Internal Communications Manager

Northwestern University; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 83,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition benefits

Retirement savings options

Wellness programs

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management seeks a Manager, Internal Communications. This role develops and executes internal communication strategies, content and events that engage students, faculty and staff and advance Kellogg’s brand and priorities.

Working with the Director and IMC colleagues, you manage editorial calendars and coordinate messaging across departments. You will prepare remarks, briefing materials, and presentations for leadership, partner with subject matter

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years’ experience in internal or corporate communications.
• Excellent writer and editor with ability to translate complex information into clear content.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with well-maintained information systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute internal communications plans engaging faculty, staff, and students and aligning with Kellogg’s priorities.
• Draft and edit internal communications content across announcements, newsletters, and intranet.
• Manage editorial calendar and coordinate timing across departments for messages.
• Provide counsel on messaging, timing, and channel selection for leadership communications.
• Plan and execute staff town halls and internal events with cross-team collaboration.
• Manage databases and archives for dean’s remarks, speeches, and briefing materials.

Skills

Strong writing

Editorial skills

Project management

Attention to detail

Discretion

Interpersonal communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications or related field

Tools

MS Office

PowerPoint

Job description

Department: Kellogg Communications

Salary/Grade: EXS/8

Job Summary

The Manager, Internal Communications is a key member of Kellogg’s Integrated Marketing and Communications (IMC) team, responsible for developing and executing internal communication strategies, content and events that engage students, faculty and staff and advance Kellogg’s brand, priorities and key initiatives. Working under the direction of the Director, Communications and in partnership with IMC colleagues, this role manages internal communication initiatives, including staff town halls and briefings, develops and coordinates content across communication channels, and oversees the workflows that support effective and consistent engagement. A significant area of responsibility includes ownership of the databases, archives, and processes that support the dean’s remarks, speeches, talking points, and briefing materials. By partnering with subject matter experts across the school, the role ensures information is accurate, well organized, and readily accessible to support leadership engagements and communication needs. The position also contributes to the development of presentations, remarks, talking points, and related materials for internal and external audiences, including town halls, advisory boards, and alumni engagement activities, ensuring content is well coordinated and prepared for review by Communications leadership.

Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.

Specific Responsibilities

Internal Communications Strategy & Execution

• Develop and execute internal communications plans and initiatives that engage faculty, staff, and students and support Kellogg’s brand, priorities, and key initiatives, in partnership with the Director, Communications and IMC Leadership.
• Draft and edit a broad range of internal communications content - including staff and faculty-facing announcements, newsletters and intranet content — ensuring messages are clear, consistent and aligned with Kellogg’s voice.
• Manage the internal communications editorial calendar and coordinate timing of communications across departments to support message alignment, minimize conflicts, and optimize audience engagement.
• Provide communication counsel to department and program leaders on internal messaging initiatives, programs and organizational changes, providing guidance on content, messaging, timing and channel selection.

Staff & Community Communication Events

• Plan and execute regular staff town halls, briefings and other internal communication events that support organizational awareness, engagement, and the effective flow of information across the Kellogg community.
• Lead the coordination of internal event logistics, agendas, presentation materials, speaker preparation, and follow-up communications for internal events, partnering with IMC’s creative/design team to develop engaging and effective event materials.
• Gather feedback and measure engagement from internal communication channels and events, recommending improvements to content and cadence.

Dean’s Remarks Database & Process Management

• Manage and continuously enhance the databases, content archives, and processes used to prepare the dean’s remarks, speeches and talking points, ensuring materials are well organized, accurate and readily accessible.
• Coordinate with the Director, Communications and subject matter experts to gather background, data and messaging inputs needed for the dean’s remarks.
• Coordinate the planning and preparation process for upcoming speaking engagements and remarks requests, tracking deadlines and ensuring materials are prepared and routed for review on schedule.
• As needed, provide first drafts of remarks for various dean events.

Integrated Marketing & Communications Activities

• Partner with IMC colleagues to advance and support integrated marketing and communications initiatives, including Kellogg’s content platforms and cross-departmental projects.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, Journalism, Public Relations or related field, or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
• 3-5 years’ experience in internal communications, corporate communications or a related communications role.
• Excellent writer and editor with keen attention to detail and the ability to translate complex or technical information into clear, engaging content for varied internal audiences.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to maintain accurate, well-organized information systems, files and databases.
• Proven ability to navigate a complex organization and build trusted internal partnerships across faculty, staff and school leadership.
• Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment in handling sensitive or confidential information, including materials prepared for senior leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to perform high-quality work in a fast-paced environment, handle multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.
• Communicates effectively and professionally one-to-one, in groups and with leadership.
• Self-starter who takes initiative, takes ownership of role and responsibilities and proposes new ideas and solutions.
• Strong event planning and logistics coordination skills.
• Firm knowledge of internal communication channels and platforms (intranet, email, digital signage, etc.).
• Exceptional fluency in MS Office suite (including PowerPoint), English-language grammar and Associated Press style rules.

Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• 3-5 years’ experience in internal communications, corporate communications or a related communications role.
• Familiarity with higher education environments.
• Experience maintaining briefing materials, remarks archives or content databases for senior executives.

Target hiring range for this position will be $83,000 - $90,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits

• health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• paid vacation and holidays
• paid medical/sick and parental leave
• tuition benefits for the employee and dependents
• pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care
• generous retirement savings options
• wellness programs

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life And Wellness

Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development

Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern’s non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.