Associate Director of Provost Communications

University of Chicago • Chicago, IL

72d • $90,000 - $120,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Office of the Provost at the University of Chicago was established in 1963 when Edward H. Levi was appointed the first Provost of the University. Since then, the responsibilities of the Provost and the Office have expanded to include not only academic planning and appointments but academic initiatives, arts programming, space planning and allocation, the University's budget, diversity and inclusion initiatives, faculty development, and many other manners of academic and administrative support. The staff in the Office of the Provost support the University's community of scholars, their shared ideals, and the core values that make the University a singular intellectual destination. Together with the University's deans, directors, and department chairs, the Office of the Provost provides the opportunities, infrastructure, and resources that encourage our faculty and other scholars to pursue their finest work. The Associate Director of Provost Communications provides communications support for the Office of the Provost, Vice Provosts, and the Provost. The Associate Director collaborates closely with academic divisions, professional schools, centers, and institutes. The Associate Director ensures that communications for the Office of the Provost are coordinated with overall University communications' efforts, including the logistics for high profile events that involve the Provost. The Associate Director reports to the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Provost and will be expected to collaborate closely with the Office of University Communications and other leaders in Communications campus wide.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field.
• Master's degree.
• 8-10 years of professional experience in organizational communications or public affairs in a complex environment and organizational structure with multiple stakeholders, such as higher education, politics and government, non-profit, or corporate settings.
• Proven success in communications, preferably including experience in higher education and/or non-profit organizations or similar settings.
• Demonstrated ability to influence people to meet goals and deadlines and work collaboratively with senior leadership, consultants, colleagues, and other constituents.
• Experience overseeing production of marketing and communication materials.
• Demonstrated knowledge of communications best practices including technology.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including advanced editing abilities, interpersonal skills, attention to detail, demonstrated knowledge of grammar, punctuation, spelling, style, and familiarity with the Chicago Manual of Style.
• Outstanding project, time management, and organizational skills, including the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, meet deadlines, and proactively anticipate organizational needs.
• Proven ability to lead and work effectively both horizontally and vertically across an organization, independently and collaboratively, with a high degree of self-motivation, initiative, creativity, and problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency with email and website CMS platforms, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe products, and creating PowerPoint presentations; working knowledge of social media and web tools.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle complex and sensitive information with discretion and tact.

Responsibilities

• Leads development of briefings, talking points, and other materials intended to prepare the Provost for public or campus-wide engagements.
• Manages all aspects of Office of the Provost communications including: developing deployment strategies; drafting, editing, and obtaining approval for talking points, messages, invitations, and other materials; deploying email messages through the University's content management system (CMS); and updating websites, among additional responsibilities.
• Partners with Vice Provosts to develop and implement key internal and external communications in ways that support Vice Provost portfolio strategies and that align with broader Office of the Provost communications objectives.
• Serves as the main point of contact for communications needs related to the Provost and the Office of the Provost; assesses, triages, and swiftly manages all communications requests and follow-ups.
• Serves as the main point person on shared initiatives between the Office of University Communications and the Office of the Provost; provides input and support on Office of University Communications projects and initiatives focused on research or scholarship or that otherwise require Office of the Provost insights and coordination.
• Ensures timely distribution of information about news, events, and other initiatives, including messages to email lists managed by the Office of the Provost.
• Supports implementation of all Office of the Provost-sponsored events, including assisting with logistics and a run of show for high-profile events that involve the Provost, developing content for the events, and marketing the events.
• Develops and implements reports to measure the effectiveness of communication efforts using performance indicators and analytics, and provides reports and recommendations based on this data to the Chief of Staff.
• Maintains the Office of the Provost communications calendar, ensuring consistency and timing of outgoing messages.
• Supports organizational announcements and change management communications as needed.
• Develops, plans, and disseminates information designed to keep the public informed of the organization's programs, accomplishments, or point of view.
• Makes contributions to the media interface, including writing press releases, planning and organizing media coverage for major events, and crafting responses to sensitive or controversial issues.
• Solves moderate to complex problems related to the writing, preparation, and/or delivery of information from or about the unit.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Benefits

• The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees