Communications Director

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Job Category:
Limited
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Communications Director (Inst)
Job Summary:
The Communications Director serves as a communications strategist and trusted advisor in the Office of the Provost on executive, internal and institutional communications. The director operates as both a strategic advisor and an operational leader, balancing high-level counsel with hands-on execution across a broad portfolio of work.
This role is responsible for:
Executive and strategic communications
Leads the development and execution of communications strategies that support the Office of the Provost and advance the academic mission of the University
Ensures that high-level communications are reflective of the campus strategic framework
Internal communications leadership
Leads communications efforts related to academic initiatives, leadership transitions, organizational priorities, policy changes and operational updates
Communications coordination
Strengthens alignment and supports the institutional brand across the Provost's portfolio
Develops communication that supports transparency, alignment, engagement and change management across complex academic units
Develops a communications strategy workflow, and smooth execution on daily needs, as well as longer term projects
Fosters connections and supports alignment and partnership among communicators in units reporting to the Office of the Provost
Ensures alignment with central campus communication priorities and the Office of Strategic Communication Issues management
Anticipates institutional risks, reputational considerations and opportunities
Provides guidance on sensitive and high-profile issues, serves as a key liaison with university-wide partners, and assists in executing urgent or emergency communications
Content development
Supports the provost's engagements with internal and external audiences
Develops presentations, correspondence, speeches, remarks, web content and talking points
Manages daily operational communication needs of the Office of the Provost
As needed, support units reporting to the Office of the Provost
The Communications Director will report to the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Provost with a dotted line to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs and Institutional Communications in the Office of Strategic Communication to ensure communication coordination and alignment.
Key Job Responsibilities:
Identifies, establishes, and directs media relationships and partnerships with internal and external sources (20%)
Develops, implements, and monitors strategic communication initiatives for designated audiences and internal stakeholders to maximize engagement and strengthen collaboration efforts (40%)
Audits and directs day-to-day operational plans to align with strategic initiatives and to meet established objectives (20%)
Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revived operational policies and procedures (20%)
Department:
Office of the Provost
Compensation:
The minimum salary for this position is $125,000. Actual salary is negotiable and will depend on the selected candidate's qualifications.
This position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid-time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Review the
benefits summary
for more information.
Required Qualifications:
8+ years of progressively responsible communications experience
Exceptional writing, editing and verbal communication skills
Experience leading communications in complex environments
Preferred Qualifications:
Demonstrated organizational judgment, discretion, and ability to manage confidential and sensitive matters
Experience prioritizing and managing multiple competing priorities
Track record of building trust through clarity, follow through, and consistency
Proven ability to build relationships and influence across multiple stakeholders without formal authority
Experience managing organizational change or large-scale internal communications initiatives
Demonstrated openness to learning, listening to different perspectives, and adapting strategies when presented with new information
Understanding of communication technologies and channels and a vision for using them strategically
Familiarity with higher education organizational structures, including shared governance; academic culture; and institutional decision-making processes
Experience advising institutional leaders or senior executives on communication strategy and messaging
Skilled facilitator
Education:
Bachelor's degree required
How to Apply:
To apply for this position, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.
Important:
The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following required documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area.
You must submit all required documents to be considered for this position.
Cover Letter
Resume
Contact Information:
Kory Breuer, HR Manager, kory.breuer@wisc.edu
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the
Human Resources Workplace Poster website
.
To
request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation
 for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the
Divisional Disability Representative (DDR)
 in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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