Job Purpose

To develop and deliver digital communications that drive engagement with multiple stakeholder groups across a variety of channels, including online and social media platforms. Work with colleagues to develop content and campaigns that support institutional priorities including alumni engagement, student recruitment, student opportunities, influence and philanthropy.

Create and curate content and generate communications that build relationships with alumni and donors, enabling successful campaigns that are integrated with wider university communications. Work across a variety of projects to shape the way we understand and engage with our audiences through compelling digital content and storytelling that communicates our core messages.

Main Duties

1. Responsible for the implementation of a planning calendar and messaging matrix for alumni and supporter communications across alumni engagement, stakeholder events fundraising and stewardship functions. Liaise with colleagues across the University to ensure coordination, and advise on the timings, volumes and schedules to ensure a balance of communications supporting strategic plans.

2. Source, create, coordinate and implement engaging content that targets and responds to the University’s alumni and donor audiences in line with strategic priorities. This includes University anniversaries and milestone such as our 575th anniversary celebration in 2026.

3. Responsible for video/photography filming and editing, preparing briefs for design, developing storyboards and delivering compelling copywriting, within brand guidelines so that content can be re-purposed across multiple audiences and channels.

4. Maintain an engaging always-on footprint across a wide range of social media channels including new channels/platforms where applicable. Horizon scanning to assess future opportunities and threats within Higher Education and the digital landscape. Review and implement best practice for creating effective social and web optimisation content.

5. Responsible for ensuring all content is consistent with University branding, including style, quality, tone, and that content is optimised for search and user experience.

6. Proactively monitor and review social and website architecture and copy to evaluate performance, ensuring all information is up to date and relevant to the various stakeholders providing a high-quality user experience. Working with the Reporting & Insight Analyst, employ user-testing and statistical analysis in the ongoing development of this content and make recommendations for future activity.

7. Contribute to other marketing and communications plans – to enhance online presence and overall brand awareness in order to support key strategic priorities for the University’s alumni and donor audiences.

8. Provide specialist guidance and support across Development and Alumni, promoting best practice and the use of our visual identity, publishing and style guidelines. Develop and communicate guidelines for team members in using social media to share content from events and activities. Coach colleagues in writing text and collecting suitable photo and video content. Participate in meetings, sharing information across the External Relations and wider University teams, as appropriate.

9. Responsible for ensuring consistency and scheduling of all e-mail communication (including the quarterly alumni e-newsletter Avenue and the fundraising publication Giving to Glasgow). Support colleagues by advising on email templates, proofing all emails, advising on style and tone of voice, and producing ad-hoc emails as required when these do not sit elsewhere in the team.

10. Work closely with colleagues to ensure content distribution in the most appropriate medium is presented to enhance and display all key communications channels for the University’s alumni and donor audiences effectively.

11. Responsible for creating segment audiences and use insights to develop content for different user personas. Ensure interactions are recorded on the alumni database (Raisers Edge), including adding global actions when mass communications are sent. Build mailing list queries based on segmentation analysis where appropriate.

12. Keep up to date with current changes and developments to enhance marketing communications. Provide regular reports and analysis on web and digital media usage and trends using platforms including Brandwatch, Google Analytics and other social listening tools.

13. Advise on and work with colleagues to help deliver communications which:

- ensure that upcoming opportunities for involvement such as volunteering as a mentor, or attending an upcoming event are promoted and past successes are celebrated,

- promote giving and help steward donors at all levels, recognising that more tailored and  individual content may be required for major donors.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential: 

A1 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills through personal development and progression in a similar related role(s). Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 8 (Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4, Higher National Diploma) or equivalent, and experience of personal development in a similar role.

A2 Detailed practical knowledge and understanding of producing engaging digital content and writing for social and web channels.

A3 Detailed knowledge and understanding of web design and web information architecture A4 Detailed knowledge and understanding of web usability and accessibility: particularly in relation to the 2010 Equality Act and the Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018

A4 Understanding of the role of relationship management databases and how they support donor and alumni relationship management and fundraising.

A5 Good knowledge of updating and interrogating data.

A6 Knowledge of privacy and data protection issues and understanding of the requirements of working with personal and confidential information

A7 Understanding of the principles of alumni engagement and of fundraising at all levels from regular giving to major gifts.

A8 Understanding of and belief in the importance of universities and why they merit philanthropic support.

Desirable:

B1 Detailed practical knowledge of web user testing and statistical analysis.

B2 Knowledge of the Raiser’s Edge or equivalent CRM.

B3 Knowledge and understanding of HTML/CSS coding.

Skills

Essential:

C1 Proven ability to create engaging digital content for a variety of channels, and the specialist requirements of these channels.

C2 Exceptional attention to detail.

C3 Proven ability to present and organise web content in an accessible and usable way.

C4 Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including active listening, negotiating and the ability to adapt approach to different stakeholders.

C6 Excellent problem-solving skills

C7 Excellent oral and written communication skills; including appropriate use of English language, grammar and punctuation

C8 Image creation and editing skills

C9 Confident, respectful and professional manner with ability to work proactively and collaboratively across teams and with senior colleagues with tact and discretion.

C10 High level of competency in IT Including the use of MS Office suite, proficiency with web and social media platforms and the confidence to adopt new technology.

C11 Ability to collect and review data, analyse and present arguments for or against activities/plans.

Desirable:

D1 Cultural and linguistic sensitivity to engage with alumni from across the world.

Experience

Essential:

E1 Building, managing, developing and maintaining websites

E2 Experience of website content creation and maintenance in a Content Management System (CMS) environment

E3 Significant experience of using digital/social media platforms in a professional environment

E4 Significant experience in developing and producing audio/video, photography and digital media

E5 Experience in a similar environment, such as a charity or other stakeholder engagement service.

Desirable:

F1 Experience of fundraising and/or alumni relations

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 6, £33,482 - £37,174 per annum.

This post is full time and open ended.

Closing Date: 23:45 9th April 2025

The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.  If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.