Strategic Communications Student Assistant - Internal Communications

This is a student employment position. Applicants must be currently enrolled at Highlands College to be eligible.

Summary of Responsibilities:

The Strategic Communications Student Assistant provides writing, editorial, digital communications, project coordination, and administrative support to the Internal Communications Specialist and Strategic Communications team. The role helps ensure timely, accurate, and effective communication to Highlands College students, parents, and teammates across approved internal channels. The Student Assistant prepares first drafts, supports newsletters and digital platforms, maintains audience groups and project workflows, and performs quality-assurance checks while working within established strategies, approval processes, and brand standards. This position provides meaningful professional experience while increasing the operational capacity of the College’s internal communications function.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Internal Communications Execution

• Supports recurring and project-based internal communications for students, parents, teammates, and other internal audiences by preparing materials for email, newsletters, text messaging, Reach, myHC/intranet, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and other approved channels.
• Prepares communications from approved source information and helps ensure messaging is timely, accurate, audience-appropriate, and consistent with Highlands College tone, voice, values, and communication standards.
• Maintains communication calendars, schedules, deadlines, and distribution plans so the Internal Communications Specialist has clear visibility into upcoming needs and competing priorities.

Writing, Editing, and Quality Assurance

• Develops first drafts of routine student, parent, and teammate communications, including announcements, emails, newsletter content, text messages, event reminders, intranet content, FAQs, instructions, and other internal communications, for review and approval by the Internal Communications Specialist.
• Proofreads and edits communications for grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, consistency, formatting, and adherence to established communication standards.
• Performs quality-assurance checks by verifying dates, times, locations, hyperlinks, contact information, calls to action, audience details, and other critical information before content is submitted for final approval.
• Flags unclear, incomplete, conflicting, or potentially inaccurate information for resolution before communications are finalized.

Newsletter Production

• Supports production of recurring student, parent, teammate, and other assigned newsletters by gathering approved submissions, organizing content, drafting or editing copy, formatting materials, and preparing each issue for final review.
• Checks links, dates, event details, calls to action, and formatting to improve accuracy and consistency before distribution.
• Maintains organized records of submissions, deadlines, approvals, and published newsletter content and follows up on outstanding information as directed.

Reach and Audience Management

• Creates, updates, and maintains student groups, communication lists, and audience segments in Reach and other approved platforms according to established criteria and direction.
• Prepares and stages communications within Reach for review and distribution by the Internal Communications Specialist and supports basic communication reporting or engagement tracking as requested.
• Follows established procedures for student information, platform access, audience management, confidentiality, and data privacy.

myHC, Intranet, and SharePoint Support

• Prepares updates for myHC, SharePoint, intranet sites, and other approved internal digital platforms by drafting or formatting content, organizing materials, checking links, and identifying outdated information.
• Coordinates prepared updates with the Internal Communications Specialist, who retains publishing authority until training, permissions, and approved publishing procedures are established.
• Helps organize pages, resources, and documents so internal information remains current, accurate, and easy for intended audiences to use.

Project Management and Workflow Support

• Maintains project trackers, communication calendars, task lists, deadlines, and status information in Monday.com or other approved project-management tools.
• Organizes project briefs, source materials, drafts, approvals, final assets, and communication records to support efficient movement from intake through drafting, review, approval, and distribution.
• Follows up on outstanding information, deliverables, or approvals as directed and alerts the Internal Communications Specialist to approaching deadlines, incomplete tasks, or schedule conflicts.
• Assists with documenting recurring workflows, templates, and procedures to support consistency and efficiency.

Campus and Event Communications

• Supports communications for major Highlands College events, activities, and initiatives by preparing reminders, emails, text messages, schedules, FAQs, intranet updates, and related materials.
• Helps maintain event communication schedules and checklists and provides day-of communications support when assigned for events such as Welcome Week, Accepted Student Day, Veterans Day, Commencement, Leadership Conference, and other College activities.

Confidentiality and Professional Standards

• Handles student information, internal College information, communication lists, and unreleased communications with discretion and in accordance with College policies and applicable privacy requirements.
• Uses College systems, communication platforms, and access privileges only for authorized work-related purposes and maintains organized digital files and communication records.
• Exercises sound judgment by completing routine responsibilities within established processes and elevating sensitive, unusual, high-impact, or strategy-related matters to the Internal Communications Specialist.

Other Duties:

• Participates in Strategic Communications team meetings, training, planning sessions, and project meetings as requested.
• Supports special projects and departmental initiatives that advance the goals of Strategic Communications and Highlands College.
• Affirms and upholds the Statement of Faith and the Core Values and DNA of the College, exemplifying all by word and lifestyle.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Personal Characteristics:

• Positive, professional, and service-oriented approach.
• Detail-oriented with a strong commitment to accuracy and follow-through.
• Proactive, dependable, organized, and receptive to coaching and feedback.
• Exercises good judgment and recognizes when questions or concerns should be elevated.
• Flexible and able to adjust priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.

Essential Traits:

• Integrity and discretion
• Initiative
• Attention to detail
• Reliability
• Organization
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Service orientation

 Abilities & Skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, editing, and proofreading.
• Ability to translate approved source information into clear, concise, audience-appropriate first drafts.
• Ability to identify errors, inconsistencies, missing information, and potential communication issues before distribution.
• Ability to organize multiple assignments, recurring tasks, and deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• Ability to work independently on assigned tasks and collaboratively with professional staff and campus partners.
• Ability to learn and use multiple digital communication and project-management platforms.
• Ability to maintain confidential information and use sound judgment when working with internal systems and student data.

Knowledge:

• Basic principles of professional writing, editing, proofreading, and audience-focused communication.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint, or the ability to learn them quickly.
• Familiarity with Reach, intranet/content-management platforms, Monday.com, email/newsletter tools, forms, survey tools, or similar systems is preferred but not required.
• Ability to learn Highlands College communication standards, brand guidelines, internal communication processes, and approval workflows.

Education:

• Must be currently enrolled as a Highlands College student and remain in good academic and institutional standing.
• No specific academic major is required.

Experience:

• No prior professional communications experience is required.
• Previous experience with writing, editing, proofreading, communications, marketing, journalism, content creation, digital platforms, project coordination, student organizations, administrative support, or related activities is preferred.
• Relevant coursework, volunteer experience, student leadership, ministry experience, internships, or other demonstrated experience may be considered.

Extent of Public Contact:

• The role regularly interacts with Strategic Communications teammates, campus departments, faculty, staff, and students and may occasionally support communications involving parents, guests, or other College stakeholders.

Physical Demands:

• Primarily office and computer-based work, including extended periods of sitting, typing, reading, and reviewing digital content.
• Occasional standing, walking across campus, assisting with events, and transporting light communication or event materials.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position.

Direct Reports:

• This position is not a team lead for any Highlands College teammates.