Communications Lead/Communications Associate - Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (2885)

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Communications Lead/Communications Associate - Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (2885)
Pocatello - Main
NOT eligible for remote work, on-campus position
Priority Date: March 29, 2026

Institution Information

Idaho State University, established in 1901, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research and teaching institution, with a culture built on trust, compassion, stability, and hope. ISU serves over 12,000 students in Pocatello, Meridian, Twin Falls, and Idaho Falls. Students and faculty at ISU are leading the way in cutting-edge research and innovative solutions. We are proud to offer exceptional academics nestled in the grand, natural beauty of the West. We invite you to apply to be a part of our University community!

Job Description

This announcement will be used to fill either a Communications Lead or Communications Associate role for the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (KDHS), dependent upon the successful candidate's skills and experience.

The Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (KDHS) Communications Lead is responsible for oversight and coordination of all public relations and communications efforts for the KDHS, which includes division-level initiatives along with the College of Pharmacy (COP), College of Health (COH), School of Nursing (SON), health clinics at both the Pocatello and Meridian campuses and pharmacies across the state. Working closely with the KDHS Marketing Lead and KDHS Clinics Business Promotions Specialist, the Communications Lead will guide the creation of a multi-faceted and cohesive communications strategy for all KDHS units and priorities with a focus on storytelling, public and media relations.

The Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (KDHS) Communications Associate is responsible for coordination of public relations and communications efforts for the KDHS. Working closely with the Office of Marketing and Communications and KDHS leadership, the Communications Associate will guide the creation of communications deliverables with a focus on storytelling, public and media relations.

This position is not eligible for new visa sponsorship at this time. Candidates who already hold valid U.S. work authorization may be considered.

Key Responsibilities

Communications Lead Objectives: Build awareness of & engagement with programs to advance public, media & legislative relations objectives; Understand the nuances and challenges faced by each department or program in order to provide direction for internal & external communications, news stories, recruitment goals & other priorities; Maintain & grow ISU’s standing as Idaho’s leader in health sciences education.

Strategy: Create & implement an annual communication strategic plan - prioritize planning, implementation, development & tracking of success metrics; Evaluate the return on investment of current communications & media efforts through research, focus groups, & other methods to provide strategic direction for improvements; Continually identify new opportunities to deliver key university messages to target audiences.

Tasks: Research background data & interview sources to write and distribute routine news releases covering research endeavors, student success stories, faculty appointments, program updates, meetings & events; Write feature stories & in-depth articles, human interest stories, etc. on a wide variety of topics; Post stories & news releases to the ISU website & submit for distribution to media outlets across the state & region; Provide support to senior administrators for communications & presentations;
Prepare electronic newsletters for KDHS & assist division units with outreach communications; Capture or coordinate photographs & videos for print & electronic media; Serve as media liaison to arrange KDHS personnel to make media appearances or interviews; Serve on the ISU Content Creation Team; Oversee the strategic operation & content development of KDHS social media accounts with focus on growing & enhancing social media presence, reach & engagement; Update website content using a Content Management System; provide training for others within the KDHS charged with updating web content; Develop & present reports that share research, communications & media performance, & tactic effectiveness; Provide communications support for large events (such as the ISU Health Fair, Geriatric Symposium, Health Science Experience Night, grand openings, dedications, etc.); Collaborate with KDHS Development Officers, along with the ISU Office of Alumni & Advancement to align communications efforts with major fundraising initiatives annually; Position requires occasional availability for after-hours & weekend events, including occasional travel to & from the ISU Meridian campus.

Communications Associate Objectives: Build awareness of and engagement with KDHS programs to advance public, media and legislative relations objectives. Provide specialized expertise for internal and external communications, news stories, recruitment goals and other priorities.

Tasks: Work with unit leaders and Office of Marketing and Communications to prioritize communication needs for the unit. Identify new opportunities to deliver key university messages to target audiences. Write and distribute routine news releases, feature stories and in-depth articles, human interest stories, etc. on a wide variety of topics covering research endeavors, student success stories, faculty appointments, program updates, meetings, and events. Post stories and news releases to the ISU website and submit to the Office of Marketing and Communications for distribution to media outlets across the state and region. Serve on the ISU Content Creation Team. Oversee content development for social media accounts with focus on growing and enhancing social media presence, reach and engagement. Update website content using a Content Management System; provide training for others within the unit charged with updating web content. Position requires availability for after-hours and weekend events and communications.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or related field. In lieu of a bachelor's degree, a minimum six years combined education, training, and experience may be considered.
• At least two (2) years professional experience writing news or feature stories, engaging with the news media, and using social media to support business or organizational goals.
• In addition to the required qualifications, in order to qualify for the Lead role candidates must demonstrate strong time-management skills, and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently on complex projects in high throughput, timeline-intensive work environments often with tight deadlines.

• Master’s degree in business, marketing or relevant field.
• Professional experience working in a higher education setting.
• Experience with producing and editing video content.
• Experience with photography and photo editing.

You must submit your CV/resume, cover letter, written works portfolio (samples of work or a link in the resume or cover letter) and list of three (3) professional references, including current contact information. This position will remain open until it is filled; however, priority consideration will be given to applications received on or before March 29, 2026.

Salary will be determined by the hiring manager and for the Associate role will be between $49,750 and $53,000 per year, salary for the Lead role will be between $53,000 and $60,000 per year, commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits include comprehensive health, dental, and vision; life insurance; disability plan; employee assistance program (EAP); excellent retirement options and company contribution; and generous paid time off/sick leave accrual. All offers of employment are conditional pending the successful completion of a background investigation, provided by HireRight.

Note: Thank you for your interest in positions at Idaho State University. Once you have applied, the most updated information on the status of your application can be found by logging into your profile and reviewing your status. For answers to additional questions, please review our frequently asked questions.

Posting Number: req2682
Type: Working 12 months per year
Position: Non-classified Staff
Division: Presidents Office

Idaho State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, including Veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The State of Idaho is committed to access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request. If you require an accommodation at any step in our recruitment process, you are encouraged to contact (208) 334-2263 (TTY/TTD: 711), or email ada.coordinator@dhr.idaho.gov.

Preference may be given to veterans who qualify under state and federal laws and regulations.

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