This position reports to the Director of Communications and Marketing on the St. Petersburg campus. Responsibilities include development and presentation of news content for use in university digital and print publications, as well as media placement in television, print, radio and digital media. This job includes responsibility for participating in the overall news and communication strategy for the campus and the university. The Communications and Marketing Officer is expected to collaborate with colleagues across USF in coordinating and developing news content. As a professional communicator, this position may be called upon to make presentations to external and internal audiences.
- Develops, writes, edits, and publishes a variety of electronic and print news, and helps to disseminate news via campus channels including web, newsletters, magazines and media placement via press releases and pitching.
- Works with administration, faculty, staff, and students to identify, develop, and market compelling stories that promote and publicize the campus’s achievements, research projects, programs, student successes, community outreach efforts, events, and more.
- Working with Director of Communications and Marketing, responds to requests for information from the media, student newspapers and public; prepares and presents information to internal and external sources.
- Helps to video, photograph and visually document news content for inclusion in news stories and social media content.
- Collaborates with communication colleagues across USF campuses and within colleges on news content, media pitching and other communications.
- Maintains and/or collaborates on the maintenance of the newsroom section of the campus website.
- Oversees the coordination and delivery of internal campus messaging (ex. parking advisories, impacts from major events), as well as assists with any emergency communications as requested by the Director of Communications and Marketing.
- Performs other administrative and support duties as required in support of the mission and communication strategy of the unit.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
This position requires a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communication, marketing, public relations, technical writing, digital media, or related field, with two years of experience in related positions; or a Master’s degree in the fields listed above. Appropriate college coursework or vocational/technical training may substitute at an equivalent rate for the required experience. Strong writing background and demonstrated experience in writing and producing a variety of content on deadline is essential.
Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
- Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
- SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
- A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
- (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
- (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
- (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
- (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
- (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
- Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
- Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.
Preferred Qualification Requirements
Prefer candidates who have published written and/or digital content for a newspaper, television station, radio or other media outlet or educational institution, with working knowledge of multimedia storytelling and AI tools.
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws :
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.