Senior Communications Specialist (Writing and Translation)

The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, aims to accelerate states’ implementation of evidence-based policies that help all children thrive from the start. The Communications team at the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center disseminates the latest rigorous research and policy analysis to educate and impact policy action. We seek an experienced and creative writer to help translate complex research topics and findings into clear, easy-to-understand content, tailored to specific audiences. 

This position reports administratively to the Communications Director and functionally to the Executive Director. Applicants from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse environment to continue to build a strong and equitable prenatal-to-3 system of care. This position can be performed remotely, and hybrid remote-work opportunities are available. Due to the nature of the role, applicants must be authorized to work in the US and not require sponsorship to be eligible.

Note: Please submit with your application writing samples showing the use of various communication channels to disseminate information to your target audience. Applications that do not have samples attached will not be considered. 

Candidates will be asked to complete a short exercise if they are under consideration to be a finalist for the role. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The primary duties and responsibilities of the position include: 

Project management: 

• Manage projects from start to finish, coordinating with team members and external vendors to ensure that project deadlines are met and reviews are completed in alignment with organizational policies 

• Continuously build expertise in policy and science related to the prenatal-to-three period to communicate knowledgeably to internal and external stakeholders 

• Contribute creative and evidence-based suggestions for marketing, communications, and design strategy 

Writing and translation: 

• Collaborate with Center researchers and analysts to understand policy topics and methods to translate those ideas into written materials that policymakers, practitioners, and the public can understand and act upon 

• Create original, compelling, and well-researched written content for all communications channels, which include the website, multiple social media channels, and broader email marketing tasks  

• Know and understand the needs of various audience types and the institutional style, and adapt product type and writing style accordingly 

• Research intended topics as needed to gain additional knowledge and background information 

• Revise and refine work based on feedback, making sure to meet established deadlines 

• Use Hubspot to distribute communications and track and report analytics 

• Ensure that efforts are coordinated, and messaging is consistent across channels. 

• Help track relevant analytics to improve communication effectiveness and efficiency 

• Other duties as assigned 

Supervisory Duties

None

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and three years of experience in communications, writing, marketing, or a related field is necessary.

• Excellent writing skills, including the ability to identify newsworthy elements, adapt content to different audiences, synthesize complex concepts clearly and concisely, and communicate sensitive topics effectively 

• Excellent proofing and editing abilities and strong attention to detail 

• Experience with writing and editing in APA style 

• Experience and/or expertise in marketing and communications strategy, ideally in branding, market research, or marketing analytics. Direct experience with Google Analytics strongly preferred. 

• Project management experience, ideally in the context of publishing or multichannel marketing and communications campaigns 

• Professional experience in the use of HubSpot or another mass email platform; WordPress or another web content management system, the marketing and analytics features of social media channels (especially LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and Facebook), and marketing analytics tools (i.e., Google Analytics and heatmap tools) 

• Exceptional interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively and effectively with others in a team environment  

• Ability to come up to speed on new topics quickly, multi-task effectively, and produce high-quality work under time constraints  

• Flexible and able to adapt to changing timelines and circumstances when needed, including troubleshooting technological issues and general problem-solving  

• Demonstrated understanding and support for key concepts in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and producing communications through an equity lens 

• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment 

• Commitment to continuous learning about marketing and communications tools and trends