Communications Manager, College of Business

James Madison University • Harrisonburg, VA

12d • $50,000 - $56,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Communications Lead at the College of Business is a strategic storyteller and brand ambassador who is responsible for developing and implementing multi-channel communication strategies that elevate the college’s reputation, engage a broad range of stakeholders, and support key initiatives such as enrollment, alumni and donor relations, and research visibility. The ideal candidate blends creativity with analytics, has a deep appreciation for higher education, and excels at turning complex ideas into accessible, engaging content.

Requirements

• Proven leadership, communication and analytical skills
• Previous work experience with interviewing, story identification, news reporting, and feature writing
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills with a demonstrated knowledge of AP Guidelines
• Demonstrated experience with MS Office, Google Docs, and Adobe Acrobat editor

Nice To Haves

• Proven experience in journalism, english, communications, marketing or related field is beneficial but not required

Responsibilities

• Assist with the development of a content strategy aligned with the college strategic priorities and the resulting communication goals
• Collaborate with college schools/ centers/programs/departments to plan and develop content for their program needs
• Directly support content development with the writing of articles, press releases and internal communications
• Engage in active prospecting – connecting with college faculty/ staff and university partners as well as scanning other lead sources for story ideas
• Collect, monitor and analyze performance metrics for articles and e-newsletters, and suggest improvements accordingly
• Work with the graphic designer to provide content for webpages and collateral. Further support the role with event promotion by creating body copy for web portals, invitations, ads, etc.
• Work with team members in developing social media campaign ideas and video storyboards that support broader communication goals
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Paid vacation
• Sick leave
• Parental leave
• Community service leave
• 19 paid holidays annually
• High-quality health insurance options
• Retirement benefits through the Virginia Retirement System
• Balanced Dukes program promotes wellness and work-life integration through resources, events, and support
• Tuition waiver program for undergraduate and graduate courses taken at JMU

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed