Director of Communications & Public Relations

National Center for Urban Solutions•Columbus, OH

About The Position

The Director of Communications & Public Relations will establish and lead a coordinated communications and public relations function for NCUS and its affiliated programs and organizations. This department-building leadership role sets strategy, creates operating systems and standards, coordinates communications across the organization, and builds the capacity needed to deliver consistent, timely, and measurable work. The Director translates NCUS’s mission, organizational priorities, and program outcomes into clear communications for employees, students, participants, partners, funders, media, and the public. The Director leads brand management, media relations, executive communications, digital and social media, content production, internal communications, and issues and crisis communications. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on work: setting direction, managing multiple projects, writing and editing high-quality content, advising leadership, and ensuring communications work proceeds from request through approval, publication, and evaluation. The position also develops the communications department’s structure, annual work plan, procedures, service model, performance measures, and resource plan. During the first year, the Director is expected to assess communications needs and assets; recommend a department structure and resources; implement centralized request, prioritization, editorial, and approval processes; publish brand standards; establish media and crisis communications plans; set baseline performance measures; and report on progress and future priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a related field.
At least seven years of progressive experience in communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field, including experience leading major initiatives or building communications capacity.
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement communications strategies that support organizational goals and produce measurable results.
Experience creating or improving department workflows, communications standards, approval processes, editorial calendars, or service models.
Strong writing and editing skills across press releases, executive communications, web content, newsletters, reports, presentations, and social media.
Experience managing media relations, preparing spokespeople, responding to media inquiries, and supporting sensitive or time-critical communications.
Strong knowledge of digital communications, social platforms, web content management, email marketing, search optimization, paid digital media, and analytics.
Experience managing projects, budgets, vendors, contractors, or staff.
Ability to manage competing deadlines, exercise sound judgment, and maintain accuracy and discretion.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, and Canva.
Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Commitment to collaboration, diversity, and advancing the mission of NCUS.
Demonstrated strategic judgment and ability to connect communications work to organizational priorities.
Strong ownership, follow-through, and transparent communication about progress, barriers, and results.
Ability to establish clear standards and dependable processes while remaining responsive to organizational needs.
Sound editorial judgment, attention to detail, and respect for confidentiality.
Skill in advising senior leaders and working effectively across teams, programs, and organizational levels.
Initiative, adaptability, and ability to lead through changing priorities.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree preferred.
Supervisory experience preferred.
Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and web analytics tools preferred.

Responsibilities

Design and implement the communications department’s structure, annual work plan, service model, and priorities in alignment with NCUS’s strategic goals.
Assess communications practices, resources, channels, vendors, and organizational needs, and recommend a practical plan to build departmental capacity.
Create and maintain procedures for communications intake and prioritization, project assignments, editorial planning, content review and approval, brand review, media response, and asset management.
Set service expectations, timelines, decision rights, and escalation paths for communications requests across NCUS departments, campuses, programs, and affiliated organizations.
Develop a centralized editorial and campaign calendar for organizational announcements, program milestones, events, recruitment, fundraising, and other priorities.
Recommend staffing, freelance, agency, technology, and budget needs; recruit, supervise, coach, and evaluate communications staff or contractors as approved.
Build working relationships with leaders and staff so communications is included early in planning for initiatives, events, and organizational changes.
Provide executive leadership with regular updates on departmental capacity, priorities, risks, results, and resource needs.
Develop and manage an annual communications strategy aligned with NCUS’s mission, reputation, growth, programs, and organizational priorities.
Translate leadership priorities into communication plans, audiences, messages, channels, timelines, and measures of success.
Build consistent messaging that explains NCUS’s work, impact, programs, and value to the communities it serves.
Advise the CEO and senior leaders on communication opportunities, public positioning, sensitive issues, and audience response.
Coordinate communications across NCUS entities and programs to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment while addressing audience needs.
Develop audience-informed communications for employees, students, families, participants, partners, funders, community leaders, policymakers, and the media.
Develop and implement a proactive public relations plan to increase awareness of NCUS, its programs, leadership, and community impact.
Build and maintain relationships with journalists, media outlets, influencers, community partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
Prepare and distribute press releases, media advisories, statements, pitches, background materials, talking points, and interview briefs.
Coordinate media inquiries, interview requests, spokesperson preparation, and follow-up; serve as an NCUS spokesperson when designated.
Establish a timely, consistent process for receiving, assessing, assigning, approving, and responding to media requests.
Maintain media contacts, a press archive, organizational fact sheet, leadership biographies, approved key messages, and other public relations resources.
Track media coverage and assess its accuracy, reach, tone, and relevance to organizational priorities.
Lead digital communications, including website content and governance, search visibility, email communications, social media, and paid digital campaigns.
Set channel-specific goals, audience standards, publishing practices, accessibility expectations, and response protocols.
Oversee editorial planning, content development, review, publishing, and community management across approved platforms.
Ensure websites and digital channels are current, accurate, accessible, and consistent with NCUS messaging and brand standards.
Develop content about NCUS programs and outcomes, including articles, profiles, interviews, photography, video, newsletters, and impact reports.
Coordinate internal staff and external creative professionals, agencies, and vendors to deliver approved content.
Establish a process for obtaining releases and permissions for content featuring students, employees, participants, or community members.
Monitor channel performance, audience feedback, and emerging issues, and use findings to adjust content and channel plans.
Develop, maintain, and enforce organization-wide brand guidelines for logos, colors, typography, photography, voice, naming, and approved descriptions.
Create a review and support process that helps departments, campuses, and partners use approved brand elements and messaging correctly.
Oversee the development and quality control of communications collateral, including brochures, flyers, reports, presentations, newsletters, signage, event materials, and recruitment assets.
Maintain an organized, accessible library of approved brand assets, templates, photography, video, boilerplate language, and published materials.
Review external-facing materials for accuracy, consistency, readability, accessibility, and alignment with organizational standards before publication or distribution.
Coordinate design and production work, including vendor selection, timelines, budgets, print specifications, and final approvals.
Develop an internal communications approach that informs employees about organizational priorities, decisions, milestones, and changes.
Partner with leadership, Human Resources, program teams, and other departments to plan and deliver timely employee communications.
Draft and edit executive messages, speeches, presentations, talking points, announcements, reports, and other leadership communications.
Help leaders communicate complex or sensitive information clearly, accurately, and with appropriate timing.
Establish consistent channels and practices for internal announcements and measure whether employees receive and understand key communications.
Develop and maintain an issues and crisis communications plan covering notification procedures, roles, approvals, spokesperson protocols, holding statements, and response timelines.
Work with executive leadership and relevant departments to assess reputational and communications risks and prepare response materials.
Coordinate communications during urgent or sensitive situations, ensuring information is verified, approved, consistent, and shared with appropriate audiences.
Monitor emerging public concerns and escalate issues that may affect NCUS, its employees, students, participants, partners, or reputation.
Conduct post-incident reviews as appropriate and recommend improvements to communications procedures.
Provide communications leadership for major events, campaigns, announcements, launches, and organizational initiatives.
Develop event communications plans covering audiences, messaging, promotion, media engagement, signage, scripts, digital content, and post-event reporting.
Represent NCUS at selected events and meetings, building relationships with community partners, funders, media, and civic leaders.
Coordinate communications with partners and sponsors, including review of joint messaging, logo use, announcements, and public acknowledgments.
Ensure communications teams and vendors receive the information, materials, approvals, and deadlines needed to deliver event and campaign work.
Establish a practical performance framework for communications work, with measures tied to organizational objectives.
Track and report on media coverage, website activity, social engagement, email performance, campaign outcomes, content production, project completion, and other relevant measures.
Provide regular performance reports and recommendations to executive leadership and relevant teams.
Use data, audience feedback, and project reviews to improve communications plans, content, workflows, and resource use.
Develop and manage the communications budget, monitor spending, approve expenses within delegated authority, and assess vendor performance.
Maintain project records, approvals, schedules, media coverage, and campaign results in approved organizational systems.
During the first year, assess NCUS’s communications needs, assets, channels, workflows, staffing, and external support.
Present a recommended department structure, resource plan, and annual communications strategy to executive leadership.
During the first year, implement a centralized communications request and prioritization process, editorial calendar, approval workflow, and shared asset library.
During the first year, publish organization-wide brand standards and establish a practical review process for external-facing materials.
During the first year, create a media relations plan, media response procedures, spokesperson resources, and an issues and crisis communications plan.
During the first year, establish baseline performance measures and a regular reporting schedule, and deliver an annual review of progress, results, capacity, and next-year priorities.