Associate Director of Communications

Nebraska Wesleyan University; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability benefits

Retirement

Seven weeks vacation & holidays

Tuition discount for dependents

Job summary

Nebraska Wesleyan University is seeking an Associate Director of Communications to lead NWU's media relations and craft content for diverse audiences. The role partners with the Director of Marketing and Communications and the Chief of Staff to advance the university's reputation and keep the campus community well informed.

The position includes supervising one digital marketing staff member and shaping NWU's editorial direction across channels, websites, and social media, with occasional

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, communications, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years in public relations, communications, media relations, or related field.
• Proven ability to write clearly across formats—news releases, features, institutional statements, web content, and social media.
• Experience building relationships with journalists and managing media inquiries.
• Strong editing and proofreading with rigorous attention to detail.
• Comfort serving as a spokesperson or preparing others to do so.
• Experience managing communications during sensitive or crisis situations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate across campus stakeholders and represent the university professionally.

Responsibilities

• Lead NWU's media relations efforts and cultivate journalist relationships.
• Write and distribute news releases, advisories, and feature pitches for earned coverage.
• Provide editorial direction for NWU's website, internal communications, and marketing materials.
• Develop talking points, statements, and communication frameworks for university leadership.
• Supervise digital marketing staff and shape the content pipeline across channels.
• Collaborate across Marketing & Communications and with campus partners to implement integrated strategies.
• Work extended hours as needed, including evenings and weekends.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Media relations

Spokesperson

Editing & proofreading

Content writing

Crisis communications

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Relationship building

Storytelling

LinkedIn

Education

Bachelor's degree in journalism/public relations/communications

Tools

Content Management System

Web editing

LinkedIn management

Job description

Nebraska Wesleyan University is seeking an Associate Director of Communications. In this role, you will lead NWU's media relations effort, develop and write content for a range of external and internal audiences, and help manage the institutional voice across channels. You will work in close partnership with the Director of Marketing and Communications and the Chief of Staff to advance the university's reputation and keep the campus community well informed.

NWU is a university with real stories to tell -- faculty whose research reaches beyond the classroom, students whose achievements turn heads, programs that prepare people for work and life in ways that matter. Seeking out those stories, working alongside faculty and staff to surface how NWU is making an impact in Lincoln and in the larger world, and finding the audiences who need to hear them is the heart of this role.

This role also includes direct supervision of one digital marketing staff member, providing the editorial direction and content pipeline that fuels NWU's broader digital presence.

Department

Marketing & Communications

Responsibilities

Media Relations & Storytelling

• Serve as NWU's primary media relations contact -- cultivating relationships with journalists, responding to media inquiries, and proactively pitching stories that advance the university's reputation.
• Seek out and develop compelling stories from across the university community -- student achievements, faculty research, alumni impact, and program outcomes -- working directly with faculty and staff to identify how NWU is making a difference in the community and the larger world.
• Write and distribute news releases, media advisories, and feature pitches that generate earned coverage for NWU students, faculty, programs, and institutional milestones.
• Arrange and prepare university spokespersons for media interviews; serve as spokesperson as delegated by the Director.
• Write long-form content for NWU's website, internal communications, and marketing materials in close collaboration with the Director and the broader team.
• Assist with copy for the NWU website as a shared responsibility with the Marketing and Communications team.
• Develop talking points, statements, and communication frameworks for university leadership on institutional priorities and emerging issues.
• Apply AI tools thoughtfully and judiciously -- using critical thinking to identify where technology can improve efficiency while maintaining the human voice and editorial judgment that credible communications require.

Social Media & Digital Content

• Serve as the primary contributor to NWU's LinkedIn presence, writing and publishing articles, institutional announcements, and PR-driven content that builds the university's professional reputation.
• Develop and funnel story-based content to the digital marketing team for distribution across NWU's broader social media channels.
• Collaborate with digital marketing staff to ensure paid and organic social efforts reflect a consistent institutional voice and draw from a strong content pipeline.
• Provide communication and social media guidance to university departments as needed.

Crisis & Emergency Communications

• Partner with the Chief of Staff on emergency and crisis communications, ensuring timely, accurate messaging reaches employees and students through designated channels including the Wesleyan Alert System.
• Collaborate with the University Threat Assessment Team on safety and security communications.
• Manage sensitive issues and media inquiries with discretion, working in close coordination with the Chief of Staff.

Team Leadership

• Supervise digital marketing staff, providing editorial direction, content strategy support, and day-to-day guidance.
• Collaborate across the Marketing and Communications team and with campus partners to develop and execute integrated communication strategies.
• Works an extended schedule as demands of the role require, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, communications, or a related field -- or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Three to five years of professional experience in public relations, communications, media relations, or a closely related field.
• Proven ability to write clearly and compellingly across formats -- news releases, feature stories, institutional statements, web content, and social media.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with journalists and managing media inquiries.
• Strong editing and proofreading skills with rigorous attention to detail.
• Comfort serving as a spokesperson or preparing others to do so.
• Experience managing communications during sensitive or crisis situations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills -- able to build trust with campus stakeholders, work collaboratively across departments, and represent the university professionally in external settings.

Preferred

• Experience in higher education communications or a mission-driven organization.
• Familiarity with LinkedIn and experience managing an organizational presence on the platform.
• Photography or photojournalism experience.
• Video production skills, including filming and basic editing for social and web content.
• Experience with a content management system and basic web editing.
• Supervisory experience.

Salary

DOE/Q

Benefits

NWU offers a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, life insurance, disability benefits, retirement, seven weeks of combined vacation and holiday time annually, and 100% tuition discount for dependents after one year of service.

Nebraska Wesleyan University provides equal educational and employment opportunities to qualified persons in all areas of university operation without regard to religion or creed, age, genetic information, gender identity and expression, sexual identity and orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, race, or national or ethnic origin, in compliance with state and federal laws, including but not limited to Title XII, Title IX, and the ADA. E-Verify, EOE.