The Strategic Communication Specialist is a fundamental role within Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) that develops, coordinates, and executes communication strategies that advance the University’s mission. The Strategic Communication Specialist researches, plans, synchronizes, drafts, and coordinates the execution of communication strategies to achieve communication objectives.
In this role, the Specialist continuously assesses the communication environment, the performance of campaigns and communication channels, researching best practices and emerging technologies to inform future plans. The Specialist aligns communication initiatives with Pepperdine’s values, mission, and strategic objectives. The Specialist also works with team members to plan and execute marketing and communication campaigns and make adjustments based on the dynamic environment and performance of campaigns.

This position reports to the Senior Director of Communications and Public Relations on IMC’s Communications and Public Relations Team.

IMC is directly tasked with supporting the University’s mission and strategic plan by building brand equity, elevating the University’s national reputation, providing strong and consistent institutional message leadership, and implementing effective integrated marketing and communication strategies. The communication specialist fulfills an important role in helping the department accomplish its goals.

Duties

• Communication Research: Confirm stakeholder needs, identify target audiences, assess the environment, best practices and capabilities, assess marketing and communication capabilities, and synchronize multiple initiatives.
  • Conduct stakeholder discovery meetings to clarify goals, priorities, challenges, and communication needs.
  • Gather and analyze audience, market, and institutional insights to inform communication strategies.
  • Research industry trends, peer institutions, and best practices to identify opportunities and recommendations.
  • Assess available communication channels, resources, and organizational capabilities to support campaign success.
• Campaign Planning: Draft and coordinate marketing and communication campaign plans that clearly identify the situation, objectives, strategies, deliverables, performance measures, and execution schedules.
  • Develop integrated campaign plans that align messaging, tactics, timelines, and resources.
  • Establish measurable objectives, key performance indicators, and evaluation methods for campaign success.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders and internal teams to prioritize initiatives and define project scope.
  • Identify communication channels and tactics that best support audience engagement and organizational goals.
• Campaign and Calendar Coordination: Work closely with stakeholders and fellow team members to ensure alignment with and execution of campaign plans, make necessary adjustments, and report results at the conclusion of the campaign. Maintain the strategic communication calendar to ensure visibility and alignment with priorities and events.
  • Coordinate timelines, deliverables, and project milestones across multiple campaigns and stakeholders.
  • Facilitate communication among project teams to ensure alignment, accountability, and timely execution.
  • Monitor campaign progress and recommend adjustments based on changing priorities, feedback, or performance.
  • Maintain and update the strategic communications calendar to support planning, transparency, and coordination across initiatives.
  • Compile campaign outcomes and performance results to inform future planning and decision-making.
• Writing: Drafting content in support of the campaign, such as marketing content, remarks, key messages, and web content.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Uphold University mission through work performed.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• A bachelor’s degree in communication, marketing, public relations, journalism, political science, public policy, or related field.
• One year of experience developing, implementing, measuring, and reporting performance.
• A proven ability to work on varying timelines and to maintain flexibility in a fast-paced work environment.
• A collaborative mindset to partner and interface with internal colleagues both in IMC and across the University.
• Superior organizational and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Project management software.
• Experience successfully working with peers.
• Demonstrated success at working under tight deadlines.
• Google applications.

Preferred:

• Three years of experience in marketing and communication, media, public relations, public policy departments or agencies.
• Adobe Creative Suite, Marketing Cloud, Workfront, Raiser’s Edge.

This is a Regular, Nonexempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $28.34 - $31.49 per hour

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Pepperdine is committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.

Pepperdine is religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It is the purpose of Pepperdine to pursue the very highest employment and academic standards within a context that celebrates and extends the spiritual and ethical ideals of the Christian faith. While students, faculty, and staff represent many religious backgrounds, Pepperdine is permitted under applicable law and reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists who support Pepperdine's Christian mission.

Qualified individuals should be able to show respect for workplace differences, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Individuals will be required to disclose any criminal convictions on a designated form after receiving a conditional offer of employment; failure to disclose accurate information may result in withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.