Assoc Director of Storytelling & Content Strategy - TP141950

UC San Diego; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 58,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego is seeking an Associate Director of Storytelling and Content Strategy in a long‑term temporary role. The position focuses on shaping how the university shares its stories, engages diverse audiences, and highlights people, discoveries, and impact through editorial strategy and content across channels.

The ideal candidate has strong writing, research, and editorial skills, can pitch ideas to senior stakeholders, and collaborate effectively while managing projects to meet deadlines.

Qualifications

• Advanced writing, grammar, and style for diverse audiences.
• Ability to identify and pitch story ideas to senior leaders.
• Strong research and fact‑checking capabilities.
• Experience overseeing institutional publications through strategic planning and content development.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop editorial strategies and compelling content across websites, newsletters, and other channels.
• Identify and pitch story ideas highlighting people, programs, discoveries, and impact.
• Support planning and distribution of flagship university communications.
• Contribute to content strategy for major university sites and event calendars.
• Conduct research, verify facts, and analyze performance metrics to improve communications.
• Assist with daily news briefing production and other communications programs.

Skills

Editorial strategy

Story ideation

Research & fact verification

Project management

Content production

Cross‑functional collaboration

Email marketing tools

Tools

Photoshop

Canva

Emma/Constant Contact

Job description

DESCRIPTION

UC San Diego's Temporary Employment Services department is pleased to announce a new long-term temporary opportunity for an Associate Director of Storytelling and Content Strategy.

This position offers an opportunity to shape how a leading research university shares its stories, connects with diverse audiences, and brings its people, discoveries, and impact to life. The Associate Director develops editorial strategies and creative content for a variety of communications channels, helping transform ideas, information, and achievements into engaging stories that inform, inspire, and connect.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and contribute to editorial strategies and compelling content for internal and external audiences across websites, newsletters, publications, magazines, social media, and other communications channels.
• Proactively identify, develop, and pitch story ideas that highlight university people, programs, discoveries, and impact.
• Support the planning, development, and distribution of flagship university communications, including campus news and publications.
• Contribute to content strategy and editorial planning for major university websites and event calendars, ensuring content is relevant, engaging, and responsive to audience needs.
• Conduct research and fact verification, and gather and analyze content performance metrics to inform editorial decisions and improve communications effectiveness.
• Assist with the production of a daily news briefing and support other communications programs and initiatives.
• Collaborate with communications colleagues, campus partners, and creative professionals to develop content, coordinate projects, and bring stories from concept to completion.

The ideal candidate is a creative storyteller and self-starter with exceptional writing, research, and editorial skills. They bring initiative to identifying and pitching story ideas, can adapt their writing to different audiences and formats, and are equally comfortable collaborating with others and managing projects independently. Strong organizational skills, sound judgment, and the ability to balance creative priorities with deadlines and competing demands are essential. Experience with digital publishing, image-editing, email marketing, or web-production tools is a plus.

Additional Position Details:

• Anticipated duration: 7 - 8 months
• Compensation: $42.15 - $50.29 / hour, including paid holidays and vacation/sick leave. Full-medical insurance also available.
• Location: Hybrid / remote work arrangement. 1 - 2 days per week onsite. Onsite work will be at UC San Diego's main campus in La Jolla.
• Work schedule: Mon - Fri, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

Department Overview:

The university's central communications team is an award-winning, full-service division dedicated to increasing awareness and spreading the word about UC San Diego's impact and mission. Our team strives to explore bold, new ways to tell stories that connect, inspire and engage internal and external audiences, while elevating a variety of perspectives and voices. We focus on being responsive to the needs of our audiences - respecting differences and recognizing achievements while promoting institutional unity and pride. We also work with and advise units and colleagues in key administrative areas including Operations Management and Capital Planning, Financial Administration, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and other areas across campus. The team strives to protect UC San Diego's reputation, working with various stakeholders to communicate clearly and thoughtfully during times of crisis and when confronted with sensitive issues. We also manage flagship campus communications vehicles including the UC San Diego Today website and newsletter, and UC San Diego Magazine.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced knowledge of the fundamentals of writing, grammar, syntax, style and punctuation and advanced skills to write clear, lively, engaging, compelling and effective copy in a variety of styles appropriate to target audiences and the broader public.
• Advanced skill in taking initiative to creatively identify and pitch story ideas to senior management and clients.
• Advanced research and fact verification skills.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee the creation and distribution of relevant and appropriate institutional publications efforts supporting the promotion of programs and services through strategic planning, research, writing and content development.
• Advanced project management, organizational and problem recognition, avoidance and resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with demonstrated ability to lead projects and programs to completion, determining priorities and demands of diverse constituents.
• Strong ability to set priorities that accurately reflect the relative importance of job responsibilities and take into consideration deadlines, competing requirements and complexity.
• Knowledge of computer applications for publishing, image handling and/or web production. Experience using other software/tools such as Photoshop, Canva, Emma/Constant Contact (or similar platform) etc. and working with professional technical staff (e.g., designers, photographers, etc.) preferred.
• Advanced interpersonal communications skills, including active listening and effective collaboration skills.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Background check required.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: Unclassified - No data available (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: Unclassified - No data available

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).