Communications & Outreach Manager (TEMP)

The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees; United States; On-site; USD 58,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Pegasus Research Institute leads strategic communications, outreach, and stakeholder engagement to advance its mission within the University of Central Florida system. The role oversees content, digital platforms, events, and messaging across channels, ensuring alignment with PRI’s brand and goals.

The position requires senior-level expertise in communications strategy, public affairs, and stakeholder liaison, with strong leadership of diverse teams and projects.

Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited institution with 7–10 years in strategic communications or related fields.
• Experience in executive, public, sponsor, and multi-stakeholder communications.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive communications and outreach strategies that support institutional goals and stakeholder engagement.
• Create messaging frameworks, plans, calendars, and brand governance standards.
• Lead executive, sponsor, public, and multi-stakeholder communications with consistency and accuracy.

Skills

Strategic communications

Public affairs

Stakeholder engagement

Research communications

Program communications

Education

Master's degree

Job description

Pegasus Research Institute

Pegasus Research Institute (PRI) is the University of Central Florida's applied research institute, bringing together expertise from across UCF to solve complex, real-world challenges. Through multidisciplinary collaboration among faculty, researchers, students, and industry and government partners, PRI helps move innovative ideas from research and prototyping to real-world validation and deployment. Its work spans space technologies, health and human performance, energy and sustainability, immersive experiences, and transformative technologies and national security, creating a dynamic environment where research, innovation, and operational impact intersect.

The Opportunity

This position leads the development and execution of strategic communications, outreach initiatives, and stakeholder engagement activities that advance the Research Institute's mission, visibility, and impact. This position is responsible for managing internal and external communications, overseeing content development and digital platforms, coordinating events and engagement activities, and ensuring consistent messaging and brand alignment across all communications channels. The manager serves as a key advisor on communications strategy, public relations, and stakeholder engagement while supervising communications priorities and deliverables.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive communications and outreach strategies that support institutional goals, research initiatives, and stakeholder engagement objectives.


• Create and maintain messaging frameworks, communication plans, editorial calendars, and brand governance standards.


• Lead executive, sponsor, public, and multi-stakeholder communications, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and alignment with organizational priorities.


• Oversee website content, publications, newsletters, annual reports, technical communications, and other digital and print communications resources.


• Coordinate and support workshops, conferences, advisory councils, industry engagement activities, public events, and community outreach initiatives.


• Develop communications materials that effectively translate complex research, technical, and programmatic information for diverse audiences.


• Manage communications review and approval processes to ensure quality, compliance, and alignment with institutional standards.


• Provide guidance and support for sensitive issues, media inquiries, reputational risks, and crisis communications activities.


• Monitor communication effectiveness and stakeholder engagement metrics and recommend improvements to outreach strategies.


• Collaborate with institute leadership, researchers, sponsors, university partners, government agencies, industry representatives, and external stakeholders.


• Supervise communications projects, prioritize workloads, and manage communications deliverables across multiple initiatives and deadlines.


• Support special projects and strategic initiatives that enhance institutional visibility, partnerships, and research impact.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited institution with 7-10 years in strategic communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, research communications, or related program communications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Communications strategy, message architecture, editorial planning, and brand governance.


• Executive, public, sponsor, and multi-stakeholder communications.


• Workshops, events, councils, industry outreach, and stakeholder engagement.


• Website, content, publication, and technical-communications oversight.


• Issues, approvals, sensitive-content, and crisis-communications management.


• Team leadership and workload prioritization across communications deliverables.

Compensation

The anticipated hourly range for this position is $42.15 - $69.44. The final rate will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

Eligibility & Requirements

All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H-1B transfers o

Contact

Questions regarding this search should be directed to Abram Walton, [e-mail] and Wayne Fogel, [e-mail]