Communications and Outreach Manager

University of Colorado; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Colorado Boulder is seeking a Communications and Outreach Manager to translate university priorities into compelling multimedia stories. The role partners with campus leaders to craft narratives, develop integrated content across channels, and advance the university's mission with analytics-driven improvements.

The position emphasizes inclusive storytelling, strategic planning, and collaboration within Strategic Relations and Communications, with a hybrid work model and an annual

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, journalism, marketing, public relations or related field.
• 5 years of relevant experience in a public relations or strategic communications role.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, synthesize information clearly.
• Cultural awareness and adaptive communication for varied audiences.
• Strong project management and ability to work independently and with teams.

Responsibilities

• Multimedia storytelling and content strategy across video, photography, social, web and other formats.
• Translate university priorities into engaging narratives for diverse audiences.
• Develop audience-centered communications plans and calendars.
• Serve as a creative and strategic partner to campus leaders and units.
• Measure effectiveness with analytics and translate data into improvements.
• Advance inclusive and culturally responsive communications.
• Contribute to evolving university communications enterprise with new tools.
• Support Leadership Support and Programming priorities as part of the team.
• Provide communication support to senior university leaders and executives.
• Other duties as assigned, including event support and committees.

Skills

Project management

Verbal and written communication

Photography and videography

Social media management

Editorial judgment

Audience-focused storytelling

Creative thinking

Adobe Creative Cloud

Content strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree in graphic design, journalism, marketing, PR or related field

Master's degree in communication or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

HTML

Drupal

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Teams

Job description

Job Details

Requisition Number:

75180

Location:

Boulder, Colorado

City

Boulder

State

Colorado

Employment Type:

University Staff

Schedule:

Full-Time

Posting Close Date:

05-Oct-2026

Date Posted:

29-Sep-2026

Job Summary

The Strategic Relations and Communications Department at CU Boulder invites applications for a Communications and Outreach Manager! This role is a strategic multimedia communication professional who helps translate university priorities, leadership vision, and institutional initiatives into compelling stories and experiences that engage diverse audiences across campus and beyond. Working within Strategic Relations and Communications and under the guidance of the Senior Director for Communication, this position combines critical thinking, creative storytelling, digital fluency, and audience-centered communication to advance the university's mission and priorities for a variety of campus administrative units.

The manager serves as a creative communication partner to campus leaders and administrative units, developing integrated communication strategies and multimedia content across a constantly evolving university communication enterprise. The role moves fluidly among strategy, storytelling, content development, and project execution-identifying opportunities to amplify institutional priorities through the right channels, formats, voices, and platforms.

Position Impact

This position is designed for a communication professional who sees beyond individual deliverables to the larger opportunity: building a more connected, contemporary, and strategic university communication ecosystem. The successful candidate will help the university tell its story with greater creativity, consistency, agility, and impact-using multimedia storytelling and emerging communication practices to advance institutional priorities and deepen engagement with the audiences who matter most.

The role requires exceptional collaboration, editorial judgment, creativity, project management, and discretion, as well as the ability to move comfortably between strategic planning and hands-on content creation. Success will depend on the ability to anticipate communication opportunities, build trusted partnerships, and turn institutional priorities into stories that people understand, remember, and want to engage with.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

As the university's central marketing and communications team, Strategic Relations and Communications advances CU Boulder's mission, vision and reputation through an integrated communications approach supporting a campus-wide experience that inspires greater affinity and engagement.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

50%:

Multimedia Storytelling and Content Strategy

• Develop and produce a broad range of high-quality communications, including video, photography, social media, web and digital content, podcasts and other emerging formats, email campaigns, print materials, infographics, executive communication, and other creative assets.
• Find opportunities to repurpose and extend content across platforms and audiences.

Translate University Priorities into Compelling Narratives

• Partner with university leaders, communicators, faculty, staff, students, and campus units to understand strategic goals and translate complex initiatives into clear, accessible, and engaging stories.
• Help shape narratives that demonstrate the university's impact, distinguish its strengths, and connect institutional priorities to the experiences of its communities.

Think Strategically Across Channels and Audiences

• Develop audience-centered communications approaches and content calendars that consider purpose, timing, voice, platform, accessibility, cultural context, and desired outcomes.
• Help ensure communications are coordinated across channels and contribute to a cohesive university narrative.

Serve as a Creative and Strategic Partner

• Bring an entrepreneurial, problem-solving approach to communications projects, helping campus partners move from ideas and opportunities to effective campaigns, stories, and experiences.
• Recommend innovative approaches, technologies, platforms, and storytelling formats that strengthen the university's communications capabilities.

Measure, Learn, and Optimize

• Use audience insights, analytics, social and digital performance data, and other measures to assess communications effectiveness.
• Translate data and emerging trends into recommendations that improve content, engagement, reach, and impact.

Advance Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Communications

• Demonstrate cultural awareness and competence in developing communications for diverse audiences.
• Champion accessibility, inclusive storytelling, and communications practices that reflect the breadth of the university community.

Contribute to an Evolving University Communications Enterprise

• Stay current with emerging technologies, platforms, storytelling practices, artificial intelligence, digital media trends, and changing audience behaviors.
• Experiment thoughtfully with new tools and approaches while maintaining standards for accuracy, ethics, accessibility, privacy, and institutional reputation.

30%:

Partner with the Office of Leadership Support and Programming

• Dedicate approximately 30% of the position to supporting LSP priorities and participating as an active member of the LSP team.
• Responsibilities may include many of the functions noted above, which include:
• Strategic communication and marketing.
• Executive communication.
• Leadership storytelling.
• Multimedia content development.
• Event promotion.
• Occasional speech-writing for the senior vice chancellor of LSP.

10%:

Support Leadership and Executive Communication

• Provide communication and content support to senior university leaders, including messaging, talking points, digital content, multimedia storytelling, and occasional speech-writing.
• Exercise sound judgment and discretion when working with confidential, sensitive, or high-profile information.

10%:

Other Duties as Assigned

To potentially include, but not limited to:

• Participation in the campus joint information center during major emergencies.
• Event support.
• Serving on committees and task forces, as determined by the Senior Director for Communication and SRC leadership.

What You Should Know

This position is working in a hybrid work situation, working a mix of days on campus and remotely each week. This role could be fully-in person.

What We Can Offer

The annual salary range for this full-time position is $82,000 - $90,000.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be collaborative. Be game-changing. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• A bachelor's degree in graphic design, journalism, marketing, public relations, advertising or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute on a year-for-year basis.
• 5 years of relevant experience in a public relations or strategic communications role; reporting or editing for a media organization; institutional communications for a college, university or public agency/entity; or communications experience in the private or nonprofit sectors.

What You Will Need

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to synthesize information in a clear and concise manner.
• Cultural awareness. Possess a deep and flexible cultural awareness of self and others-- in perceptions, values, beliefs, behaviors and practices -- and behaviorally shifts as appropriate.
• Adaptive communication. Contextualizes' equity commitments for varied audiences without abandoning the substance of the work.
• Interpersonal relationship skills. Honors and incorporates diverse viewpoints, brings conflicts into the open and approaches them as opportunities for growth, and involves appropriate parties to find common ground or acceptable alternatives.
• Project management experience, including the ability to set and meet set timelines, track project progress and communicate scheduling challenges.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment and respond well to feedback.
• Strong organizational, prioritization and time management skills.
• Photography and videography skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint and Teams.
• Knowledge of how to use social media tools in a professional setting.

What We Would Like You to Have

• 10+ years of relevant experience in a public relations or strategic communications role; reporting or editing for a media organization; institutional communications for a college, university or public agency/entity; or communications experience in the private or nonprofit sectors.
• Master's degree (or equivalent experience) in communication, journalism, marketing, advertising, public relations or a related field.
• Marketing and communications experience in a higher education environment.
• Experience in email marketing.
• Experience working in an academic environment, community organization or nonprofit.
• Graphic design background.
• Proven expertise with Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro and InDesign.
• Knowledge of Web Express, ability to write HTML and/or experience using Drupal or a similar website content management system.