Technical Community Specialist

Technical Community Specialist

The Optical Society (OSA) is recruiting for a Technical Community Specialist. The individual in this position will be responsible for working with the members of our scientific society as well as internal staff to help manage the OSA Technical Groups, which are member-led volunteer groups organized according to scientific interest. The OSA Technical Group program aims to create vibrant, active communities through member-driven activities, include events at OSA meetings, webinars, and social media engagement. The ideal candidate will be able to help foster positive community relationships and assist in the development of unique and engaging programs for society members.  
 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manages the OSA Technical Group webinar program – Responsible for scheduling and producing 20-30 webinars per year, including building registration pages, assisting group leaders with marketing efforts, training volunteers and hosting the live broadcasts.
• Works with OSA Technical Group leaders to implement in-person events focused on the engagement of group members at society and/or non-society meetings – Responsible for coordinating logistics with OSA meetings staff, maintaining registration pages, assisting group leaders with marketing efforts, and assisting on-site with the events.
• Oversees the management of OSA Technical Group activities on social media, including managing 30+ LinkedIn and Facebook groups run by group leaders, by moderating all member generated content and creating compelling content to be shared with group leaders for them to use in social media posts.
• Provides general support for the OSA Technical Group Program by assisting in the management of the volunteer leadership structure and helping to build an active leader network.
• Maintains technical group records by updating dashboard report monthly, keeping committee netForum records up-to-date, and assisting with year-end annual report distribution and collection.
• Works with the Director to ensure regular communication with group leaders, including scheduling and drafting the agenda for quarterly calls with chairs, scheduling calls for individual technical group leadership teams, and drafting the program’s bi-monthly newsletter.
• Maintains technical group web pages, working with volunteers to add features and event information as appropriate.
• Assists in the planning and execution of our annual training meeting for technical group leaders.
• Act as an advocate of OSA and as the advocate of the technical groups, engaging in dialogues and answering questions about the program where appropriate.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Four-year college degree required.
• Two years of association membership experience required.
• Previous training in marketing, project management and business writing preferred.
• Previous job experience utilizing multiple social media channels.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to communicate with effectively with both scientific minded volunteers and members
• Ability to organize and promote a sense of community through social media, events and activities
• Superior analytical abilities
• Ability to meet multiple deadlines, coordinate details, and work independently required
• Excellent ability to establish and build relationships
• Ability to travel (about 1-2 trips per year)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software and database applications
• Proficiency in multiple social media channels

OSA offers a competitive salary and benefits. Please send your resume and cover letter with salary requirements to resumes@osa.org.