| Position Title: |
Wege Prize Program Coordinator |
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| Location: |
Grand Rapids (Kendall) |
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| Department: |
45005 - GR Campus Academic Affairs
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| Advertised Salary: |
$40,000. Salary commensurate with education, experiences, and other requirements. |
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Benefits:
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Comprehensive benefit package (health care, vacation, etc.). Please see the following link for a list of benefits offered with this position.
Admin / Admin Temp Benefit Plans
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| FLSA: |
Exempt |
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| Temporary/Continuing: |
Temporary |
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| Part-Time/Full-Time: |
Full-Time |
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| Union Group: |
N/A |
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| Term of Position: |
12 Month |
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| At Will/Just Cause: |
At Will |
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| Summary of Position: |
The Wege Prize Program Coordinator will manage the ongoing development and implementation of KCAD’s Wege Prize international student design competition. Working in collaboration with the Wege Prize Academic Liaison and various outside contractors (providing project management, public relations, live event production, printing, catering, and other services), the Wege Prize Program Coordinator will ensure each competition cycle is: promoted effectively to attract an increasingly diverse and adept field of participants; executed faithfully with respect to the competition’s rules, mission, and grant-defined outcomes; amplified through self-generated and earned media coverage of participating team’s experiences, ideas, and successes; and documented accurately through yearly grant reporting to the Wege Foundation. This is a temporary, grant funded position set to end on June 30, 2026, at the conclusion of the competition cycle with a possibility of renewal/continuation determined by continuation of the grant.
The anticipated start date of this position is September 2025; however this is an estimated date and can be revised if needed. |
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| Position Type: |
Staff |
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| Required Education: |
Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, English, or related field. |
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| Required Work Experience: |
At least three years of relevant marketing/communications/project management experience. Experience producing engaging content for a wide variety of media and materials as evidenced by excellent portfolio of work. |
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| Required Licenses and Certifications: |
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| Physical Demands: |
- Office Environment
- Reaching
- Sitting
- Twisting
- Repetitive movement
- Standing
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| Additional Education/Experiences to be Considered: |
5+ years of relevant marketing/communications/project management experience in a higher education or nonprofit setting, knowledge of/experience working within grant-funded projects, and experience with grant writing and reporting. |
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| Essential Duties/Responsibilities: |
Coordinate and execute all logistical elements of the competition, including, but not limited to: intaking, vetting, and organizing participant applications and deliverables; preparing participant deliverables for judging; preparing participant deliverables for use by outside public relations and event production contractors; and maintaining clear communication channels between participants, judges, and the Wege Prize organizing team.
In collaboration with the Wege Prize Academic Liaison, conduct an annual review of competition rules, requirements, design brief, process, and user experience and develop a corresponding action plan for refinement.
In collaboration with outside event production and project management contractors and the Wege Prize Academic Liaison, plan, coordinate, and execute the competition’s annual in-person final event.
In collaboration with outside public relations contractor, develop and execute a strategy for marketing Wege Prize to eligible student participants and key influencers. Identify and leverage opportunities to amplify stories of participant teams’ work and success, both during and after each competition cycle.
Create high quality written content for the web, social, e-newsletters, marketing assets, and external PR opportunities. Review written content produced by outside contractors and edit for consistency with Wege Prize brand standards.
Maintain both the front and back ends of the Wege Prize website (built on the SquareSpace platform), including making design and content updates and information architecture refinements, ensuring site-wide ADA compliance, and monitoring site analytics.
Manage all Wege Prize social media accounts, including a Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn page, and LinkedIn group. Manage and grow an online network of past Wege Prize participants.
Create high quality templated and one-off graphical content—for the web, social, e-newsletters, marketing assets, and external PR opportunities—that aligns with and helps evolve the established Wege Prize brand. Review graphic content produced by outside contractors and edit for consistency with Wege Prize brand standards.
Maintain established mailing list and research additional media and academic contacts to spread awareness and catalyze student participation.
Manage the annual competition budget, including expense tracking, purchase requisition, and budgetary decision making. Facilitate contracts with and manage the work of outside contractors in accordance with established Ferris State University purchasing processes and policies.
Develop yearly grant report that summarizes progress made toward stated grant outcomes, breaks down annual project expenses against established annual budget, and highlights external media coverage.
In collaboration with Ferris State University Purchasing staff, facilitate the processing and payment of cash prize awards to winning participants.
Cultivates an environment of belonging that values, respects, supports, and celebrates individual similarities and differences, allowing students, faculty, and staff to thrive authentically.
Support, promote, and develop university student enrollment and retention initiatives.
Any other duties assigned within the position classification area. |
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| Marginal Duties/Responsibilities: |
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| Skills and Abilities: |
Maintain the confidentiality of designated information.
Management and coordination of budgets, external vendors, and internal resources as needed, including purchasing, contracts, and legal where necessary.
Develop and execute communication and marketing strategies.
Project management
Copywriting
Web maintenance/development
Graphic design
Grant reporting
Brand maintenance
Excellent critical thinking and strategic planning skills.
Excellent creative writing, grammar, spelling, and editing skills.
Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent interviewing skills.
Excels at research.
Works well with a wide variety of constituents, from youth to senior business leaders and donors.
Highly creative and imaginative.
Detail-oriented
Exceptional organizational and time management skills.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multi-tasking environment, appropriately prioritizing competing projects and deadlines.
Able to work individually on a project or in a team environment.
Proficiency in SquareSpace (or similar) web content management system.
Proficiency in Campaign Monitor (or similar) e-mail marketing platform.
Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro).
Proficiency in common social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn).
Proficiency in current versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Understanding of AP style guide.
Demonstrated successful experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. |
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| Required Documents: |
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Unofficial Transcript 1
- Portfolio 1
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| Optional Documents: |
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| Special Instructions to Applicants: |
Unofficial Transcript 1 (REQUIRED): Applicants must attach a copy of an unofficial transcript of a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, English, or related field. Transcript must include Institution name, applicant name, date degree attained, degree awarded. Finalist will be required to submit an official transcript.
Portfolio 1 (REQUIRED): Portfolio that reflects your strengths in writing, graphic design, and social media management. |
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Initial Application Review Date:
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August 18, 2025 |
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| Open Until Position is Filled?: |
Yes |
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Posting Close Date:
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| EEO Statement: |
Ferris State University, an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, is committed to enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity within its community. Ferris offers employment opportunities to qualified candidates seeking careers in a student-focused environment that values opportunity, collaboration, diversity and educational excellence. Learn more about the Ferris Mission and community at ferris.edu. The University actively seeks applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups. For more information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit: Ferris Non-Discrimination Statement. |
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Click here to learn more about working at FSU and KCAD. |
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