Project Communications Specialist

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Job Title:

Department:

The Ohio State University seeks a Marketing and Communications Specialist to develop content and lead marketing and communications efforts related to two USDA funded projects based on the OSU CFAES Wooster campus: From the Ground Up (80%) and the Northeast Ohio Agriculture Innovation Center (NEO AIC) (20%).

This position uses a combination of creative ideation and audience-centric, strategic thinking to produce informative, engaging and strategy-based content that will be used to disseminate and communicate messaging and generate project exposure. This person develops communication products that will represent the projects and organizations to internal and external constituencies using a variety of channels which may include print and graphic media, video and web communications, and digital and social media in order to enhance relationships and advance the long- and short-term goals and strategies.

This 100% FTE position is 100% grant funded for 3-years, with potential for extension based on funding availability.

About Projects

From the Ground Up: The FTGUp project is a USDA-funded Sustainable Agricultural Systems grant that involves five institutions (OSU, Central State University, the University of Missouri, Lincoln University and Solutions from the Land). Started in July 2024, this 5-year project is centered on farmer-led research and innovation to improve the agronomic and economic performance of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) and accelerate the adoption of CSAPs in Missouri and Ohio. Leadership for project design and decisions is jointly shared between a Farmer Leadership Team and Project Management Team. The Project Communications Specialist (this position) would work alongside the Project Manager (Alex Jefferies) and report to Lead PI (Dr. Douglas Jackson-Smith), both of whom work out of the OSU CFAES Wooster campus, an interdisciplinary research station 90 minutes north of Columbus in the heart of a vibrant rural and agricultural landscape. See our project website (https://www.ftgup.org).

NEO-AIC: The Northeast Ohio Agriculture Innovation Center (NEO-AIC) is a new venture funded by the USDA Rural Development and is a ‘one stop shop’ for Northeast Ohio farmers seeking assistance with their value-added agriculture (VAA) business including: financial, legal, technical, regulatory, and value chain/marketing support. The NEO-AIC holistically approaches each client and tailors its approach based on each client’s business needs and includes a focus on quality of life. The NEO-AIC project is directed by Dr. Shoshanah Inwood, a rural sociologist and faculty member in the School of Environment and Natural Resources. The office is located on the OSU-CFAES, Wooster campus. See our website (https://senr.osu.edu/extension-outreach/northeast-ohio-ag-innovation-center)

Duties and Responsibilities:

70% Communications Planning and Product Development

• Develop communication plan and products that will represent the projects to a range of internal and external constituencies.
• Use a variety of channels which may include print and graphic media, video and web communications, and digital and social media in order to enhance relationships and advance the long- and short-term goals and strategies of the projects.
• Collaborate across the enterprise to ensure alignment with the university's brand, content, and editorial strategies where possible and necessary.

20% Engagement with Public and Stakeholders

• Assist with FTGUp and NEO-AIC outreach and promotion at appropriate Extension meetings, producer trade shows, and events

10% Team Collaboration and Coordination

• Participate in weekly in-person FTGUp and NEO-AIC team meetings on the OSU Wooster Campus to better understand the projects, identify opportunities for communication project content, and leverage existing communications expertise on our project teams.

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Education:

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, media, along with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience.

Experience:

• The individual must have ability to work on projects of moderate scope and complexity, strong communication skills in a similar organizational context, proven ability to work effectively on a team and build consensus.

• The candidate must have experience with storytelling, print and digital media, computer/online tracking systems, documentation of work, and design and implementation of communications strategies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with Midwestern farming systems and value-added agriculture and food systems.
• Experience with agricultural communications, outreach, and extension.
• Masters degree and/or 2-4 years of relevant experience.

Additional Information:

This job profile is a Content and Editorial Strategy Specialist 2 (S2 level) on the career roadmap.

The offer for this position will fall within the positions pay range based on internal equity, unit’s available budget, and the candidate’s qualifications

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Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

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