Department: Advancement and External Relations 

Job Type: Limited Term

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

Campus: Waterloo 

Reports to: Marketing Manager

Employee Group: WLUSA 

Application Deadline: January 6, 2025

Requisition ID: 8796 

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 19,000 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.

Please note: To be eligible for employment, you must reside in the province/territory that the position is located, and must be able to attend campus as part of your regular work schedule. 

Position Summary

Reporting to the Marketing Manager, the Marketing Specialist is a key strategic contributor to the university’s External Relations team.  

The Marketing Specialist assists in developing and executing a variety of strategic marketing plans to build the Laurier brand, advance the university’s strategic objectives and protect and uphold it’s reputation.  The marketing plans may include market research/insights, media plans, creative development, promotional and communications initiatives – to support the organization’s corporate, recruitment and fundraising purposes.  Creating recommendations based on analytics, insights, defined objectives and best practices is important for the role to drive strategic direction.   

This Specialist plays a critical role in leading cross-functional teams (including internal teams and external agency/community partners), and leading project management (including developing strategic objectives, timelines, critical paths, project/communication plans, and analyzing and reporting on results).  The role also supports with strategizing, writing and editing a variety of complex marketing and communications materials for both the overall institution and the university’s many departments.  These may include advertisements, video, social content, print communications, search marketing, etc. for both external and internal stakeholders – including students, alumni, government/community partners, faculty, staff, senior leaders, etc..    

This position has a university-wide mandate and is based at the Waterloo Campus.  The incumbent provides subject matter expertise to all campuses, requiring regular interpersonal interactions and collaboration with departments at the Waterloo Campus, the Brantford Campus, other Laurier locations and external partners. Special attention is given to ensure equitable service delivery across all locations.

Accountabilities

Marketing Strategy & Execution Support:

• Assist the Marketing Manager with short and long term marketing planning including the development of the marketing strategy and annual marketing plans to build and protect the institution’s brand and reputation
• Support the creation and implementation of key marketing programs and campaigns to build the Laurier brand and achieve critical objectives – including the strategic development and execution of paid media plans, creative ideas and messaging, communications plans, events, and other sub-strategies
• Lead the thinking, planning and execution of specific elements of the plan
• Conduct regular environmental scans, detailing the marketing activities and brand executions of key competitors and winning brands to highlight relevant findings and implications for senior leadership
• Research relevant industry experts, competitors, target audience and users to understand best practices and share with cross-functional teams to help build institutional knowledge
• Support the development of marketing research projects – including defining key performance indicators, and objectives
• Lead special cross-functional projects
• Assist with integrating content strategy and time-specific brand campaigns to drive campaign goals

Content Planning & Execution

• Develop critical marketing content for assigned portfolios/projects for all marketing channels and audiences, including digital marketing, promotional campaigns and publications. Develop the thinking and approach, write messaging, work with designers and digital media specialist to create supporting visuals and collaborate with the social media team
• Responsible for prioritizing tasks to ensure key deadlines are met. This includes oversight of marketing and editorial calendars, setting expectations on timelines with key internal and external stakeholders and following up and adjusting if they change.
• Monitor, maintain and refresh marketing editorial calendars for key stakeholders
• Create effective content strategies in accordance with industry methodology and best practises and in partnership with key stakeholders to tell the Laurier story in a compelling way, drive traffic and engagement and build brand awareness
• Conduct strategic content audits and inventories (qualitative and quantitative) to identify current content and future content needs and identifying content gaps. Research industry-related topics, identify stakeholder and audience needs and recommend new executions for highly engaging content while aligning to brand and marketing objectives
• Work closely with Marketing team members (including Creative Services and Digital Asset Specialist) to support the university’s marketing and communications needs – including copywriting and reviewing/proofing (as needed) marketing materials to ensure clarity, accuracy, consistency and brand compliance and to protect the university reputation
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, policies and procedures (AODA, CASL etc.)
• Develop standards, processes, and best practices for content creation, distribution, and repurposing
• Responsible for prioritizing tasks to ensure key deadlines are met. This includes oversight of marketing and editorial calendars and project plans, setting expectations on timelines with key stakeholders, while also balancing frequent competing priorities.

Analytics and Insights

• Work with campus partners to utilize analytics and insights to regularly measure and ensure the effective targeting, formatting and delivery of messages and apply data-driven insights to future content strategies
• Support brand performance analysis and reporting: Analyze and interpret complex, specialized and technical data from multiple sources (including market research, organizational trends, digital activity or campaign results, demographics, competitive scanning, industry best practices, financials, Google analytics, attribution modeling etc.) to identify meaningful trends and insights, and develop strategic recommendations for Laurier’s marketing and communications direction to help achieve the university’s strategic objectives)
• Analyze results of marketing campaigns and programs to measure and report on effectiveness and payback of investments, and recommend opportunities for optimization or future-decisions. Communicate and distill complex results, analysis and recommendations via preparing and presenting written and oral presentations to a wide range of stakeholders required to share information, advocate for the target audience and their needs and behaviours and influence decision making 

Project & Partner Management

• Act as liaison between External Relations team members (CPA, Web, Creative Services) and campus partners (R&A; Teaching & Learning, etc.) to develop understanding of project needs (including defining project scope and objectives), help lead team meetings, and manage projects; share key initiatives and identify opportunities for integration and optimization
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues, relevant stakeholders and other campus partners
• Develop and oversee critical paths, action tracking and status reports for projects when leading cross-functional teams (including other External Relations team members, campus partners, agency partners, etc.) to create, manage and execute project plans with excellence
• Balance frequent competing priorities; Stakeholders often have key initiatives and needs that overlap so prioritization and multitasking between projects is essential
• Lead facilitation of Pan-University marketing communications calendar among Pan-U team members to strengthen integration of marketing efforts across the institution’s departments: Oversee and manage the holistic marketing-communications planning calendar for the institution, lead the development of meeting agendas; communicate with team members, and lead meeting discussions. This may include presenting marketing plans, results, learnings, recommendations, or training/education/best practices  
• Lead Connect (intranet) marketing team section to effectively communicate with, educate, and empower the institution with marketing knowledge, services, and tools. Strongly articulate the Laurier brand positioning, messaging and visual identity to ensure it is used consistently across the organization and in all marketing and communications initiatives. Create, write, update and maintain content to keep site accurate and up to date.  

Qualifications

• A university degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field  

• Minimum 3 years of experience in a related role

• A passion for marketing and communications, building and growing brands, and delivering results through effective marketing programs

• Demonstrated experience in copywriting, content creation and writing for multiple mediums and channels to persuade, influence and motivate key audiences and stakeholders to take action – including digital and social ad headlines, copy, calls to action, search marketing targeted copy, print materials, stories, news, etc.

• Experience in translating strategic objectives, and key messaging into communications materials that resonate with target audience to deliver results

• Experience in developing and executing content strategy

• Experience measuring the effectiveness of implemented content strategy

• Strong analytical skills with experience analyzing, interpreting and presenting results – including strength in using Microsoft Excel & Google Analytics

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience creating content for marketing, communications, PR and/or news initiatives

• Effective communicator and presenter to mixed audiences.

• Strong marketing background with experience supporting marketing strategies, tactics and messaging

• Exceptional attention-to-detail. Superior proofreading skills demonstrated through past work experience

• Superior interpersonal skills and proven ability to work in a collaborative environment

• Proven ability to deal with multiple demands and priorities, and frequent competing deadlines, including under tight time pressures while meeting the needs of a variety of stakeholders and juggling several assignments simultaneously

• Proven project management experience

• Strong problem-solving and prioritizing skills in a multi-task environment

• Appreciation of diverse perspectives and ability to work with diverse groups including agency partners, media, administration, faculty, staff and students

Hours of work

This is a full-time, limited term position with an expected end date of October 24, 2025. The normal hours of work are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.  Flexibility in hours will be required, including evening and/or weekend work.  When possible, the manager will adjust the work schedule so that no more than 35 hours are worked in a week.

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, as per Policy 8.14 (Flexible Work Policy). In-person attendance for events, as required to meet operational needs, is expected. On occasion, this schedule may need to be adjusted to meet operational requirements.

Compensation

Level: E

Rate of Pay: $41.09  to $43.44 per hour with an annual step progression on anniversary date up to $46.96 per hour. 

Considerations for new hire step placements include, qualifications and length/depth of required experience, relevant market rates for similar jobs, internal equity, and estimated learning curve in starting the job.

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.