Director of Integrated Planning, Office of Communications and Marketing - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Integrated Planning will lead a team of integrated communicators, who together will serve as the primary liaisons between the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) and campus communications leaders. The Director will work to advance the University of Tennessee’s reputation and mission through collaboration with colleges and other campus units. The Director will lead a team that works collaboratively with campus partners to foster relationships, facilitate meaningful two-way communication, and partner on ongoing engagement efforts across the university. Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Integrated Communications, the Director will work closely with campus departments to streamline and improve communication efforts university-wide, ensuring shared goals and priorities are met.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications or related field required with 8+ years of applicable experience
Strong knowledge of institutional marketing strategies including strategic communications, messaging, branding, and media relations.
Exceptional interpersonal skills to build relationships, engage partners, foster trust, co-develop solutions, and advocate for institutional priorities.
Ability to create data-driven, goal-oriented communications plans that align with shared priorities.
Proven ability to lead and develop teams, foster collaboration, and support a culture of accountability and innovation.
Ability to problem-solve and work across cross-functional teams to identify solutions, streamline efforts, and co-create effective communication strategies.
Strong organizational skills; ability to succeed in a fast-paced environment while maintaining creativity and attention to detail.
Knowledge and experience operating both strategically (planning) and tactically (executing real-time content).
Proven project management ability; skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and prioritize effectively.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion, professionalism, and integrity.

Responsibilities

Lead the Integrated Planning team in building strong partnerships with college and campus units, working collaboratively to understand their goals and priorities and provide strategic tailored support.
Drive the creation of integrated communications solutions, engaging colleges and departments as key partners to increase transparency, clarify roles, and strengthen alignment between OCM and campus teams.
Lead collaboration efforts with campus partners to develop and maintain an integrated planning calendar that reflects shared priorities and facilitates clear and proactive communication across colleges and departments.
Build two-way communications structures to support marketing and communications leaders across the university.
Serve as an internal expert on communications and marketing, offering guidance on sound strategy, effective techniques, best practices, and evaluating results.
Act as a resource for the university community, helping campus partners address shared challenges, develop joint initiatives, and troubleshoot communication issues.
Lead a team of project managers to track and monitor marketing and communications campaigns across the university, helping to ensure they meet shared goals.
Ensure campus partners have easy access to OCM resources and opportunities to provide input, fostering a collaborative and responsive relationship.
Build and maintain a central roster of approved vendor contracts to help campus partners in their communications and marketing efforts and plans.
Develop and manage the university's best practices and processes for key messaging and content development across formats and platforms, including talking points, speeches, presentations, news articles, digital communications, social media, website strategy, and multimedia content, ensuring campus teams are aligned and engaged through regular meetings and ongoing updates.
Advise campus partners on emerging issues, coordination of joint announcements, and support for cross-university initiatives that promote cohesive messaging, brand voice, and storytelling.
Manage a team of full-time employees, providing direction on daily tasks, goal setting, prioritization, deadlines, and professional development.
Foster a collaborative team culture that emphasizes collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement, with a focus on supporting campus partners’ needs.
Represent OCM on select committees, task forces, and ad hoc meetings to advocate for integrated planning initiatives and campus collaboration.