Senior Officer: Marketing and Communications x1
Job Details
- Position: Senior Officer: Marketing and Communications (Post Level 9)
- Job ID: 6501
- Institution: University of the Free State (UFS)
- Faculty: Faculty of Law – Office of the Vice-Dean: Learning, Teaching, Innovation and Digitalisation
- Location: Bloemfontein Campus, Free State, South Africa
- Employment Type: Permanent
- Occupational Level: Junior Management
- Closing Date: 3 July 2026
- Assumption of Duties: 1 September 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter
Job Description
The Senior Officer: Marketing and Communications is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing communication, marketing, recruitment, stakeholder engagement, and brand management initiatives for the Faculty of Law. The role focuses on promoting academic programmes, enhancing faculty visibility, supporting student recruitment efforts, managing digital communication platforms, coordinating events, and strengthening relationships with students, alumni, staff, and external stakeholders. The incumbent ensures that all communication and marketing activities align with the University’s strategic objectives and branding guidelines.
Key Responsibilities
Student Recruitment and Marketing
- Recruit undergraduate and postgraduate students in alignment with faculty recruitment objectives.
- Promote academic programmes through school visits, career exhibitions, subject selection evenings, community engagement initiatives, and digital marketing campaigns.
- Develop and implement marketing and communication strategies to increase faculty visibility and support enrolment targets.
- Coordinate faculty advertising and promotional activities in collaboration with the Department of Communication and Marketing.
Communication and Content Development
- Develop, design, coordinate, and distribute marketing and communication materials, including brochures, newsletters, videos, annual reports, information guides, and digital content.
- Write articles and communication content highlighting faculty achievements, events, research activities, student and staff accomplishments, and community engagement initiatives.
- Ensure all communication materials comply with institutional branding standards and communication guidelines.
- Coordinate the publication of faculty newsletters, annual reports, rulebooks, and other faculty publications.
Digital Marketing and Social Media Management
- Manage and regularly update the Faculty of Law website and social media platforms.
- Develop and implement content strategies for recruitment campaigns, faculty events, and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
- Coordinate and curate photography, videography, and digital content for communication and marketing purposes.
- Monitor social media engagement and digital communication performance and prepare analytical reports for management.
Stakeholder and Alumni Relations
- Build and maintain positive relationships with students, staff, alumni, university departments, and external stakeholders.
- Maintain and update the Faculty of Law alumni database.
- Facilitate alumni engagement initiatives in collaboration with relevant university structures.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for faculty communication and marketing matters.
Event Coordination and Management
- Coordinate communication and marketing activities related to faculty events and stakeholder engagements.
- Ensure compliance with institutional policies, event procedures, and risk management requirements.
- Develop contingency plans and address operational challenges to ensure successful event execution.
- Collaborate with service providers, photographers, videographers, designers, and other vendors to support faculty events and campaigns.
Internationalisation and Reporting
- Compile and coordinate the Faculty of Law internationalisation report using the Internationalisation Toolkit.
- Support internationalisation initiatives, partnerships, and exchange programmes.
- Represent the faculty on institutional committees and forums related to marketing, communication, recruitment, and internationalisation.
Budget and Resource Management
- Draft, manage, and monitor the faculty marketing and communication budget.
- Identify cost-effective and financially sustainable marketing opportunities.
- Monitor expenditure and ensure compliance with procurement and financial procedures.
Minimum Requirements
Qualifications
- A relevant Bachelor’s Degree or B.Tech Degree (NQF Level 7) in:
- Marketing
- Communications
- Public Relations
- Or a related field
Experience
- Minimum of two (2) years’ relevant working experience in marketing, communications, public relations, stakeholder engagement, digital marketing, or related functions.
Recommendations
- Honours Degree (NQF Level 8) in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, or a related field.
- Demonstrated social media and digital marketing experience.
- Experience within a higher education environment.
- Membership or registration with a professional body such as:
- Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA)
- Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA)
Required Competencies and Skills
Results Orientation
- Ability to adapt to changing environments and priorities.
- Dependable and accountable approach to work.
Strategic Thinking
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
- Creative and innovative problem-solving skills.
Business Acumen
- Understanding of policies, procedures, and organisational regulations.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
Leadership and Teamwork
- High levels of motivation, energy, and enthusiasm.
- Ability to work collaboratively and encourage teamwork.
Relationship Building
- Strong negotiation, influencing, and persuasion skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement abilities.
- Ability to establish and maintain productive professional relationships.
Preferred Technical Skills
- Digital marketing and social media management.
- Website content management.
- Content writing and copywriting.
- Graphic design coordination and multimedia content management.
- Event planning and coordination.
- Communication strategy development.
- Data analysis and reporting.
- Budget administration and financial monitoring.