University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
This role primarily functions as the lead for HR communications, executing organization-wide announcements, including policy updates, legal notices, and change-management initiatives and leading the development, execution, and continuous improvement of all HR-focused communications. Reporting directly to the Executive Director (with a dotted-line relationship to the HR Operations Manager), the position executes the communications vision and acts as the voice of HR, crafts compelling messaging, and champions a modern, user-focused communications ecosystem that encompasses FAQs, ServiceNow templates, knowledge articles, digital campaigns, and the unit's web presence.
This position is a career appointment that is 100% fixed.
The home department is the IMM Office of Human Resources. While this position normally is based in Davis, CA, this position is eligible for hybrid flexible work arrangements for applicants living in the State of California at this time. Please note that hybrid flexible work arrangements are subject to change by the University.
Pay Scale: $75,900/year to $106,600/year
Job Posting Close Date: This job is open until filled. The first application review date will be 09/01/2026.
Key Responsibilities
60% Communications & Planning
- Advise senior leadership on messaging, crisis response, and policy-related communications, including risk, clarity, and accessibility considerations for diverse audiences.
- Integrate accessibility and inclusive communication principles (e.g., plain language, multiple formats, readability standards) into communication strategies to ensure information is understandable and usable across employee populations.
- Establish metrics, monitor performance, and produce actionable reports to continuously improve outreach, including evaluation of accessibility and audience reach.
- Coordinate with the Strategic Communications Unit to build an Employee Value Proposition and a cohesive employment-brand strategy that reflects broad access and engagement across communities.
25% Content Creation & Digital Management
- Oversee the HR unit's website, ServiceNow knowledge base, and template libraries; ensure usability, SEO, and compliance with accessibility standards.
- Act as the HR unit Brand Ambassador in coordination with Strategic Communications.
- Apply accessible content practices, including structured formatting, alt text, captioning/transcripts for multimedia, color contrast, and screen reader compatibility.
- Design and launch multi-channel campaigns (email, intranet, social, digital signage) for policy updates, legal notices, and change-management initiatives, ensuring content is accessible across platforms and formats.
- Maintain brand consistency across all visual and written assets while ensuring style guides and toolkits incorporate accessibility requirements and best practices.
- Partner with HR, IT, and communications teams to audit, improve, and standardize accessible templates, forms, and digital content.
15% Stakeholder Collaboration & Change Management
- Partner with the Executive Director, HR Operations Manager, and campus-wide leaders to align communications with strategic priorities.
- Serve as the key communications advisor for sensitive or complex information, providing diplomatic counsel and problem-solving support.
- Facilitate training and support for departments to adopt best-practice communication processes and tools.
- Identify gaps in current practices and lead continuous-improvement initiatives that enhance audience engagement.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field, or experience equivalent to the degree.
- Experience leading high-visibility, organization-wide communication initiatives.
- Familiarity with internal and external communication channels, branding guidelines, and accessibility standards.
- Ability to interpret data, diagnose communication challenges, and develop evidence- based solutions.
- Proven ability to design and execute comprehensive communication strategies across multiple media platforms.
- Demonstrated expertise in engaging communications planning across multiple channels, including digital, written, and visual media.
- Advanced knowledge and understanding of technical applications to direct professional technical staff, or personally perform technical work, including design concepts, various media, and applications.
- Deep understanding of university missions, HR policies, legal compliance, and current trends in higher-education communications.
Preferred Skills
- Master's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field or experience equivalent to the degree.
- Proficiency with graphic design tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva)
- Experience utilizing ticketing systems (e.g. ServiceNow), knowledge bases, email marketing platforms, and analytics dashboards.
Special Conditions of Employment
- Must possess valid California Driver's License to drive a County or University vehicle. Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability damage insurance on vehicle used is required. Reimbursement of job-related travel will be reimbursed according to University policies.
- The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check. This is a designated position requiring a background check and may require fingerprinting due to the nature of the job responsibilities. UC ANR does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities.
- As of January 1, 2014, ANR is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment in which smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes), is strictly prohibited.
- As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.
- Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
- "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
- UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
- UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
- Abusive Conduct in the Workplace
To apply, please visit: https://careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psc/ucanr/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&JobOpeningId=88292&PostingSeq=1&SiteId=17&languageCd=ENG&FOCUS=Applicant