(Hybrid) Senior Parent Relations Specialist

The Mountaineer Parents Club at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Senior Parent Relations Specialist.

About the Opportunity

The Senior Parent Relations Specialist is a crucial member of the Mountaineer Parents Club. This position is responsible for a variety of operations within the team, including family communications and event management, among others. 

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year
  (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What you'll do:

Communications

• Compose the Mountaineer Parents Club Electronic Enews messages to families, which includes gathering information from various units/groups, writing, and editing each message, having each email message approved by MPC staff.
• Assist Mountaineer Parents Club with social media management, particularly the Facebook page and Facebook groups by adding members, answering questions, and maintaining Facebook groups.
• Revise and create Parents Club Volunteer Handbook and other MPC publications.  
• Respond to emails within the parent vanity email account. 

Operations

• Take and respond to phone calls that come to the Mountaineer Parents Club.  
• Assist the Mountaineer Parents Club to create Parent Volunteer list to use for various events. 
• Help coordinate parent volunteers for recruitment and other events.
• Develop and oversee a Parent Advisory Board for Mountaineer Parents Club.
• Work to help expand local Mountaineer Parents Club chapters and communicate with potential Club chairs.  
• Correspond with parent volunteers monthly, sharing information about the Parents Club and how they can assist.
• Other duties as assigned.

Event Management

• Represent the Mountaineer Parents Club, as needed, at events on and off campus or virtually.  
• Coordinate and plan all Mountaineer Parents Club events (e.g. Fall Family Weekend, Fall and Spring Ring Day ceremonies, “I Survived Move-In” Parents Receptions, Summer Send-offs, NSO parent events), including scheduling reservations for event space, food and beverage, transportation, interactive and experiential moments, sleeping rooms, photographer, entertainment, and audio/visual equipment, negotiating with vendors, liaising with campus partners, among others.
• Create consistent reporting (e.g. surveys, focus groups) for Mountaineer Parents Club events to develop necessary action items for future improvement. 
• Plan, setup, and support Mountaineer Parents Club virtual events for incoming and current families.   

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required 
• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in event execution, management, and planning.
• Proven organizational experience and project management skills.
• Familiarity with, and the ability to become an expert on, University’s branding guidelines.
• The ability to work collaboratively as part of a larger team, both as a project leader or team member, depending on the assignment.
• Demonstrated skill in analyzing situations and providing sound professional judgment on problems.
• Experience maintaining a high standard of productivity within a broad scope of responsibility despite frequent interruptions. Ability to complete large volume of diverse tasks efficiently, meeting established deadlines.
• Skill in effectively meeting budget and time constraints. Ability to work on several tasks simultaneously. Skill at responding effectively to priorities and setting deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to deal with sensitive and sometimes confidential issues appropriately, and work as a team in a crisis; skill in establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships.
• Ability to work outside the traditional workweek when needed.
• Ability to investigate and analyze information and draw conclusions.
• Ability to operate the necessary computer, software, web-based and other high tech, emerging equipment, and perform various communications duties using a broad range of web and publishing programs (content management systems, media monitoring distribution systems, archival programs).
• Knowledge of a broad range of academic and institutional issues related to a major research University environment. 

Requirements 

• Valid driver's license

About WVU 

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.
 

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.
 

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values — service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation — unite us as Mountaineers.
 

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and engaging working environment and actively seek candidates who bring diverse ideas, approaches and experiences.
 

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.
 

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and received an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. We value diversity among our faculty, staff and students and invite applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.