Director, Executive Communications, Advancement Communications

Boston University•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Director of Executive Communications works within Boston University Advancement Marketing & Communications and reports to the Managing Director, Strategic Communications. The role translates President Melissa Gilliam’s vision into presidential remarks and strategic messaging that inspire philanthropic engagement and advance Boston University’s profile in discovery, education, and human connection. It creates remarks for Advancement-led events, from donor engagements to regional and national forums, and develops messaging platforms that articulate the University’s vision, fundraising priorities, and case for philanthropic support. The Director ensures that the President’s North Star vision—bringing disciplines, communities, and global realities together to address major challenges—animates Advancement communications. The position advises University leadership and collaborates with the Office of the President, BU External Affairs, BU Communications, Advancement teams, and the University’s schools, colleges, institutes, and centers to align communications with institutional priorities and strengthen donor engagement. The position requires occasional travel to events, regional offices, and alumni engagement activities; evening and weekend work may be required during event periods.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Journalism, or a related field.
At least 6 years of professional speechwriting, strategic communications, or content leadership experience, with demonstrated executive-level impact.
Demonstrated expertise writing for senior executives, particularly in university, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizational contexts.
Strong research and interviewing skills, including the ability to turn complex academic, institutional, and strategic information into clear, persuasive narratives.
Strong strategic project management skills and ability to manage multiple concurrent, high-stakes projects with competing deadlines.
Ability to adapt tone, voice, and messaging across high-profile audiences while maintaining strategic coherence.
Deep working knowledge of current events, policy, and trends relevant to higher education and nonprofits.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree.
Experience in higher education, fundraising, or alumni engagement.
Journalism, news writing, or editorial experience demonstrating research, interviewing, and news judgment skills.
Experience writing for university or college presidents or provosts.
Familiarity with experiential event production or high-stakes event communications.
Understanding of donor motivations, philanthropic trends, and major-gift engagement.
Experience developing strategic messaging platforms or brand messaging frameworks.
Knowledge of higher education fundraising, campaign management, and advancement strategy.
Exposure to communications analytics and measuring communications impact.

Responsibilities

Craft and refine presidential remarks for high-stakes Advancement events, including fundraising galas, major donor briefings, regional leadership forums, and other signature gatherings.
Attend events and public appearances to understand and authentically reflect the President’s voice, cadence, humor, intellectual priorities, and communication preferences.
Adapt remarks and messaging for donors, alumni leaders, faculty, students, external partners, and other audiences while advancing Advancement priorities and fundraising objectives.
Collaborate with event teams, institutional partners, and the Office of the President to understand event context, philanthropic objectives, and audience expectations, and advise on messaging impact and donor engagement.
Manage complex speech-development timelines and concurrent projects while maintaining accuracy, consistency, and strategic impact.
Create and evolve evergreen messaging platforms connecting the President’s North Star vision with Advancement’s strategic fundraising priorities.
Develop messaging frameworks and speaker briefing books for Advancement leaders, deans, and campaign chairs.
Build content architecture connecting campaigns, fundraising initiatives, and events to institutional priorities and showing how philanthropy enables research, student achievement, and lasting impact.
Ensure messaging reflects the work and impact of BU’s schools, colleges, institutes, and centers.
Develop messaging that positions Advancement forums and events as opportunities for philanthropic partnership.
Align Advancement messaging with the Office of the President and the President’s broader leadership narrative.
Coordinate with BU External Affairs and BU Communications to maintain consistency across internal and external University communications.
Collaborate with communications leaders and Advancement units—including Alumni Relations, Digital Engagement, Principal, International Giving & Foundations, Development & Campaigns, Schools & Colleges, Strategic Events, and Annual Giving—to understand priorities and drive messaging adoption.
Engage schools, colleges, institutes, and centers to identify and amplify research, faculty expertise, and student outcomes relevant to Advancement messaging and donor engagement.
Use research and data on alumni and donor preferences, motivations, and engagement patterns to inform messaging and fundraising strategy.
Monitor external trends, the competitive landscape, University initiatives, campaign priorities, and institutional developments to maintain timely, accurate, and relevant messaging.
Maintain editorial standards across Advancement content, ensuring clarity, persuasive impact, precision, and alignment with BU’s brand voice and institutional values.
Create and refine messaging guidelines and templates to support consistency in communications about University priorities, fundraising objectives, and the North Star vision.