Internal Communications Manager

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid-remote work

Job summary

Colorado Community College System is seeking an Internal Communications Manager to lead the enterprise narrative across all 13 colleges and the System Office. You will partner with executive leadership to design timely, measurable internal messaging across channels including email, intranet, town halls, and video.

The role emphasizes influencing senior leaders and delivering audience-specific value propositions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Organizational Communications, Public Administration, or related field; OR equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Minimum of two years of experience in internal communications, employee communications, and/or change communications or related roles.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute internal communication campaigns translating CCCS strategy into audience-specific, action-oriented messages.
• Develop and manage internal communications architecture across channels (email newsletters, intranet pages, internal chat channels, employee portals).
• Produce content including leader emails, Q&As, scripts for town halls, video briefs, intranet articles, and manager toolkits.
• Collaborate with executives and leaders to define changes, impact, and input.
• Develop ambassador tools and frameworks for local contextualization of enterprise strategy.
• Coach leadership to effectively communicate systemwide vision and strategy.
• Lead executive-facing communications and prepare leaders for town halls and panels.
• Provide rapid briefing notes, talking points, and messaging during crises or high-visibility events.

Skills

Relationship building

Audience-centered writing

Multi-channel campaigns

Strategic communications

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications or related field

Tools

SharePoint

Confluence

Mailchimp/Eloqua/Workday

Microsoft Teams

Slack/Yammer

Job description

CCCS is hiring a new Internal Communications Manager. We are looking for someone who excels at relationship building and enjoys creating internal messaging in all forms. If you’re looking for an opportunity to bring your communications skills to a new role and make it your own, this position may be for you!

In this role you will lead the continued development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the CCCS Transformation Communications Framework. You will be responsible for building a consistent enterprise internal communication architecture that ensures the workforce understands the why and how of the system’s strategic transformation, moving beyond traditional information cascading to direct, multi-channel engagement. The person in this role is the functional leader of the system’s internal narrative, ensuring that the “Power of 13” and strategic priorities are understood and actionable across all 13 colleges and the System Office. This role is responsible for translating a “one enterprise narrative” with multiple audience‑specific value propositions. You will partner with the Executive Team, the Marketing and Communications team, and college teams to design and deliver timely, measurable internal communications across various channels (e.g., email, intranet, manager toolkits, video, town halls, and social collaboration tools).

This position is currently funded for three years through 10/31/2029, although it is being reviewed for ongoing funding.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Plan and execute internal communication campaigns that translate CCCS strategy and priorities into audience‑specific, action‑oriented messages.
• Further develop and manage the internal communications architecture and channels (email newsletters, intranet pages, internal chat channels, employee portals) to ensure consistency, timeliness, and discoverability of information.
• Produce content (long- and short-form) including leader emails, Q&As, scripts for town halls, video briefs, intranet articles, and manager toolkits.
• Serve as strategic partner to transformation leads. Specifically, work with the Executive Vice Chancellor/Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, and other leaders to define what is changing, who is affected, and what input is being considered.
• Develop the ambassador tools and frameworks that enable Presidents, VPs, and managers to contextualize enterprise strategy locally.
• Coach and equip the enterprise leadership to be effective communicators of the systemwide vision and strategy.
• Lead strategy and execution of internal‑facing executive‑level communications and prepare leaders for town halls, panel discussions, and other internal‑facing engagements.
• Provide rapid‑turnaround briefing notes, talking points, and message framing during crises or high‑visibility events.

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Organizational Communications, Public Administration, or related field; OR equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Minimum of two years of experience in internal communications, employee communications, and/or change communications or functionally similar roles (for example, public/community relations or employee engagement roles).

Competencies/KSAs

• Experience in higher education, public‑sector, or multi‑campus organizations preferred.
• Demonstrated strength in clear, audience‑centered writing and editing for executive and employee audiences.
• Proven ability to manage multi‑channel communication campaigns and work with leaders to plan and execute change communications.
• Practiced in using intranet/CMS platforms (SharePoint, Confluence, or similar), email marketing tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Eloqua, Workday Communication module), and collaboration platforms (Microsoft Teams, Slack, Yammer).
• Familiarity with measurement tools and analytics (Google Analytics for intranet, email analytics, survey platforms) and ability to translate metrics into recommendations.
• Knowledge of CORA/open‑records considerations and experience coordinating communications that intersect with legal or bargaining‑unit issues.
• Strategic thinking.
• Ability to influence senior executives.
• Ability to manage complex, multi‑stakeholder projects.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills; ability to convert complex initiative details into clear, accessible messages.
• Strong project management and organizational skills; comfortable managing multiple, competing priorities under tight deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to influence leaders and managers to adopt recommended communication approaches.
• Attention to detail and commitment to accessibility and inclusive language.
• Comfort with data and metrics; able to use analytics to improve content and channel performance.

College Advertising Details

The Colorado Community College System is the state’s largest provider of higher education and workforce training, consisting of 13 colleges and over 35 locations across the state, educating approximately 130,000 postsecondary students annually. In addition, we train more than 4,000 Coloradans each year through customized employer training programs and coordinate delivery of career and technical education (CTE) programs to over 165,000 K-12 learners annually. Our mission is to provide accessible, responsive learning environments where students can achieve their educational, professional and personal goals in an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity and innovation. We are an organization that encourages individuals to bring their whole selves to work.

Additional Information

• CCCS offices at 9101 E Lowry Blvd., Denver, CO 80230.
• Some travel within the state of Colorado to CCCS campuses may be required.
• Alternative work arrangements, including flexible schedules and hybrid-remote work may be available. All work must be completed in the state of Colorado.

Note: per the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, an applicant may redact information from their resume, cover letter, and/or transcripts that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. If your position requires us to review an official transcript, without redacting, we will request one as part of our conditional offer process. In order to evaluate work experience against established requirements for positions, we are still requesting dates of service (month and year) for positions in the applicant’s work history.