Director of Communications, Educating Character Initiative, Program for Leadership and Character

The Program for Leadership and Character; Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking program dedicated to character education, where you will develop and implement strategic communication initiatives that elevate the impact of character programming. This role involves crafting compelling narratives, managing digital content, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders to promote the Educating Character Initiative. If you are a self-starter with a passion for effective communication and creativity, this position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in higher education. Embrace the chance to lead impactful messaging and contribute to the ethical development of students and faculty in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with five years of related experience required.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills are essential.
• Proficiency in technology and computers is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategic communication and marketing vision for ECI.
• Create compelling content for various platforms and audiences.
• Manage ECI websites and digital media presence.

Skills

Effective Communication

Creative Thinking

Organizational Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Microsoft Office

Website Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Essential Functions:

Develops a strategic vision for communication and marketing to advance the work of the Educating Character Initiative (ECI) and communicate its reach, impact, and opportunities to a variety of audiences and stakeholders.
Crafts compelling stories and profiles about faculty, staff, students, and events that convey the value of character and character programming, the impact and reach of the ECI, and the importance of research, scholarship, and creativity activity related to character in higher education.
Creates content (e.g. social media posts, emails, videos, reports, etc.) to share the work of the Educating Character Initiative (ECI) in ways that align with the mission, content, and style of Wake Forest and the Program for Leadership and Character (PLC).
Drafts copy for all forms of communication, including communication related to Educating Character Initiative grants, events, partnerships, and requests for proposals.
Writes, designs, and delivers newsletters, articles, and social media profiles and communications that share compelling stories of impact and opportunity.
Manages and updates ECI websites and web platforms.
Communicates to internal and external audiences about all grant activities, including Requests for Proposals (RFPs), awards, impact, and scholarship.
Assists with ECI and PLC conferences and event planning, execution, evaluation, and communication.
Develops, sustains, and expands a strong digital media presence to advertise events, communicate impact, and highlight achievements.
Assists with writing annual reports to the University and funding agencies.
Collaborates with the University Marketing and Communications office, including Design, Writing, Video, Digital, News & Media Relations, and Events, on news and announcements that may require coordinated messaging, appeal to a wider University audience, and/ or draw external media interest.
Collaborates with ECI staff to host online activities and events, including Advisory Board meetings, monthly online workshops, and summer programming.
Coordinates with outside consultants, contractors, and partners for writing, graphic design, video production, and communications strategy as needed.
Supports other Communications activities for the Program on an as-needed basis.
Position may grow to include supervision of other members of the ECI team.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

Bachelor’s degree with five or more years of related experience.
Exceptional ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; strong command of grammar, diction, and English usage in professional communications, including accuracy in proofreading, composing correspondence, editing, and typing.
The ability to think creatively, communicate strategically, and expand a range of relevant audiences.
Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter with a strong work ethic who takes initiative, works with minimal supervision, and completes tasks without prompting.
Capacity to lead the messaging for a complex, evolving, mission-driven initiative. This includes understanding the mission, tracking core conceptual language, tailoring messaging for discrete context, and being out ahead in framing what is next.
Excellent organizational and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work professionally, courteously, and effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community, including students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
High degree of professionalism, integrity, and dependability.
Commitment to supporting the intellectual and ethical development of students, faculty, and staff and the capacity of partner institutions.
Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information and records in accordance with state and federal laws and professional ethics; ability to manage and distribute information appropriately.
Ability to represent the Educating Character Initiative, the Program for Leadership and Character, and Wake Forest University in a professional manner and in alignment with the mission and vision of the Program and University.
Openness to feedback and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
Proficiency with technology and computers, including demonstrated ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and the ability to learn website management and other relevant software.
Ability to positively support and supervise direct reports.