Director of Advancement Communications

University of Missouri-Saint Louis; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 61,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Missouri-St. Louis seeks a Director of Advancement Communications to build and execute a strategic, multimedia communications program that strengthens philanthropic giving and aligns messaging with institutional priorities.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the editor leads editorial planning, creates compelling cases for support, manages content across print and digital platforms, and collaborates with the Office of Marketing and Communications to advance fundraising and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Four or more years of professional experience in communications.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills for varied audiences.
• Ability to lead editorial planning and manage multiple priorities from concept to completion.
• Experience with social media management and digital engagement strategies.
• Strong interviewing, presentation, verbal communication and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Experience in development and alumni communications preferred.
• Higher education or nonprofit communications background, especially fundraising campaigns, is preferred.
• Strong understanding of alumni engagement and advancement principles.
• Strong technology skills including HTML, website CMS, SEO and Google Analytics.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign) preferred.
• Photography, videography and editing experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead Advancement’s editorial planning and execution with annual strategy.
• Monitor data and performance metrics; translate insights into recommendations.
• Stay informed on best practices in advancement marketing and communications.
• Write, edit and manage content for print and digital platforms; lead social media strategy for Alumni Association.
• Support fundraising campaigns with compelling cases for support across digital and print channels.
• Collaborate with division colleagues and campus communicators to align messaging with branding.
• Conduct, transcribe, and draft interviews for print and social media use.
• Oversee Advancement’s calendar and identify content gaps and storytelling opportunities.
• Coordinate alumni and donor content for UMSL Magazine and Class Notes outreach.
• Develop and coordinate storytelling across photography, video and other multimedia content.

Skills

Writing

Editing

Public relations

Storytelling

Project management

Interviewing

Verbal communication

Social media

Campaign management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

HTML CMS

SEO

Google Analytics

Adobe Creative Suite

Photoshop

InDesign

Job description

Hiring Department

Advancement

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Advancement Communications develops and executes a strategic communications program that builds philanthropic support for the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Reporting to the Managing Director of Advancement Communications, the director serves as the editorial lead for Advancement, creating an integrated multimedia communications plan that engages alumni and drives the Division’s fundraising strategies and stewardship of donors. This role ensures that messaging aligns with institutional priorities, enhances the university’s reputation and fosters a culture of philanthropy. The Director collaborates closely with colleagues within Advancement and across campus, including the Office of Marketing and Communications, to plan and deliver effective communications.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategy - 20%

• Lead Advancement’s editorial planning and execution, developing and implementing an annual communications strategy in collaboration with the Managing Director and evaluating and adjusting priorities as needed.
• Monitor data and performance metrics to assess communication effectiveness, translate performance insights into recommendations and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Stay informed on best practices in advancement marketing and communications to keep strategies innovative and effective.

Communications & Social Media - 25%

• Write, edit and manage content for print and digital platforms, including alumni publications, donor and alumni newsletters, solicitations, stewardship materials, web content and social media.
• Lead social media content strategy for the Alumni Association’s social media channels, working with the Office of Marketing and Communications to align messaging, plan strategic content and track engagement metrics.
• Support communication efforts for fundraising campaigns, conducting research and writing compelling cases for support, proposals and campaign messaging across digital and print channels.

Campus & Alumni Relations - 25%

• Collaborate with division colleagues and campus communicators to align messaging with Advancement and university branding.
• Conduct, transcribe, and draft interviews with students, faculty, and alumni for print and social media use.

Project Management - 30%

• Oversee Advancement’s comprehensive calendar, proactively identifying content gaps, storytelling opportunities and priorities to ensure consistency, strategic timing and alignment with campaign, fundraising, stewardship and alumni engagement objectives.
• Assist in coordinating alumni and donor-related content for UMSL Magazine and manage outreach for alumni featured in Class Notes.
• Develop and coordinate written, visual and multimedia storytelling across Advancement communications, including photography, video and other digital content as appropriate.

As with all positions, may perform other job-related responsibilities as needed to support departmental and campus-wide needs.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Writing
• Editing
• Communication for various audiences
• Project management & organization
• Interviewing
• Public speaking
• Social media management

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment with extensive computer use and frequent interaction with university leadership, Advancement staff, students, faculty, alumni, and external partners. The role requires prolonged periods of sitting, and viewing computer screens. Responsibilities include managing multiple concurrent projects with competing deadlines while maintaining a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. The position involves sustained analytical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and collaboration across stakeholder groups.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Shift

M-F, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm; some evenings and weekends for events

Minimum Qualifications

A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 4 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, journalism, public relations or a related field.
• Four or more years of professional experience in communications.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills with the ability to craft compelling messaging for varied audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to lead editorial planning and manage multiple communications priorities from concept through completion.
• Experience with social media management and digital engagement strategies.
• Excellent interviewing, presentation, verbal communication and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Experience in development and alumni communications preferred.
• A higher education or nonprofit communications background, especially fundraising campaigns, is preferred.
• Strong understanding of alumni engagement and advancement principles.
• Strong technology skills including HTML, website content management systems, SEO and Google analytics.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign) preferred.
• Photography, videography and editing experience a plus.

Anticipated Hiring Range

$60,944 - $72,000

Grade

GGS-011

University Title

ADVANCEMENT DIRECTOR I

Internal applicants can determine their University title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

Application Materials

• Application materials include a cover letter and resume. Finalists will be asked to provide references at a later date.
• Applicants must combine all application materials into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment to the UMSL Careers: https://www.umsl.edu/services/hrs/careers/index.html
• Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). For questions about the application process, please email [e-mail]. If you are experiencing technical problems, please email [e-mail]

Sponsorship Information

Employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/departments-staff/human-resources/benefits-retirement

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please email the Office of Human Resources at [e-mail].