Job Description

Direct Reporting Line:
Head of Communications
Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). The IIE enjoys the reputation of being at the forefront of private higher education in South Africa, and is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to provide higher education qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).
The IIE Varsity College, has a vacancy for a Communications Specialists.
N.B This position may be based at either Cape Town National Office or Nelson Mandela Bay Campus (Gqeberha).
Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic Communications Management & Implementation

• Contribute to the development and execution of integrated campus communication strategies aligned with institutional goals.

• Support marketing and communication campaigns that drive student recruitment, reputation enhancement, reputation management and stakeholder engagement.
• Assist in the creation of communication calendars and messaging frameworks

Content Development & Management

• Write and edit content for various channels to be used on the website, newsletters, press releases, etc.

• Curate and publish engaging student and staff stories that reinforce the university's brand and values in collaboration with campus and national stakeholders.
• Collaborate with faculties, departments, the Office of the Registrar and student experience for content input.
• Write and disseminate press releases, caption stories and opinion pieces, etc. to the media.

Media Relations & Publicity

• Build and maintain relationships with media contacts
• Draft and distribute media releases, coordinate interviews, and prepare media kits.
• Track and report on media coverage and press engagement.
• Monitor engagement and moderate responses in line with university policy.

Internal Communications

• Support leadership messaging, change management communication, and campus-wide initiatives of a PR nature.

Event & Communication Support

• Draft post-event media coverage by assisting the Head of Communications for National events.

• Work closely with campus teams to ensure the correct information is received to draft written content for events such as Graduation, Open Days, etc.

Brand & Reputation Management

• Provide editorial support and guidance to campus faculties or departments to maintain quality and consistency.
• Identify and mitigate reputational risks through careful messaging and issue monitoring
• To assist Campus Heads and Senior Campus Heads to draft or edit general student communications of a PR nature or in response to events and crisis communications.

Skills required:

• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• Strategic thinking with the ability to connect communication outputs to institutional goals
• Strong stakeholder relationship management
• Resilience under pressure, especially in crisis or high-visibility moments
• Detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and projectS.
• Sound judgement in sensitive or reputational issues

Minimum Qualification Requirement:

• Bachelor's degree (NQF Level 7) in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing or related field.

Ideal :

• Experience in the higher education
• Knowledge of South African media landscape and education trends

Minimum Experience Requirements:

• 3 years Communications or PR experience
• 3 years Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• 2 years experience with managing multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Salary:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

Benefits:

• Lifelong learning opportunities through LinkedIn Learning subscriptions.
• Staff and family discounts on educational programs within our brand portfolio.
• Incentive bonus structure based on performance and achievement of goals.
• Provident fund contributions, including Death & Funeral Cover, to support your financial well-being and future planning.
• Birthday vouchers to celebrate your special day.
• Competitive annual leave allowance for well-deserved time off and rejuvenation.

Application Response:

• Due to the high volume of CVs received, please note that personal contact with all applicants may not be feasible. Only candidates whose qualifications and skills closely align with the position requirements will be contacted for interviews

Technical Support:

• Should you experience technical difficulties applying for the position, kindly use the following URL for further assistance :

The IIE Varsity College, IIE Vega and IIE MSA are an Equal Opportunity Employer. However, preference may be given to previously underrepresented groups in accordance with the South African Employment Equity Act. The company reserves the right to close or place the vacancy on hold at any time, without prior notice.

Skills Required