Communications Manager

University of Wisconsin Madison • Madison, WI

5d • Onsite

About The Position

As a member of the central Student Affairs communications and advancement team, you will lead high-level messaging and storytelling to convey the impact of student experiences outside the classroom and how these add value in pursuit of a college degree. The communications manager will spend most days writing, storytelling, editing, planning communications, and managing media or issues-related needs. These include: Developing executive remarks, talking points, and presentations. Authoring stories that illustrate the value of Student Affairs as part of the student experience. Managing media relations, including executive leader preparedness; responses to student, local, and national media; and preparing occasional news releases. Assisting with crisis and issues-related communications. Planning, writing, and editing content for the monthly Student Affairs newsletter. Developing communication plans and strategies associated with Student Affairs initiatives. Maintaining an archive of remarks, presentations, and points on key issues. Editing communication materials and messaging. Supervising one student employee (to be recruited after hiring). The ideal candidate is a champion for the student experience. They are willing to put in the time to listen, research, and learn from others to create compelling narratives about the value and worth of student affairs in higher education. We are seeking someone who is thoughtful and purposeful when preparing remarks, statements, or communication plans, while able to pivot quickly when emerging needs arise. The communications manager will report to and work closely with the director for communications and advancement as a member of her team. Student Affairs is led by the vice chancellor for student affairs, a member of the chancellor’s executive team, and comprises approximately 850 professional staff across thematic areas including health and well-being, student success and belonging, leadership and community engagement, and student advocacy. We are dedicated to ensuring every student thrives in a complex world and seek candidates who are student-centered, practice inclusivity and collaboration, strive for excellence, and believe in the transformative possibilities of learning. Discover more about who we are at http://studentaffairs.wisc.edu.

Requirements

• Experience authoring executive-level messaging, scripts, and/or formal remarks
• Experience with public and/or media relations
• Experience with communication planning and execution
• Ability to humanize initiatives with compelling narratives
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Ability to prioritize tasks and perform effectively under tight deadlines.
• High attention to detail: Superior editing skills with a sharp eye for accuracy, tone, and brand consistency.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience that includes executive messaging, media/public relations, strategic storytelling, and communications planning.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional-level experience

Nice To Haves

• Ability to exercise high discretion and sound judgment when interacting with executive and senior institutional leaders
• Demonstrated experience using plain language principles to translate complex or technical information for general audiences
• Familiarity with current public institution issues, trends, and governance in higher education

Responsibilities

• Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures
• Manages media relations, including proactive outreach and response coordination, and supports crisis and issues-related communication
• Supervises a student writer: this includes hiring, promotions, managing performance, assigning tasks, and approving their hours.
• Prepares executive remarks, messages, and presentations
• Manages the day-to-day operational unit plans to align with strategic initiatives and to meet established objectives
• Develops, implements, and delivers communication materials through various mediums to designated audiences
• Plans, writes, and edits content for various internal and external stakeholders
• Plans and directs unit programs and/or projects to ensure adherence to deadlines and budgets

Benefits

• generous paid time off
• competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance
• tax-advantaged savings accounts
• participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level