Manager, Student Communications

Western Governors University•Salt Lake, UT

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager of Internal (Student) Communications leads the strategy, development, and delivery of large-scale communications that inform, engage, and support students across the university. This role is responsible for ensuring consistent, clear, and effective messaging delivered through broad-reaching channels including email and the student portal, helping to drive alignment and consistency of student communications across WGU. The role also monitors social media channels to assess student sentiment, identify emerging trends, and uncover opportunities to inform and refine communication strategies and tactics. This role partners closely with stakeholders across the organization to support the development and refinement of audience-specific, student-centric communications as needed. This includes ensuring messaging is tailored, relevant, and accessible to diverse student populations, while maintaining alignment and consistency across channels. The role works collaboratively to ensure communications reflect institutional priorities and effectively support the overall student experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, Organizational Development, or a related field
5+ years of experience in communications, with an emphasis on communications or large-scale audience engagement
Equivalent relevant experience may substitute for education requirements (generally 1 year of experience per 1 year of education, at the discretion of the hiring manager)
Ability to travel up to 20%, including attendance at company summits and other business-related events

Nice To Haves

Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and align teams across the organization
Exceptional writing and editing skills, particularly for large-scale, audience-focused communications
Demonstrated ability to translate complex information into clear, actionable messaging for broad audiences
Experience developing and executing mass communication strategies across multiple channels (email, intranet, digital platforms)
Knowledge of project management principles and ability to manage multiple priorities and timelines effectively
Experience or familiarity with marketing automation and CRM tools such as Marketo and Salesforce
Ability to lead cross-functional and interdepartmental teams
Strategic mindset with a focus on scalability, consistency, and continuous improvement
Ability to develop and direct multimedia communications and campaigns
Supervisory or team leadership experience
Experience in higher education or student-focused environments
Experience supporting both mass communications and lifecycle/student journey communications

Responsibilities

Support the strategy and execution of student communications across email and the student portal to drive awareness, engagement, and student success.
Develop clear, concise, and engaging messaging that translates complex information into accessible, student-friendly communications at scale.
Partner with cross-functional teams to support and align student journey communications when needed, ensuring consistency across the student experience.
Manage a team of Internal Communications roles, aligning internal messaging with student-facing priorities.
Ensure employees are informed and equipped with the information needed to reinforce student communications and provide consistent support.
Oversee the development and continuous improvement of communication processes, tools, and platforms that support large-scale messaging.
Lead interdepartmental communications groups to ensure alignment and consistency across messaging.
Establish and maintain policies and procedures for student communications while proactively identifying and implementing process improvements to enhance efficiency and consistency.
Support special initiatives and perform other duties as assigned.