Brand & Strategic Communications Director

University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Chicago seeks a dynamic Director of Marketing & Strategic Communications to shape and execute strategies that build brand awareness, position the Forum’s national and global voice, and drive engagement across channels. The role leads integrated marketing initiatives, supervises a team, and collaborates with campus communications to amplify thought leadership.

The Director will participate in crisis communications, donor materials, and editorial strategy for Forum content, ensuring

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Experience leading integrated marketing campaigns and engagement strategies.
• Experience managing crisis communications.
• Track record of leading communications and marketing teams in academic or mission-driven environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead integrated marketing campaigns and engagement initiatives to build brand awareness across platforms.
• Design and implement a comprehensive annual marketing strategy with consistent messaging.
• Create and uphold a unified brand identity including visual identity, tone, and positioning.
• Oversee audience segmentation for personalized communications across lifecycle stages.
• Supervise content production across video, audio, and writing for diverse audiences.
• Cultivate partnerships with internal and external stakeholders including University marketing teams.
• Lead crisis communication protocols and response strategies.
• Guide donor communications and promotional materials, including annual report.
• Direct editorial strategy to promote content across all media.
• Supervise and mentor a team including Digital Marketing & Communications Manager and student staff.
• Coordinate marketing efforts with organizational objectives.
• Provide hands-on support for evening and weekend events.

Skills

Brand management

Campaign strategy

Crisis communications

Public relations

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

HubSpot

Marketo

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Drupal

Google Analytics

Facebook Analytics

Job description

University of Chicago seeks a dynamic Director of Marketing & Strategic Communications to shape and execute strategies that build brand awareness, position the Forum’s national and global voice, and drive engagement across channels. The role leads integrated marketing initiatives, supervises a team, and collaborates with campus communications to amplify thought leadership.

The Director will participate in crisis communications, donor materials, and editorial strategy for Forum content, ensuring