Communications and Partnerships Manager - Community for Rigor - Penn Engineering

University Overview The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penns distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of Americas Best Large Employers in 2023. Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play. The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more. Posted Job Title Communications and Partnerships Manager - Community for Rigor - Penn Engineering Job Profile Title Communications Specialist Senior Job Description Summary The Community for Rigor (C4R) is an innovative team at the University of Pennsylvania dedicated to changing research culture by providing comprehensive educational materials, promoting best practices, and fostering a community committed to improving research reliability. Community for Rigor is a 6-year funded project from NIH NINDS, and operates as a hub that coordinates the efforts of multiple partner institutions. We are seeking a Communications and Partnerships Manager, based out of the Kording Lab, to own the strategy and day-to-day execution of C4R's communications, community engagement, and outreach. You will build and sustain an engaged community around research rigor, reaching a broad audience that includes students, research and support staff, faculty, and funders. This is a role for someone who thrives on a small, fast-moving team operating independently, developing deep knowledge of C4R's educational product, hosting events, representing C4R directly to external audiences, and actively contributing to the project's fundraising and long-term sustainability. In addition to empowering scientists, we also aim to empower every member of our team, through a supportive, inclusive, and open working environment. Job Description Responsibilities Own C4R's communications strategy and execution across all channels audience targeting, platform-specific approaches, and brand and style-guide consistency working with the Communications Team to plan, write, and distribute content (newsletters, op-eds, blog posts, social media) on a regular published cadence, tracking engagement and iterating based on performance. Supervise a team of two, including assigning work, reviewing output, and supporting their development. As a member of C4R Leadership, design and deploy a strategy for community engagement, including contribution and engagement pathways for our partners, stakeholders, learner audience, and broader scientific community. Serve as one of the key representatives of C4R's product to external audiences, designing and delivering tailored applications that support adoption such as outreach presentations, 15-minute demonstrations of longer content, and short-form interactives for live events. Develop and maintain working knowledge of C4R's curriculum, including what each unit teaches and the research-rigor problem it addresses. Develop and maintain an understanding of C4R's audiences including how researcher needs and motivations vary across disciplines and career stages to shape messaging, audience targeting, and engagement pathways. Establish channels to gather feedback from audiences and stakeholders on C4R's products, such as surveys or other structured methods, and communicate findings and recommendations to organizational leaders. Initiate and sustain relationships with contacts, potential partners, academic institutions and their educational entities, and rigor, reproducibility, open-science, and educational organizations (e.g., The Carpentries, CZI Open Science, ReproducibiliTea, reproducibility networks). Identify and cultivate funding and partnership opportunities that support C4R's mission and long-term sustainability. Plan and coordinate events and C4R's annual conference across virtual, in-person, and hybrid formats, owning logistics through execution and follow-up. Support grant-related communications and donor or funder engagement as needed. Receive and act on feedback and direction constructively, collaborating professionally with colleagues, partners, and supervisors, and proactively reporting on projects, progress, and outcomes to maintain internal visibility. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree (neuroscience background preferred, STEM background minimum) and a minimum of five years of professional experience in communications, community management, outreach, program administration, or a similar field or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Demonstrated ability to work independently, translating a broad vision into actionable goals and executing without close supervision. Evidence of presentation skills for live audiences, in person and virtually. Strong writing, editing, and documentation skills, including style and operations guides, op-eds, blogs, social media posts, etc. Strong interpersonal, communication, stakeholder management and conflict management skills. Experience with digital, print, and/or video content production. Some experience with or exposure to fundraising, development, or donor/funder engagement. Experience with event planning for events of 50-100 guests minimum, both in-person and virtually. Experience identifying and cultivating funding or partnership opportunities, such as grants, sponsorships, or institutional collaborations. Familiarity with research rigor, reproducibility, and/or open-science topics. Familiarity with research, academic, or higher-education environments. Interest in developing new skills and taking on new responsibilities as the project evolves. Preferred / Nice-to-Have Experience with inclusive and accessible design (e.g., user personas) Community Manager certification (e.g., CSCCE) Availability to work in the office minimum once a week. Application for remote work will be considered but hybrid strongly preferred. Experience with AI and its thoughtful application within workflows. Familiarity with accessibility practices (WCAG, alt text, inclusive language). Job Location - City, State Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Resume and Cover Letter Description Please provide a resume and cover letter in your application. We use these documents to understand your experience and who you are as an individual. Your resume should include recent positions, descriptions of what you did in each role, and any relevant skills. Your cover letter should describe why you are interested in joining C4R, your connection to its mission, how your prior experience has prepared you for the various aspects of this role (technical background, leadership experience, etc), and (research background, pedagogical experience, etc), and your approach for creating engaging and effective educational materials. Please keep cover letters to two pages or less. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Timeline We intend to have the position start in late August or early September. Please indicate when you are able to start in your application materials. Department / School School of Engineering and Applied Science Pay Range $77,330.00 - $90,000.00 Annual Rate Salary offers are made based on the candidates qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the jobs level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered. Equal Opportunity Statement The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Special Requirements Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job. University Benefits Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your familys health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars. Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions. Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penns Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard. Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with familywhatever your personal needs may be. Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when youre newly hired, you wont have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting. Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. Thats why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance. Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally. University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the Universitys libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. Theres always something going on at Penn, whether its a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, youre right in the middle of the excitementand you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free. Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks. Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures. Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements. Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household. To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay The University of Pennsylvanias special character is reflected in the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community and help create an educational and working environment that best supports the Universitys commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship. The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.