Marketing Production Specialist

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

Under the supervision of the Director of Marketing and Donor Growth on the Annual Giving team in the Development and Alumni Relations division, the Marketing Production Specialist manages the planning, implementation, and production of a variety of annual giving projects requiring creative services from the Communications team. Projects may include but are not limited to print, email, web, social media, and video. The Marketing Production Specialist works collaboratively with the annual giving team, internal writers, web developers, graphic designers, and a production team, as well as with external communications vendors (design firms, printers, mail houses, etc.) and campus constituents (Rice Public Affairs, academic schools, etc.) to ensure that projects are completed efficiently, on time, and at the highest level of quality.

The ideal candidate exhibits a high degree of organization and professionalism, works well independently and as part of a highly collaborative team, and has experience working with a variety of clients and vendors.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted
• 1+ years of related professional experience
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted

Skills:

• Ability to prioritize work and multi-task in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and collaborate effectively within a team
• Written and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in making decisions
• Relevant subject matter knowledge

Preferences:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations, English, or liberal arts
• 2+ years’ experience coordinating digital and print communication projects
• 2+ years’ experience with overall planning, calendar management, and administrative responsibilities
• Experience working for an institution of higher education or non-profit organization
• Experience working in a marketing or fundraising environment
• Experience coordinating multi-faceted projects using project management software like Teamwork (or similar systems)
• Experience using Blackbaud CRM and Blackbaud Internet Solutions (or similar alumni/donor database system)
• Experience in a PC Windows environment
• Ability to take direction and work to meet expected deadlines and schedules
• Strong listening skills
• Strong time management skills
• Demonstrated team player who can work across teams to deliver a common goal
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly with Microsoft Excel
• Values attention to detail
• Familiarity with project management software

Essential Functions:

• Manages the Annual Giving team’s day-to-day production of multiple marketing projects from start to finish including project documentation, budgets, deliverables, and milestones
• Projects include annual giving communication pieces including mass appeals, engagement and stewardship pieces, e-newsletters, event invitations, and more
• Establishes and maintains project production schedules, including a master annual giving communications calendar for the team
• Tracks deliverables with various Annual Giving and Communications team members and assists in drafting creative briefs
• Leads weekly project status meetings and oversees the production review process as needed
• Assists in vendor management on specific projects for digital and print production
• Obtains quotes for annual giving print and production projects. Reviews art and data deliverables for accuracy and quality assurance
• Prepares data files for print production mailings coordinating necessary edits and proofing with the vendor
• Assists in preparing marketing reports and coordinates debriefs after major projects to ensure best practices
• Processes Annual Giving production invoices for payment and maintains accounting data to reflect expenses by project
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

• Written, email, and telephone contact with students and all levels of faculty and administration
• Written, email, and telephone contact with donors, alumni, volunteers, and external vendors
• Occasional attendance at after-hours departmental events on or off campus may be required

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview 

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University 

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.