COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST (50%)
RIVER FALLS (AREA 47)

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF), a member of the University of Wisconsin System, is located on the eastern edge of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area in scenic west central Wisconsin. Year-round arts, cultural, and recreational activities and events are easily accessible from River Falls. The 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students at UWRF pursue degrees in four colleges: Education and Professional Studies; Arts and Sciences; Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; and Business and Economics.  UWRF provides an excellent environment for learning, emphasizing the importance of faculty-student interaction in classrooms, laboratories, research, academic advising, and co-curricular activities. A favorable student-faculty ratio affords opportunities for meaningful interchange between faculty and students. Strong interests in teaching, research and community service are highly valued.  More information about UWRF can be found at: http://www.uwrf.edu.

Location:  This position is located in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Salary:  Starting salary is between $13.424 to $22.150 per hour, depending on qualifications, plus excellent benefits.  A six-month probationary period is required.  This position is in pay schedule and range 07-05 and is not represented by a bargaining unit.
 
Job Duties:  Position advances the College’s vision, goals and objectives by supporting the on-line communication needs of the College. Develops and administers informational and promotional on-line communications systems, such as the College website, web feedback systems and social media tools.  Monitors trends, investigates new technologies and recommends new strategies to reach target audiences.

This position is a half-time annual appointment – 20 hours per week. A flexible schedule is acceptable as long as hours are scheduled and occur within the standard campus workday of Monday - Friday, 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
 
Special Notice: For a copy of UW River Falls campus safety information and crime statistics/Annual Security Report see http://www.uwrf.edu/Police/CampusRecordsCrimes.cfm or call Public Safety at (715) 425-3133 for a paper copy.  A criminal background check will be completed on final candidates.  

Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:  Experience with content management systems, specifically CommonSpot.  Strong organizational, communication and proofreading skills.  Must have  excellent attention to detail and be a self-starter with a creative, team approach.  Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, English or a related field preferred.  Two years relevant experience in web/electronic journalism and demonstrated ability to use social media tools; experience in an academic setting is a plus.

How to Apply:  To apply for this position, you will be required to complete an online exam.  Applying is a six-step process.  Step 1:  Log on to http://wisc.jobs.  Create an account or enable your existing account if you have applied for State jobs in the past. Note:  If you receive a security prompt when logging in, please click “yes.”  Step 2:  Search for the job announcement by clicking “Job Search” and “More Search Options.”  Enter 1204530 as “Keyword” and click “Search.”  Click on the blue job announcement title.  Preview and print the exam so that you can prepare your responses to the exam.  When completed, return to apply after your responses have been prepared.  Step 3:  Click on the “Apply Now” button at the top or bottom of the screen.  Review the information in the “My Job Application” making any necessary updates and click on “Submit Personal Information.”  Step 4:  Complete the information on the Employment Information and Preferences screen.  This must be completed to apply for this recruitment.  Once completed, click the “Update Employment Preferences.”   A resumé is required to apply for this position.  Follow the prompts to create a resumé or to upload an existing resumé and click “Continue.”  Step 5:  At the “Application Detail” screen, click on the “View Exam Option” button, and the “Take Exam” button on the next screen.  Step 6:  Copy your answers into the exam and click “Save and Continue” at the bottom of every page.  When you are finished with the exam, click the 'Save and Finalize' button, and at the exam summary window, click the 'Finalize' button.  If you return later to update your exam, you must 'Finalize' again or your exam may not be considered."  Your responses to the questions are considered an examination and will be used to determine the eligibility for this vacancy.
NOTE:  We encourage you to prepare you answers in a Word document and then copy and paste.  This will speed up your time in the exam and prevent lost answers.  You will be asked to submit a resume at the time of application.  However, DO NOT submit a resume in lieu of the other required application materials.  Incomplete application/examination materials will NOT be considered.  
The deadline to apply on-line is Monday, December 3, 2012.  If you have questions or problems accessing the exam, please contact Deb Schwab at (715) 425-3221, e-mail debra.schwab@uwrf.edu.  Materials will be evaluated and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

UW-River Falls is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer subject to all state and federal regulations pertaining to non-discrimination based upon sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, age, arrest and/or conviction record, veteran status and membership in the national guard, state defense force, or any other reserve component of the military forces of the United States or the State of Wisconsin. All persons, especially women, persons of color, and the people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Employment is subject to federal laws that require verification of your identity and legal right to work in the United States as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act.