Program Manager, Advancement Communications

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Washington's University Advancement division supports the institution's legacy and public mission with the goal of making the UW the world’s greatest public university. University Marketing & Communications (UMAC) leads branding, marketing, and communications efforts to advance the university's reputation, resources, and relationships. UMAC is committed to fostering a culture of belonging that values diverse experiences and expertise. The Program Manager for Advancement Communications will manage the day-to-day execution of marketing and communications projects supporting the University of Washington’s philanthropic goals. This role is a core member of the Development Marketing & Communications team, overseeing project workflows and cross-departmental collaboration to ensure the successful delivery of initiatives that advance development’s annual integrated marketing and communications plan, donor engagement efforts, and the comprehensive campaign. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Brand Marketing Strategy, this position ensures communications are strategically aligned with institutional priorities and executed with clarity, consistency, and quality.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree AND three years of experience in program management, marketing, communications, development, or related field.
Experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.
Experience with project management tools, such as Asana and Microsoft Office suite.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Familiarity with the University of Washington or a similarly large, complex organization, coupled with a passion for philanthropy.
Knowledge of alumni relations/development/advancement principles.

Responsibilities

Lead the planning, prioritization and execution of development communications initiatives, independently managing project portfolios, timelines, budgets, resources and stakeholder expectations to ensure successful delivery of strategic objectives.
Coordinate and track cross functional workstreams for campaign communications, donor engagement initiatives and annual plan priorities.
Proactively identify risks and recommend solutions/mitigating factors to maintain momentum.
Keep stakeholders informed through regular check-ins and updates.
Provide strategic project counsel to communications, creative and advancement partners, ensuring alignment between project execution, donor engagement goals and broader objectives.
Establish and maintain project management frameworks, processes and tools that facilitate communication and efficiency across teams.
Ensure high-quality, brand-aligned execution by providing oversight for the development and delivery of donor centered content, maintaining organized project documentation and facilitating smooth communication channels across all teams involved.
Monitor project performance and report on progress, highlighting successes, identifying opportunities for improvement and supporting continuous refinement of development communications workflows.
Partner collaboratively across Advancement, University Marketing & Communications, and campus units to clarify business needs, align expectations, translate strategic objectives into donor-centered communications and ensure coordinated, high-quality execution across projects and stakeholder groups.
Manage external vendors and freelancers as needed to support project delivery, ensuring clear scopes, timelines and expectations while maintaining quality and alignment with UW brand and development communications strategy.
Other duties as assigned.