Job Description

Division Name: Academic Affairs
Department: Graduate School

Job Summary

This position mainly contributes to the development and relevance of on-brand messaging for the Graduate School and Office of International Engagement. The primary focus for this individual will be email, paid social media ads, text messaging, and web marketing. This person will engage with our audience, ensuring consistency in message. This individual will lead social media advertising initiatives and strategy. This individual will collaborate with various campus partners in order to continually develop and improve messaging that is personalized, timely, and relevant to the needs of our diverse audiences. The position requires an overall knowledge of marketing, communications, and customer relationship management systems.

Additional Information

University Benefit Highlights:

• Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
• Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
• Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
• Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
• Paid benefit time

For more University Benefit information: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/ 

Information regarding eligibility for participation in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program can be reviewed here https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/insurance/

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

$48,000 - $53,000 annual, combined with an excellent benefits package

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in marketing, public relations, communication, journalism, or related field.
2. Twelve months of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related professional area.
   Note: Master’s degree in an area consistent with the duties may be substituted for the 12 months of work experience.
3. Demonstrated ability to create compelling content through a variety of media for the purpose of engaging prospective and current students.
4. Excellent oral and written communication and organization skills.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Master’s degree in marketing, public relations, communication, journalism, or related field; or minimum of two years of experience in communications, marketing, or related field.
2. Copy writing, photography, design, and video skills.
3. Experience with utilizing a customer relationship management system to communicate with audiences.
4. Advanced knowledge of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, along with experience managing social media campaigns.
5. Experience writing for web, print, social media, and email.
6. Experience with web and social media analytics.
7. Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with others toward a common goal of serving the University and its students.

Work Hours

Core Hours: 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday; occasional work beyond regular office hours required

Functional Expectations

Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:

1. Effectively communicate on a daily basis.
2. Remain at a workstation for extended periods.
3. Move about in various locations across campus as needed to complete day-to-day work.
4. Distinguish colors on a monitor.

Proposed Starting Date

September 2026 or ASAP

Required Applicant Documents

Examples/samples of your communication work, such as social media messages, marketing materials you have created, etc.
Transcripts - See Special Instructions to Applicants for additional options

Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Special Instructions for Applicants

Please fully complete the entire application including, but not limited to, the education and work history portions. Be specific on your work history, including employment dates (if part-time you must list the number of work hours) and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Please do not put "see resume" in the duties and responsibilities section of the work history. This will be considered an incomplete application and incomplete applications will not be considered.

College or university transcripts (may be unofficial) must be submitted prior to the application deadline to receive full consideration. Transcripts can either be uploaded with your application or submitted via the options listed below.

To be eligible for Veteran's Preference points on the exam, appropriate military service documentation such as a DD-214 must be submitted prior to the application deadline.

Transcripts and/or military service documentation may be emailed, faxed, or mailed to Human Resources by the application deadline:
 
Email: kgshelt@ilstu.edu 
Fax: 309.438.0011, Attn: Kira Shelton
Address: Illinois State University
Human Resources
Campus Box 1300
Normal, IL 61790-1300

The Civil Service examination for this classification is based on your application materials and responses to the supplemental questions. No participation other than submission of applicant materials is required from applicants that qualify to take the exam. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score calculated based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register by exam score. After the application deadline, the names within the top three scores will be referred to the department for interview. The active register for this classification will be voided when the position is filled.

Illinois State University is authorized to do business within the State of Illinois. All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois.

Residency Requirement: If hired, out-of-state candidates must establish Illinois residency within 180 calendar days from the start date for this position. Illinois residency requires proof of a valid Illinois driver’s license or a valid State of Illinois ID card. Failure to produce the required documentation within 180 calendar days will result in immediate termination of employment.

Sponsorship: Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for Illinois State University in the United States. Illinois State University will not sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity. Illinois State University is not a qualifying employer for the STEM OPT benefit: only the 12-month OPT may be used to work at Illinois State University.

Contact Information for Applicants

Kira Shelton
Human Resources
kgshelt@ilstu.edu 
(309) 438-2120 

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.