Department: University Communications
Appointment Type and Duration: Regular, Ongoing
Salary: $110,000 - $120,000 per year
Compensation Band: OS-OA10-Fiscal Year 2024-2025
FTE: 1.0
Application Review Begins
December 2, 2024; position open until filled
Special Instructions to Applicants
Please submit the following with your online application:
A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and requirements outlined in the job announcement.
A resume of your educational and professional work experience.
Department Summary
University Communications drives the University of Oregon’s strategic goals through the development and implementation of comprehensive communications and marketing programs. The division manages media relations, digital communications, social media, creative design, writing, editing, strategic communications, licensing, and marketing strategy. It collaborates with departments across campus to tell the UO’s key stories, enhance its reputation, and support initiatives that showcase academic and research excellence while promoting student success.
Position Summary
Communications exists to support leadership voice in articulating the university’s values, priorities, aspirations and initiatives. We inform, influence, and engage employees, providing essential information and expressing UO’s brand as a great place to work, teach, and conduct research and connect students with success resources, opportunities, and experiences.
Reporting to the Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff (COS) for University Communications, the Senior Director for Executive Communications leads a team of professionals dedicated to communicating on behalf of university leadership by promoting and safeguarding the university’s reputation.
The Senior Director works closely with the COS and other members of the University Communications leadership team, including the Vice President, to change the perception of the University of Oregon and add value to its brand. Their team communicates with key university stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and the public.
The Senior Director is accountable for developing written and spoken messages and statements by the University President.
The Senior Director supervises a communications team whose portfolio includes the Office of the President, University Human Resources, Information Services, and Issues Management. The Senior Director also supervises 50% of the communications position in the Department of Government and Community Relations.
The Senior Director prioritizes and aligns executive messaging in close collaboration with the Vice President, COS, and leadership in partner departments to create effective communications strategies to advance leadership and institutional priorities and mitigate risk. This includes a messaging framework and consistency appropriate to specific audiences, including media, faculty and staff, and (in partnership) government and business leaders.
The Senior Director is responsible for directing and prioritizing the efficient operations of messaging across their portfolio, which includes planning, calendaring, editing, proofing, distributing and collecting and analyzing data related to communications in their portfolio. Occasionally, the Senior Director may also draft messages when appropriate and necessary.
The Senior Director demonstrates and inspires a team-building work environment, motivating staff and cultivating productive relationships across campus to innovate, collaborate, and reach or exceed identified goals.
This position plays a central role in achieving UO’s goal of ensuring effective engagement with the University’s many core constituents and helping UO retain and improve on its position as a leading public research university.
Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field.
• Ten years of professional experience in communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field, including at least five years focused on issues and crisis communications management, as well as five years of experience in a supervisory role.
Professional Competencies
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including faculty, staff, students, executives, the media, and external partners.
• Effective in conflict management, strategic planning, problem-solving, and project management.
• Proficiency in digital media, social media, and other communications tools.
• High level of organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage confidential or sensitive information and issues responsibly.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and communicate clearly to decision makers and external audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate and work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in a higher education Communications.
• Advanced degree in a related field (e.g., Master’s, PhD).
• Experience in crisis communication and media relations.
FLSA Exempt: No
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit https://hr.uoregon.edu/about-benefits.
The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.
UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy (including pregnancy-related conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, familial status, citizenship, service in the uniformed services (as defined in federal and state law), veteran status, expunged juvenile record, and/or the use of leave protected by state or federal law in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed here.
In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://clery.uoregon.edu/annual-campus-security-and-fire-safety-report.
