Job Summary
The Director of Communications serves Student Academic Affairs (SAA) and the Graduate Division (GD) to provide centralized, coordinated internal and external communications leadership and expertise across the enterprise.
The Director will create, disseminate, and lead an overall strategic plan for coordination and creation of the enterprise’s communication efforts including written communications and marketing, websites, social media, graphics and strategic branding and events. The Director works with all units to identify communications opportunities and to set priorities. The Director will also ensure that all materials created and disseminated by the enterprise align with UCSF’s brand identity and digital standards and editorial policies.
The Director will provide direct support for the VP/Dean’s internal communications, including developing enterprise-wide as well as topic-specific messaging, speeches, reports, presentations, statements, and other materials that require an understanding of the subject material, context and audience. The Director serves as the communications subject matter expert and consultant for the enterprise and develops and/or coordinates materials, websites, events and social media activity.
Department Description
The Student Academic Affairs (SAA) / Graduate Division (GD) enterprise are under the purview of the Vice Provost of Student Academic Affairs / Dean of the Graduate Division.
Student Academic Affairs (SAA) offers a wide range of vital services that help UCSF's talented students and scholars thrive, and that support UCSF faculty in creating the optimal environment for learning and professional development. SAA is composed of 18 functional units that collaborate to provide academic, personal, and professional development resources from financial aid to health and counseling, and from classroom learning resources to career planning workshops. SAA also encourages student and scholar involvement by supporting student government and campus clubs and organizations.
The Graduate Division is the home of graduate education and postdoctoral training at UCSF. It offers over 26 graduate degree programs in basic and translational sciences; social, population, and policy sciences, and clinical sciences, serving more than 1,000 students and 1,100 postdoctoral scholars.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
- Ten (10) or more years of related work experience
- Expert knowledge and understanding of all aspects of communications, including strategic planning for various media venues, technical aspects and requirements of various venues, and most appropriate and effective applications
- Expert knowledge and understanding of technical applications to direct professional technical staff, or personally perform technical work, including design concepts, various media, and applications
- Highly developed skills to create, develop, and implement long and short-term strategic communication plans
- Highly developed skills to advise and consult management on all aspects of communications, ranging from developing effective communication strategies to appropriately responding to inquiries regarding sensitive or complex issues or information
- Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal communications, active listening, and political acumen skills
- Excellent analytical, critical thinking, project management, and problem recognition, avoidance, and resolution skills
- Expert knowledge and understanding of web content management systems (i.e., Drupal or other related software tool)
Preferred Qualifications
- Expert knowledge of the organization, including its mission, vision, goals, policies, and infrastructure; strong knowledge of current affairs and issues impacting the University's mission of teaching, research, and public service
- Expert knowledge of organization's protocols and channels for communication internally and externally
- Experience leading change and implementing mission and vision strategy
- Experience in relationship building, collaboration and coordination with communications professionals and other staff across a large enterprise
- Experience working in higher education