Job Description

Are you an experienced strategic communicator with a passion for higher education? The Tippie College of Business is seeking a dynamic and innovative Director of Communications to lead our efforts in shaping and sharing our story. As part of the Marketing and Communications Team, this pivotal role will oversee all aspects of our internal and external communications, ensuring our message resonates with audiences and enhances our reputation within the higher education landscape and beyond.

Under direction from the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, you'll work collaboratively with college leadership, individual academic units, and the college's in-house marketing and communications department, which offers a collaborative, fast-paced, and creative work environment. You'll also work with the University of Iowa and Office of Strategic Communications to engage and align our messaging with policies and procedures.

As a subject matter expert, you'll work closely with a talented cross-functional MarComm team including content, design, web, communications, public relations, social media, as well as external resources like agencies and vendors, to create compelling content for our internal, alumni, and lifelong learning audiences.

Key Responsibilities:

• Donor Communications: Develop and maintain effective communication strategies to engage and inform donors, fostering strong relationships and support for the college's initiatives.
• Webinars and Podcasts: Oversee the planning, content, execution, and promotion of webinars and podcasts, ensuring they effectively reach and engage the intended audiences.
• Alumni Magazines: Manage the production and distribution of the college's three magazines, ensuring high-quality content that reflects the college's values and achievements.
• Internal Communications: Lead the development and implementation of internal communication strategies to keep all stakeholders informed and engaged
• Editorial/Content Calendar: Develop and manage a comprehensive editorial and content calendar to align the college's content strategy with organizational goals and deadlines.
• Higher Education Landscape Monitoring: Stay informed about trends and developments in higher education to respond with timely and strategic communications, including thought-leadership and peer communications.
• Public Relations Collaborate with in-house staff and outside vendors to oversee media communications and coverage to local and national media. This includes everything from communicating programming changes to crisis communication to developing talking points for specific academic units and collegiate faculty.
• Strategic Communication Initiatives: Direct, develop, promote, and implement proactive strategies to strengthen and maintain the college's positive image, constituent relations, and advancement activities at Tippie, the University of Iowa, and throughout the state.

Sound like you?

• You love to strategize communication efforts from daily tasks to big-picture, long-term plans
• You're organized and detail-oriented enough to coordinate multiple aspects of assigned projects, like target audience and messaging, media planning, and campaign setup.
• You're a stickler for message consistency and have a proven ability to manage narratives for large brands, companies, or higher ed institution.

This position is eligible for hybrid work within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually, and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location.

Salary: $72,000-$90,000

To obtain the full job description including key areas of responsibility, technical competencies, and desirable qualifications, please contact [email protected]

Education Requirement

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (i.e. journalism, marketing, communications, public relations, etc.) or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Qualifications:

• 7 or more years of comprehensive constituent relations and/or communications leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience in the design and execution of communications and public relations strategy/activities.
• Demonstrated experience writing press releases, creating state-of-the-art presentations, and/or managing media campaigns
• Demonstrated experience and coordination of the production of message strategy, creative execution, copywriting, photography, artwork, and media planning and/or placement of publications, advertisements, video presentations, websites, and other mediums.
• Experience with the communication and explanation of programs to a broad constituency.
• The ability to plan, organize, and implement special programs.
• The ability to work effectively, cooperatively, and independently, as well as establish and maintain positive relationships with internal and external designers, writers, photographers, vendors, administrators, staff, faculty, students, alumni, and/or others.
• The ability to effectively interact with a group of varying perspectives in a manner that positively portrays an organization's programs, personnel, and philosophy.
• Commitment to promoting a welcoming and respectful workplace environment.
• Successful experience managing people and teams; including experience hiring, training, developing, supervising, and evaluating staff.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong creative, strategic, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Valid US Driver's License and the ability to meet and maintain UI Fleet Safety Standards.

Desired Qualifications:

• Budget development and management.
• Knowledge of strategic communications and marketing in a higher education environment.

Application Details:

In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a "Relevant File" to the submission:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• To apply for the Director of Communications position, please submit 3 writing samples along with your application. We are particularly interested in reviewing press releases, strategic communications, or similar types of communications you have authored.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. For questions, contact Josh Gulick at [email protected].

Benefits Highlights:

Regular salaried position. Pay Level 5A . Located in Iowa City, Iowa.
Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans.
For more information about Why Iowa? Click here.

The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preferences.

About University of Iowa

With over 31,000 students, the University of Iowa is one of the nation's top public research universities, a member of the Big Ten conference and the Association of American Universities. The University of Iowa is composed of eleven colleges and is known around the world for its balanced commitment to the arts, sciences, and humanities. It is home to one of the nation's largest academic medical centers and the pioneering Iowa Writers' Workshop. The University of Iowa promotes work/life integration and is located in the casual yet cosmopolitan environment of Iowa City, widely recognized as one of the country's most livable communities.

Connections working at University of Iowa

Job Tags

Casual work, Local area, Remote job,

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