Communications Graduate Student Lead

University of Michigan Spectrum Center, Student Life

About Spectrum Center: Spectrum Center is a campus resource center dedicated to serving and supporting the University of Michigan community, with a focus on gender and sexuality. Founded in 1971, Spectrum Center is the first campus-based center of its kind. Through campus-wide education, research, and community building, the center staff work to enhance campus climate, increase belonging, and help students thrive. We serve and support members of the U-M's LGBTQIA2S+ communities and strive to create a campus where people of all sexualities and genders are welcome, included, and valued. 

About the position: Spectrum Center at the University of Michigan is seeking a creative and motivated communications graduate student coordinator to support our communications portfolio. This role is ideal for a graduate student who has experience in storytelling and social media, and is passionate about contributing to the center’s mission. 

Job summary/responsibilities

Spectrum Center project management and original content development (65%)

• Under the direction of the communications strategist, lead key storytelling initiatives highlighting students, staff, and faculty.

• Collaborate closely with the Spectrum Center team to brainstorm, plan, and manage content projects from inception through completion/dissemination.

• Write and edit feature stories, articles, Q&As, social media posts, event recaps, and/or other written content that align with the center's mission, values, and strategic priorities

• Conduct research and interviews for quotes or background as needed

• Coordinate with staff on related needs, such as purchasing, interview sourcing, event details, supporting media (photo, design), etc.

• Participate in brainstorming sessions and contribute innovative ideas for content creation and storytelling initiatives.

• Develop and help manage content for the Spectrum Center's social media platforms, ensuring stories and key messages are effectively communicated to diverse audiences.

• Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of communication projects, providing recommendations for improvements.

Content scheduling and engagement (30%)

• Prepare story content for publication to the center’s Drupal-based website, curating to secondary locations as directed, and coordinating dissemination to key campus partners and other publications

• Follow the center’s social media norms and industry best practices, including posting schedules, frequencies, optimizing for each channel, and the university’s community guidelines.

• Create and schedule posts in advance using Sprout and the platforms themselves.

• Represent Spectrum Center in interactions with comments and tags as appropriate.

• Follow best practices for online and platform-specific accessibility.

All staff responsibilities (5%)

• Provide front desk coverage for approximately 2-3 hours per week.

• Attend Spectrum Center all-staff meetings.

• Attend Spectrum Center, Student Life, and University-wide professional development opportunities. 

Position requirements 

• Enrolled as a graduate student for the 2025 - 2026 academic year

• Proven experience in writing, with a strong portfolio that highlights clear and creative communication skills

• Curious, creative, and context-aware

• Knowledge or desire to increase knowledge of social identities and social justice education concepts, specifically around gender identity, gender expression, attractionality, and sexual orientation

• Familiarity with our three main social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook) and an understanding of how to leverage these tools to reach and engage target audiences effectively.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups and individuals, demonstrating respect and understanding across different perspectives.

Desired qualifications

• Excellent judgment and awareness of sociopolitical nuances, audience expectations, and key communication strategies.

• Self-motivated, with strong organizational and communication skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks independently.

• Prior experience with the “behind the scenes” of social media communication and marketing

Miscellaneous

While the aforementioned duties are the priority for this position, all staff members are expected to be available and willing to perform other duties necessary to the effective functioning of the Spectrum Center as a whole.