University Communication Specialist in Public Affairs (Hybrid Schedule)

UTHealth Houston is looking for a University Communication Specialist to join our Public Affairs team. This role is integral to ensuring that faculty, staff, administrators, trainees, and students across all seven schools receive timely, accurate, and engaging campus communications that inform, inspire, promote safety, and support compliance with university policies and procedures.

The University Communication Specialist will provide a broad range of communications for Houston’s Health University, with a strong emphasis on writing. Responsibilities include developing original content, editing to AP style and university editorial and brand standards, planning and coordinating communication projects, and supporting health education and promotional initiatives. Strong news judgment and a keen understanding of what makes a story compelling to a wide audience are essential.

This role requires the regular production of timely articles within a weekly recurring publication cycle. This position also entails gathering, adapting, and repurposing content from UTHealth Houston’s schools and departments for distribution across university-wide communication channels.
Additional responsibilities include supporting daily institutional communications and serving as a key contributor during emergency communication efforts.

The ideal candidate is proactive and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and take direction well in a deadline-driven environment. Experience working with a content management system is preferred; basic graphic design and photo editing skills are a plus.

Candidates should have at least three years of experience in journalism, corporate communications, public relations, or a related field.

To be considered for the position, all candidates must provide writing samples, which can be uploaded via the “File Attachments” section. This is the same way resumes are uploaded.

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’s resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

Once you join us, you won't want to leave. We reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equate to around 37-38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, we take our employees’ well-being seriously. We offer work/life services such as...

• Free financial and legal counseling
• Free mental health counseling services
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
• Other employee discounts, including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus many more!

Position Summary:

Provides a broad range of communications support that has an institution-wide impact, including writing, editing, project planning, event coverage, curating news brief packages, while also reinforcing editorial and brand standards.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Writes articles of interest to the university community, including news, features, event coverage, save the dates, calendar entries, and more. May take photos or video to accompany articles.
• Gathers information through research and interviews with faculty, staff, students, and trainees, and other appropriate sources.
• Contributes content to the university's intranet, as well as its internal newsletter. Curates content from a wide array of campus resources, and compiles briefs packages.
• Contributes to maintaining websites, including the university's intranet, as well as other internally-focused webpages. Duties include posting stories, videos, photo albums, calendar entries, and more. Contributes to maintaining websites and assists with maintaining web accessibility standards.
• Writes content for targeted/specific audiences within the university, including students, faculty, and staff, as well as area-specific building communications, including mass emails and digital signage.
• Collaborates with team members within the department as well as within other key areas of the university, including human resources, payroll, wellness teams, health services, the university's schools, and more.
• Contributes to emergency communications and works with the university's police department to maintain timely posting of safety notifications.
• Supports internal communications campaigns.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

• Written and verbal communication skills.
• Skills in writing features and news articles, as well as web copy.
• Knowledge and experience in website content management systems.
• Strong knowledge of AP Style.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products and platforms.
• Experience in Adobe Creative Suite preferred.
• Experience in photography and graphic design for web preferred.
• Experience working within project management platforms.
• Experience with metric and analytic tools.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, or a related field required.

Minimum Experience:

Three (3) years in public relations, communications, writing/editing, or a related field required.

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether factors such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from maintaining the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.