Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, University Relations

The Office of the Vice President for University Relations seeks a highly motivated, highly organized, dynamic, intellectually curious and detail-oriented professional to join our team. The Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, University Relations (UR) will play an integral role in promoting an outstanding professional reputation for the office, the division, and the university among many of the institution’s high-value constituencies, including key internal partners (e.g., university administration, UR staff) and external stakeholders (e.g., alumni/donors, peer institutions/industry organizations).   The Director will partner with the Assistant Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer (AVP-CAO) to offer strategic communication and project support to the Vice President (VPUR) and the division’s senior leadership team. In doing so, the Director will take an active role in advancing high-level priorities and initiatives within the Office of the VPUR, and for the UR division.   The Director will be responsible for building and sustaining an internal communication infrastructure within UR that is integrated and intentional, underpinning the division’s strategic efforts in the realms of fundraising, engagement and talent development. In collaboration with teams across the division, and in concert with colleagues in the university’s Office of Marketing & Communications, the Director will assess and recommend opportunities to maximize existing communication channels while identifying new opportunities and mechanisms for enhancing information-sharing among UR staff and with campus partners, from document and email templates to websites and social media.   The Director will offer direction, strategic insights and/or feedback connected to the division’s signature publications and other high-level external communications and marketing efforts. In particular, the Director will play a role in creating and executing external and internal communications and marketing plans for the university’s next comprehensive campaign, ensuring alignment with UR and university messaging, and enforcement of well-defined timelines for action items and deliverables.   The Director will supervise the delivery of presidential and vice presidential briefings in partnership with the Office of Principal Gifts, Office of University Development, Office of Prospect Management & Research, Office of Special Events and more; lead the gathering, analysis, and synthesis of reporting data as requested by university, University System of Maryland, and industry authorities; partner with UR leadership and staff to curate content and manage logistics for up to six (6) UR divisional gatherings and professional development activities each year; and steer the work of the planning committee driving engagement strategy for the president’s and VPUR’s athletics suites by key constituencies.   The Director role requires skills such as critical thinking, storytelling, the interpretation, distillation and visualization of data, as well as advanced document formatting and design to deliver attractive and effective work product. The successful candidate will demonstrate they are self-motivated, autonomous, creative and diplomatic, with a strong sense of judgment and intuition. The Director will contribute as a servant leader and collaborative problem-solver among staff within the Office of the Vice President and across the UR division while maintaining a personal commitment to the university’s values of innovation, collaboration, diversity and inclusion.