Director of Communications

The University of West Alabama; Livingston (AL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

University of West Alabama is seeking a Director of Communications to lead strategic institutional messaging, content development, and editorial planning in support of the University's mission and priorities. The role collaborates with Marketing and multiple divisions to ensure timely, accurate, and engaging communications that protect and enhance the University’s reputation.

The Director will guide internal communications, oversee editorial planning, and provide strategic counsel on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Five+ years in communications, public relations, journalism, content development, marketing communications, or related field.
• Two+ years leading projects, teams, programs, or communication initiatives.
• Experience developing and implementing communication strategies and content initiatives.
• Experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders and managing competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of the University's communications strategy, aligning with priorities and leadership objectives.
• Serve as the primary authority on institutional messaging, voice, tone, and communication standards.
• Support public relations to align across platforms and audiences.
• Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership on initiatives and sensitive issues.
• Oversee planning and distribution of communications across internal and external channels.
• Direct editorial strategy, content planning, and storytelling to communicate priorities and impact.
• Lead internal communications to support employee engagement and organizational alignment.
• Oversee communications related to milestones, academic initiatives, and major announcements.
• Collaborate with divisions to ensure messaging alignment and brand consistency.
• Partner with Marketing to apply brand standards and audience engagement strategies.
• Establish editorial standards, workflows, and governance for consistency and responsiveness.

Skills

Strategic communications

Stakeholder management

Content strategy

Editorial planning

Public relations

Crisis communications

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, English, Marketing, or related field

Master's degree (preferred) in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Higher Education Administration or related field

Job description

University of West Alabama: Communications and Marketing

Location

University of West Alabama

Open Date

Jul 02, 2026

Description

The Director of Communications provides leadership for the University's communications function, overseeing institutional messaging, content strategy, internal communications, editorial planning, and reputation management. This role is responsible for ensuring that University communications are accurate, consistent, timely, and aligned with institutional priorities while fostering meaningful engagement with internal and external audiences.

Working collaboratively with the Director of Marketing, the Director of Communications provides strategic guidance on institutional messaging and content development while ensuring that communications efforts support the University's mission, values, and strategic objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the University's communications strategy, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and executive leadership objectives.
• Serve as the University's primary authority on institutional messaging, voice, tone, and communication standards.
• Support public relations efforts to ensure alignment across platforms and audiences.
• Provide strategic counsel and communications guidance to senior leadership regarding institutional initiatives, sensitive issues, and matters that may affect the University's reputation or public perception.
• Oversee the planning, development, and distribution of institutional communications across internal and external channels.
• Direct the University's editorial strategy, content planning, and storytelling efforts to ensure consistent communication of institutional priorities, accomplishments, and impact.
• Provide leadership for internal communications initiatives that support employee engagement, organizational awareness, institutional alignment, and effective dissemination of information.
• Oversee communications related to major institutional milestones, academic initiatives, commencement activities, University-wide announcements, and other strategic communications priorities.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Institutional Advancement, Athletics, and other University divisions to ensure effective communication and alignment of messaging across the institution.
• Partner with the Director of Marketing to ensure consistent application of institutional brand standards, messaging frameworks, and audience engagement strategies.
• Establish editorial standards, communication workflows, and content governance practices to improve consistency, responsiveness, and effectiveness across internal and external communications.
• Monitor emerging issues, communication challenges, and reputational considerations and provide recommendations to university leadership regarding appropriate communication strategies.
• Supervise and develop assigned personnel, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and service excellence.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, English, Marketing, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, public relations, journalism, content development, marketing communications, or a related field.
• Two (2) years of experience leading projects, teams, programs, communication initiatives, or organizational efforts.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing communication strategies, content initiatives, or public-facing communications.
• Experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders and managing competing priorities in a complex organizational environment.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Higher Education Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, public relations, journalism, content strategy, marketing communications, or related areas.
• Three (3) or more years of supervisory or leadership experience with responsibility for personnel, strategic initiatives, communication planning, or organizational programs.
• Experience in higher education communications, public relations, media relations, journalism, or nonprofit communications.
• Experience advising senior leadership or supporting executive communications.
• Experience developing editorial strategies, content governance practices, or institutional messaging frameworks.
• Experience managing communication efforts related to organizational change, strategic initiatives, crisis communications, or reputation management.
• Experience utilizing communication metrics, audience insights, or engagement data to inform planning and decision-making.

FLSA: Exempt

Background Investigation

Before hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation, including information obtained from social media and other internet sources.