Department: Athletics and Recreation 

Job Type: Limited Term

Full-time/Part-time: Full Time (>=1249 hrs/year) 

Campus: Waterloo 

Reports to: Manager, Marketing and Communications 

Employee Group: WLUSA 

Application Deadline: May 22, 2025

Requisition ID: 9246 

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier's Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict.  Laurier's Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Position Summary

The vision of Laurier’s Department of Athletics & Recreation is Building Leaders & Champions. Whether you are a varsity athlete or a participant in a recreation program, we believe all Golden Hawks have the potential to be leaders and champions in their pursuits. As a member of the Athletics & Recreation Marketing & Communications team, the Content Coordinator will serve a significant role in managing the Golden Hawks brand.

The Golden Hawks are a strong source of identity for all members of the Laurier community, regardless of affinity for Athletics & Recreation. The Content Coordinator will help steward the brand, ensuring a consistent brand experience that continues to build feelings of belonging and pride.

By designing marketing materials and social content, this role will help tell the story of the Golden Hawks, encourage students to get involved, and position Athletics & Recreation as a differentiator for the Laurier student experience.

This position is based on the Waterloo Campus but provides subject matter expertise to all campuses to ensure a consistent application of the Golden Hawks brand assets.

Accountabilities

Creative Development

• Lead with an audience-first approach to developing materials; leveraging research, results and stakeholder insights to build positive brand experiences and strategically achieve objectives.
• Proactively conceptualize and produce original creative work including graphics, photos, and videos that help tell the story of the Golden Hawks, enhance the fan experience and deliver on partnership deliverables.
• Consistently produce high-quality design deliverables on time, on brief and on brand.
• Recruit, select, train, and oversee a team of student photographers, videographers and graphic designers.
• Work with colleagues to plan, schedule and publish content on Athletics & Recreation digital channels including websites, social media accounts, email marketing, and digital screens.
• Support all areas of the department by designing and providing templates, direction, and recommendations that meet project goals.
• Maintain, and organize library of project designs and files, resources, assets and documents to use for future projects – following consistent file naming, organizing, and archiving processes, and finding opportunities for improved workflow.

Project Management

• Responsible for coordinating and executing multiple projects from start to finish – including frequent communication with key stakeholders and team members, prioritizing projects to ensure deliverables are met on time.

Art Direction

• In collaboration with colleagues from Athletics & Recreation’s Marketing & Communications team, update annual style guides that define the Golden Hawks' visual identity on digital marketing platforms (i.e. web, social media).
• Work closely with internal team and external freelance/agency partners as needed to gather and provide input into creative direction and execution.
• Help direct photo and video shoots – including ideation, developing creative concepts and providing on-site direction.
• Develop briefs, scripts, storyboards, shot lists and other materials to be shared with student staff, freelancers, and agencies to produce outstanding creative work on behalf of the Golden Hawks.

Brand Stewardship

• Takes a lead role in updating and implementing the Athletics & Recreation brand guidelines that direct the proper application of the Golden Hawks brand assets including logos, wordmarks, colours, fonts, and Midas the Golden Hawk.
• Review and facilitate approvals to use the Golden Hawks brand assets.
• Serve as the internal expert and assist with educating others on the correct applications of the Golden Hawks brand.
• Regularly monitor the usage of brand assets by internal Athletics & Recreation groups (units, teams, clubs etc.), on-campus partners, and external groups to ensure a consistent brand experience.
• Steward the brand by ensuring that misuse is addressed quickly and escalated where necessary.
• Work with pan-university marketing colleagues to ensure the Golden Hawks are in collaboration with the university brand and are contributing to the university’s positive image, profile, and reputation.

Other

• Contribute to the team’s positive creative culture: sharing ideas and best practices; supporting collaborative brainstorming sessions to generate ideas; and continuously learning and sharing.
• Work with the Coordinator, Web & Technology on the procurement of audio/visual gear and replacement as needed following an annual renewal cycle.
• Step in for other marketing & communications colleagues where needed to avoid any coverage interruptions.

Reporting Relationships

This Position Reports to: Manager, Marketing & Communications

Responsibility for other positions:

Directly supervises the work of approximately 4 part time student staff.

Photographer (x2)

Video & Graphic Design (x2)

Qualifications

• Diploma in graphic design, multimedia design, visual art/communications, related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in graphic design or creative digital production in a sports/recreation/entertainment environment.
• Passion for sports marketing, particularly within a university sport environment.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, with the ability to effectively adapt and be flexible.
• Experience designing for and expressing a brand identity across a range of channels and campaigns.
• Strong knowledge and experience in capturing and editing photos and videos.
• Excellent knowledge and experience in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Excellent understanding of digital media landscape, design processes, and best practices.
• Understanding and experience with traditional graphic design for print.
• Experience with incorporating motion to complement designs.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating an ability to conceptualize, design and execute strategic, results-driven, thumb-stopping/eye-catching digital and traditional creative suited to engage audiences across multiple platforms.
• Detail-obsessed with a keen eye for typography, composition, design principles, colour theory and visual identity systems.
• Understanding of AODA and WCAG standards and designing for inclusive experiences.
• Must be open, responsive and flexible to feedback.
• Strong ability to prioritize work across multiple projects based on short- and long-term needs.

Hours of Work

This is a Full-time, Limited-term position for a duration of approximately two (2) years. The normal hours of work are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Flexibility in hours will be needed, including extensive evening and/or weekend work due to most varsity events taking place in the evening and on weekends. When possible, the manager will adjust the work schedule so that no more than 35 hours are worked in a week.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a resume and cover letter will be required in electronic form.