content Creator & Digital Communications Specialist reports directly to the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer (CCMO) for University Communications. This role is responsible for capturing the University’s energy and momentum, raising its profile regionally, nationally, and globally through the strategic use of digital communications strategies such as social media platforms and other online tools. Under the guidance of the CCMO, the Content Creator & Digital Communications Specialist will help enhance the University's reputation by telling and sharing unique stories, promoting student success, supporting faculty-led research, and engaging alumni and the broader community.

As the key digital communications strategist, the Content Creator & Digital Communications Specialist plays a central role in developing and creating unique content and executing the university's multi-year social media plan, aligned with its broader communications objectives. They will establish a robust, constituent-focused social media presence that supports consistent branding and identity. This position is also responsible for ensuring that the University's social media channels effectively convey its values and initiatives.

This hands-on role involves close collaboration with the CCMO, Creative Services and other departments to produce compelling, on-brand and measurable content. Additionally, the Content Creator & Digital Communications Specialist will monitor digital trends, analyze campaign effectiveness, and provide insights that help shape future strategies.

Responsibilities

Position Overview:

The Content Creator and Digital Communications Specialist will play a pivotal role in executing the University’s strategic communication goals, driving brand awareness, growth, and positioning across digital platforms. This role requires a creative, strategic thinker who excels in content creation, social media management, and digital engagement.

Strategic Content Development:

• Develop and execute an annual content strategy that aligns with the department’s three pillars: brand awareness, growth, and positioning.
• This strategy will encompass written, social, and video content that engages and informs the University’s diverse audiences.

Social Media Strategy & Management:

• Lead the University’s social media presence by creating and managing content across platforms, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
• Implement and monitor social media strategies for organic and paid campaigns that support both the University and alumni communications.

Content Creation & Curation:

• Produce and edit high-quality written and visual content for social media, digital publications, and other communications channels that highlight the University’s values, priorities, and achievements.
• Stay ahead of emerging social trends, ensuring the University’s messaging remains relevant and timely.

Analytics & Performance Tracking:

• Track and analyze social media performance across all platforms using KPIs to assess engagement, reach, and overall effectiveness.
• Leverage analytics to refine strategies and optimize content performance.

Social Listening & Trend Monitoring:

• Use social listening tools (e.g., Cision) to monitor and analyze public sentiment, trends, and conversations related to the university and its community.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure timely responses to trends and public mentions, particularly involving alumni and campus priorities.

Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Work closely with the Advancement Services team and other University stakeholders to manage a social media listening system that alerts key personnel to relevant alumni mentions in news outlets and public forums.

Project Management:

• Utilize project management tools (e.g., Asana, Hootsuite) to streamline and automate workflows, ensuring timely delivery of campaigns and communications.

Create consistent and engaging content and share out on appropriate channels including  the University’s official social media accounts:

• Write feature and news stories that can be used to support social media content.
• Develop, curate, and optimize high-quality, compelling content that engages a range of audiences and supports the University communications and marketing goals. 
• Develop strategies to promote the image of the University and programs by using market research data to determine the most effective techniques and approaches for reaching target audiences through owned and paid media. 
• Identify the needs and interests of various constituent groups, translate research results into strategic communication efforts, and select the best medium to achieve goals. 
• Monitor social and digital content activity, including reputation management, using analytics tools. 
• Track and report metrics to continually improve strategies. 
• Explore new social media platforms and other online outlets to share stories and keep Cal State East Bay top of mind within the community. 
• Coordinate with campus colleges, divisions, departments, and teams to support cross-channel campaigns and Cal State East Bay initiatives and communications.
• Research and initiate innovative improvements to digital communications and work closely with editorial and creative teams to support consistent messaging and branding across all platforms. 
• Write, edit, and proofread content for social media. 
• Help to protect and elevate the University’s branding and brand strategy within social media and digital platforms. 
• In conjunction with the university videographer/photographer and senior graphic designer, create and manage a central digital asset repository for notable units and programs. 
• Create positive working relationships with campus social media users that reflect the mission and goals of the campus.
• Serve as liaison to campus departments and units regarding social media and digital communications. 

Support University Communications & Marketing strategic content and placement strategies:

• Participate in the development of communication themes, concepts and ideas for how to disseminate content on all available social media, web and other new media applications.
• Assist with updating website content and digital signage.
• Assist with email campaigns, updating content, sending, tracking and reporting.
• Support campus emergency and issues communications as assigned.
• Exercise discretion, judgment, and ingenuity to write and coordinate e-newsletters, event announcements and social media content as they relate to strategic marketing and communications campaigns for the university.
• Coordinate digital touch points among email marketing, social media and website updates.

Other Duties as Assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university with a degree in art and technology, communications, marketing, or related fields, or similar certified coursework in applicable fields of study; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two or more years of experience in the communications field with duties that include coordinating social media. Ideal candidates will be able to provide evidence of this experience through demonstration of a portfolio of past work.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a solid foundation in grammar, spelling, and the composition of various communication vehicles. 
• Knowledge of the fundamentals of public affairs and/or media relations, and/or some exposure to marketing and marketing research.

Required Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of social media platforms and web/digital communication techniques; ability to effectively use technology to achieve communication goals.
• Solid interpersonal skills, listening skills, and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Professional demeanor and team player who demonstrates a sense of urgency, initiative, and follow-through.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of all communications, as appropriate.
• Willingness to work as required some non-standard hours including evenings and weekends, and working during campus emergencies.

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

• Experience working in a complex organization.
• Experience creating and maintaining original content within an established brand and style guide, including AP Style Guide.
• Experience creating web content for webpages and mobile applications, including copywriting, basic design and photography selection.
• Experience gathering and analyzing data and selecting pertinent facts and integrate them into communication.
• Knowledge of applicable copyright and other laws pertaining to digital content and media.
• Ability to demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the university community; and establish and maintain cooperative and effective relations with university employees, students and the public.
• Ability to establish, set and meet multiple deadlines, coordinate, prioritize and complete varied tasks.
• Ability to solve a wide range of problems and develop solutions.
• Ability to work independently under general supervision and set priorities in an often-changing environment.
• Ability to develop logical solutions to problems, to demonstrate flexibility and compromise.

Condition(s) of Employment

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan, as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certificates, credit history, professional references and/or verification of work history is required for employment.  Cal State East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered the position.

All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the University Police Department.

EEO Statement

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Cal State East Bay does not discriminate on the basis of any protected categories: age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, gender, immigration status, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran's status. The University is committed to the principles of diversity in employment and to creating a stimulating learning environment for its diverse student body.

Other Information

All California State University campuses, including Cal State East Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free.  For more information, please visit our website here.

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available here. 

Sponsorship

Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or Management positions and we are not an E-Verify employer.

Mandated Reporter

The incumbent in this position may be considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and will be required to comply with requirements set forth in the CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.