Assistant Director of Communication

Essential Job Functions:

This position reports to the Executive Director of Marketing & University Communication and assists with communications strategic planning and execution. Implements communications plans in support of the institutional goals and objectives. The Associate Director of Marketing and University Communication assists in providing day-to-day supervision of office operations, annual budget development and management and leading the University’s strategic communications function.

About the Role and the Department:

The Associate Director leads a team responsible for the ideation, creation and distribution of key internal and external communication initiatives on behalf of the University, aligning organizational goals into an annual communication plan and content strategy to accomplish those goals. This role portrays and presents the University and its four campuses in a favorable manner with decision makers and influencers across our target markets and also communicates university messaging and marketing strategy to internal and external stakeholders. This position regularly counsels and advises University Leadership on communications initiatives including working closely with the Office of the Chancellor.

The Associate Communications Director is a member of the Office of Marketing and University Communication and reports directly to the Executive Director of Marketing and University Communication. In support of the University’s intentional student access mission and aggressive student recruitment efforts, the Associate Director of Communication leads the University’s media relations efforts and internal communications and collaborates with and supervises team member(s) responsible for content creation, social media and development of photography and video assets.

The Office of Marketing and University Communication brings UW-Green Bay’s story to life in creative and compelling ways, honoring brand identity and standards, and at the same time, assuring marketing and communications effectively speak to variying target audiences. Utilizing a strategic mix of traditional and emerging marketing and communication channels, the team utilizes an integrated approach that considers both marketing and communication strategies, while collaborating with University and community subject matter experts to highlight UW-Green Bay students, faculty, staff, alumni and academic programs that are on the rise and making a difference in our region.

This position includes the following responsibilities:

• Assists in the development and implementation of communications focused strategic planning initiatives and objectives, developing communications campaigns, programs, and/or projects in alignment with strategic objectives. 
• Assists in the development and implementation of operating policies and procedures to promote communications in alignment with the strategic plan. 
• Directs and evaluates communications projects, including the design, production, and delivery of internal and external publications. 
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. 
• May assist with developing and auditing the unit's communications budget. 
• May serve as a liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing communications information and representing the interests of the unit. 
• Leading/managing the organization’s media relations initiatives to include regularly developing and distributing news releases, story pitches, coordination of media interviews and coaching subject matter experts to maximize effectiveness of presentations, media interviews and key messages. 
• Providing day-to-day department oversight and management, including development and management of a department budget. 
• Developing measurement instruments and reports. 
• Serving as a back-up member of the University’s Emergency Operations Committee, regularly participating in drills and exercises to prepare for potential crises and being mobilized as part of the core communications team in the event of an emergency.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Journalism, English, Marketing or related field at time of application 
• 10 years of progressive experience working within a communication and/or integrated marketing and communication team as a leader, content developer or public relations practitioner 
• Working knowledge of desktop hardware and standard business software programs (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, database) and the Internet 
• Team/department management experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Communications experience, including crisis communications experience, in a higher education, corporate or agency environment