Associate Director of Communications

Associate Director of Communications

The Office of Marketing and Communications at the University of Illinois' Gies College of Business acts as an in-house marketing agency, partnering with and supporting units across the College. Our growing team of more than 30 professionals plays a pivotal role in helping the college shape purposeful leaders through life-changing access to education, research, and innovation. Creativity, strategy, and collaboration are key to our team's success as we grow the reputation and brand of Gies Business, a Top 10 public business school with more than 9,000 residential and online students and 80,000 alumni across the world. All members of the Gies MarCom team contribute to the management and growth of the Gies brand.

As Associate Director of Communications, you will play a leadership role in shaping and advancing the reputation of Gies College of Business among peer institutions, academic leaders, alumni, and external stakeholders. This position serves as a strategic communications partner to department heads and chairs and College leadership, helping identify and execute communications opportunities that elevate the visibility and impact of the College's academic departments and faculty. In this role, you will work closely with the Director of Communications to develop and lead reputation-focused communications initiatives, including peer-facing outreach, alumni communications, executive speechwriting, and strategic messaging support for academic leadership. You will collaborate closely with internal stakeholders and the Office of Marketing and Communications' cross-functional team of strategists, writers, designers, videographers, and project managers to ensure alignment with College priorities and brand strategy.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute strategic communications plans that enhance the reputation and visibility of the College's academic departments among peer institutions and external stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary communications liaison for department heads and chairs, and work closely with the College's Marketing & Communications team to advise on opportunities and helping identify strategic priorities.
• Lead development of peer-facing reputation communications designed to elevate the College's academic standing and research reputation.
• Manage editorial content for the College's monthly alumni newsletter and support broader alumni communications initiatives in partnership with the assigned marketing coordinator and the Office of Advancement.
• Write speeches, talking points, presentations, correspondence, and executive messaging for executive associate deans and associate deans when representing the College.
• Assist in development and execution of communications strategies related to academic rankings and reputation-building initiatives.
• Manage and maintain peer institution and peer leader contact lists and communications databases.
• Provide high-level writing, editing, proofreading, and messaging support for strategic College initiatives.

Management & Strategy:

• Build strong collaborative relationships with faculty, academic leaders, and administrative stakeholders across the College.
• Guide strategic discussions with departments regarding communications priorities, messaging opportunities, and long-term reputation goals.
• Provide communications support for department-level conferences, symposia, and other events.
• Coordinate complex communications projects from concept through execution while managing timelines and stakeholder expectations.
• Collaborate with the Director of Brand Engagement and Creative Director to ensure alignment with College and University brand standards.
• Monitor higher education, business school, and media trends and apply insights to reputation-building strategies.
• Recruit, hire, and manage student employees as needed.
• Work within and contribute to team project management systems.
• Other communications and marketing duties as assigned.

Specialty Factors:

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, business administration, communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
• Six (6) years (72 months) of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related professional area.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic communications plans.
• Previous experience in higher education or academic communications.
• Experience with executive communications and speechwriting.
• Experience supporting rankings, reputation, or peer engagement initiatives.
• Experience collaborating with senior leadership and faculty stakeholders.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, multitask, and work in a team environment as well as work independently.
• A passion for education and a genuine interest in promoting the College's mission.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with designers, writers, videographers, and other marketing positions.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage projects.
• Superb interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to foster positive relationships and facilitate collaboration.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Ability to think strategically while also managing tactical execution.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.

Appointment Information:

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5004 - Marketing Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the search closes. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. The budgeted salary range for this position is $70,000 to $85,000. This position is not eligible for any type of sponsorship for work authorization.