Associate Director, University Communications

University of Illinois at Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Tuition waivers

Job summary

University of Illinois Chicago invites applications for the Associate Director, University Communications in Chicago. You will lead media relations, craft strategic stories, and provide crisis communications support across health sciences partnerships with UI Health and related colleges.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree and at least five years in media relations or communications, with strong writing and editing skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Media, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Science, or a related field.
• Five(5) years of professional experience in media relations, communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field, including issues management, crisis communications, and storytelling.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and local healthcare laws and regulatory requirements, including privacy and confidentiality standards for healthcare communications.
• Strong written communication skills, including professional experience writing, editing, and proofreading content for internal, external, media, or public audiences.

Responsibilities

• Seek, prepare, write, review, and effectively disseminate media relations and crisis/issues management content for the hospital, OVCHA and/or the health sciences colleges, programs, and specialties through diverse media channels including print, broadcast, and multimedia.
• Function as the key point of contact for the hospital and/or health sciences colleges, facilitating external news contacts and collaborations for both current and emerging news coverage. As a vital part of the UIC’s emergency response team, contribute to communication efforts and support.
• Identify and foster relationships with local, national, and international news entities and organizational representatives, ensuring a consistent stream of positive coverage for the health science colleges and/or UI Health. Develop and maintain ongoing connections with media sources, faculty, staff, and students.
• Proactively write and pitch UIC and UI Health research, clinical stories, events, and major grants/funding; pitch and place UIC and UI Health experts and faculty for topical, breaking, and trending news stories.
• Respond to news media inquiries, schedule, and negotiate interviews and written content.
• Cultivate and curate an aligned and collaborative landscape of storytelling across all channels and media.
• Advise university and hospital leadership along with faculty and staff on media responses and strategies for protecting and stewarding the reputation of the institution.
• Provide crisis communications support and media training.
• In-depth ability to research and communicate complex information, such as medical research, clinical innovations, or health policy issues, to a broad audience, using knowledge of concepts within a specialized field.
• Plan and prepare stories; write, edit, proofread, and copy-edit a variety of technical articles, reports, brochures, and manuals for wide dissemination.
• Coordinate activities with audio/video specialists, graphic designers, digital media, and others to activate and support multiplatform storytelling.
• Perform other duties as they emerge in an ever-evolving marketing and communications landscape.

Skills

Media relations

Crisis communications

Storytelling

Writing & editing

Public relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Media, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Science, or related field

Job description

Associate Director, University Communications

Chicago, IL, United States

1042461

Posted on: 8/26/2026 - Application Deadline: 9/9/2026

Associate Director, University Communications

Hiring Department: University Communications

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID: 1042461

Posting Close Date: 9/9/2026

Salary: The salary range for this position is $90,000 -$120,000

About the University of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits . This includes Health, Dental, Vision, LifeInsurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), a leadinginstitution committed to student access and success, is seeking an AssociateDirector, University Communications to join the Office of Strategic Marketingand Communications team. A successful candidate excels in written andmultimedia communication, crafting materials like op-eds, commentaries, pressreleases, and media pitches, while also offering crisis communications supportand media training.

Position Overview

Working jointly with the communications and marketing teamsof both the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications and the UI Healthand/or OVCHA, the Associate Director, UniversityCommunications, takes charge of media relations, storytelling, and news/crisismanagement in partnership with UI Health, and/or the Office of the ViceChancellor for Health Affairs and the seven health sciences colleges, includingApplied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work,and the School of Public Health, encompassing their diverse programs andspecialties. The role involves seamless integration with UIC's health sciences,clinical programs, and the University Communications and Storytelling andContent Strategy teams of Strategic Marketing and Communications. The primaryaim is to highlight and engage health sciences strengths in teaching, research,clinical care, and public service through proactive media coverage locally,nationally, and globally.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Seek,prepare, write, review, and effectively disseminate media relations andcrisis/issues management content for the hospital, OVCHA and/or the health sciences colleges, programs, and specialties through diverse mediachannels including print, broadcast, and multimedia.
• Functionas the key point of contact for the hospital and/or health sciences colleges, facilitating external news contacts and collaborations for bothcurrent and emerging news coverage. As a vital part of the UIC’s emergencyresponse team, contribute to communication efforts and support.
• Identifyand foster relationships with local, national, and international newsentities and organizational representatives, ensuring a consistent streamof positive coverage for the health science colleges and/or UI Health.Develop and maintain ongoing connections with media sources, faculty, staff, and students.
• Proactivelywrite and pitch UIC and UI Health research, clinical stories, events, andmajor grants/funding; pitch and place UIC and UI Health experts andfaculty for topical, breaking, and trending news stories.
• Respondto news media inquiries, schedule, and negotiate interviews and writtencontent.
• Cultivateand curate an aligned and collaborative landscape of storytelling acrossall channels and media.
• Adviseuniversity and hospital leadership along with faculty and staff on mediaresponses and strategies for protecting and stewarding the reputation ofthe institution.
• Providecrisis communications support and media training.
• In-depthability to research and communicate complex information, such as medicalresearch, clinical innovations, or health policy issues, to a broadaudience, using knowledge of concepts within a specialized field.
• Planand prepare stories; write, edit, proofread, and copy-edit a variety oftechnical articles, reports, brochures, and manuals for widedissemination.
• Coordinateactivities with audio/video specialists, graphic designers, digital media,and others to activate and support multiplatform storytelling.
• Performother duties as they emerge in an ever-evolving marketing andcommunications landscape.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’sdegree in Journalism, Media, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing,Science, or a related field.
• Five(5) years of professional experience in media relations, communications,public relations, journalism, or a related field, including issuesmanagement, crisis communications, and storytelling.
• Demonstratedknowledge of federal, state, and local healthcare laws and regulatoryrequirements, including privacy and confidentiality standards forhealthcare communications.
• Strongwritten communication skills, including professional experience writing,editing, and proofreading content for internal, external, media, or publicaudiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master'sdegree preferred
• Demonstratedexperience identifying, developing, and prioritizing news stories;conducting interviews; and gathering information from multiple sources toproduce accurate and engaging communications materials within a highereducational institution or healthcare setting.
• Experienceworking in highly collaborative environments requiring effectiveinterpersonal skills, cultural awareness, and the ability to maintainpositive, solution-orientated relationships.
• Abilityto manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize competingdeadlines, adapt to changing priorities, and maintain a high level ofaccuracy, attention to detail, and quality.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, covid sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.