Associate Director of Development Communications

Phase2 Technology; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 74,096 - 90,561; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin is seeking an Associate Director of Development Communications to provide strategic donor-focused communications that directly support fundraising priorities.

The role serves as a lead editor and writer for external content and high-level internal communications, collaborating with faculty and marketing to create compelling proposals, cases for support, and campaign materials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in development-related roles.
• Experience in healthcare or higher education fundraising communications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develops donor-focused communications strategy aligned with fundraising priorities.
• Leads content creation for proposals, cases for support, and campaign materials.
• Translates complex academic and clinical priorities into donor-ready narratives.
• Acts as lead writer and strategist for externally facing content across the giving cycle.
• Ensures messaging aligns with brand standards and donor engagement goals.
• Collaborates with institutional partners across communications and marketing teams.

Skills

Communicates Effectively

Strategic Mindset

Builds Effective Teams

Decision Quality

Organizational Savvy

Drives Results

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Associate Director of Development Communications

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Development, Communications provides strategic communications consultation for donor-focused communications that directly support fundraising priorities and outcomes. Reporting to the Executive Director of Development Communications, this role serves as a lead editor and writer for external content and high-level internal communications. The position collaborates with faculty, institutional communications, and marketing teams to create compelling proposals, cases for support, campaign materials, and digital content. This role ensures alignment with brand standards, best practices, and donor engagement goals, strengthening relationships with donors and stakeholders through innovative storytelling and integrated communications.

Responsibilities

• Develops donor-focused communications strategy
  • Advises internal clients on communications needs across the cycle of giving, aligned with approved institutional fundraising priorities.
  • Partners with internal clients and communications and marketing teams to ensure message alignment.
  • Establishes annual communications goals and evaluates effectiveness through qualitative and quantitative measures.
• Oversees content creation and campaign materials
  • Partners directly with faculty and physicians to build fundraising priority-specific cases for support, articulate gift concepts, and ensure brand-aligned language.
  • Translates complex academic, clinical, and research priorities into compelling benefactor-ready narratives.
  • Serves as a lead writer and strategist for a full range of externally facing content across the cycle of giving, under tight deadlines and evolving priorities.
  • Inputs content into designed templates and collaborates with graphic designers on custom pieces.
  • Guides scripting and messaging for donor-focused events, campaigns, and leadership presentations.
• Proposal and case development
  • Leads development of fundraising priority-aligned cases for support and gift opportunities in collaboration with administrators, faculty, and development officers.
  • Maintains methods and standards for tracking proposals-in-process (proposal log) using UT development systems or new platforms as needed.
  • Serves as a project lead for transformational proposals and campaign-related materials.
  • Ensures consistency and adaptability of campaign messaging across audiences and timelines.
• Collaborates with institutional partners
  • Works with communications and marketing teams to integrate donor messaging into broader campaigns.
  • Develops internal communications strategies for the UT Dell Medicine team and the broader UT Austin Development community, keeping them informed of key UT Dell Medicine-related developments.
  • Provides content and tools to support in-house and campus-wide fundraisers.
  • Participates in planning sessions for major campaigns and events.
• Other related functions as assigned.
• Marginal or Periodic Functions:
  Support special projects such as campaign branding refresh and creative audits; assist with feasibility studies and quiet-phase campaign strategies; perform related duties as required.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Communicates Effectively – 10
• Strategic Mindset – 9
• Builds Effective Teams – 8
• Decision Quality – 8
• Organizational Savvy – 7
• Drives Results – 7

Education & Experience

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• 5 years of experience in development-related roles.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in healthcare or higher education fundraising communications.

Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications

Required:

• None required.

Preferred:

• Certification in the use of generative AI.

Salary Range

$82,329.00 depending on qualifications

Budget Responsibility

Assists in managing communications budget for creative services, technology, and vendor contracts.

Working Environment / Equipment

• Standard office equipment
• Repetitive use of a keyboard
• May be exposed to such occupational hazards as communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, ionizing and nonionizing radiation, hazardous medications and disoriented or combative patients, or others.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.