The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public land-grant research university committed to excellence in teaching, research, and public engagement. The Outreach & Communication Lead will manage communication and outreach activities, support program coordination, and maintain relationships with farmers and stakeholders in Illinois.

Responsibilities

• Develop clear, accessible outreach materials such as summaries of nutrient management research and recommendations, newsletters, and website and social media content
• Translate technical or scientific content into formats for diverse audiences, with particular emphasis on farmers and crop advisors
• Produce short, easily digestible video clips for web, presentations, and social media platforms
• Prepare meeting materials, agendas, minutes, and follow-up actions
• Work closely with iSEE communication and Extension staff to ensure smooth distribution of communication materials
• Collaborate with web developers to maintain an accessible online presence
• Prepare and deliver public speaking presentations
• Cultivate existing and initiate new relationships with commodity groups, grower associations, Illinois Extension, industry partners, and conservation organizations
• Facilitate communication between stakeholders, the advisory committee, and the co-leads to ensure INSA remains farmer-focused
• Lead planning, coordination, and delivery of outreach efforts, including workshops and field days
• Represent INSA at events to strengthen visibility and engagement with the agricultural community
• Support the Executive Manager in day-to-day program operations of INSA
• Coordinate schedules, meetings, and communications among research teams, partner organizations, and the INSA Advisory Board
• Assist the Executive Manager in preparing progress reports and tracking program evaluation metrics
• Perform other duties that contribute to the mission of INSA programming, as assigned
• Local, regional, statewide, and (limited) interstate travel required

Skills

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, radio/television broadcasting, web/digital media, or a related field
• One (1) year (12 months) of professional work experience in public relations, journalism, social media communications, newspaper reporting, radio/television broadcasting with emphasis on production, or web/digital media
• Demonstrated experience in agricultural research, agricultural outreach and/or agricultural extension
• MS degree in agricultural sciences, agricultural communications or marketing, agricultural business, agricultural engineering, environmental studies or sustainability, environmental engineering, or a related technical discipline
• Experience with on-farm research and/or outreach on nutrient management and agronomy
• Experience with planning educational events (e.g., field days, workshops)
• Experience with graphic design and video editing programs, including webinar skills
• Demonstrated experience preparing and delivering research presentations to non-scientific audiences

Benefits

• This position may be eligible for a hybrid or remote work arrangement dependent with unit operational needs.
• The university offers a highly competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and financial security.
• This position is intended to be eligible for benefits . This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

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