Jesus Christ Today Program, Communications Officer

Yale University; New Haven (CT); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

Yale University in New Haven seeks a Communications Officer for the Jesus Christ Today Program, a multi-year grant-funded initiative. You will shape public presence, advise senior scholars, and coordinate with center leadership, Fellows, and external vendors.

The role requires setting strategy, managing budgets and vendor expenditures, and delivering compelling content across media channels and events. Hybrid work model; Bachelor’s degree in communications or related field and relevant

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, media studies, or a related field with related professional experience.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, vendors, and budgets.
• Experience in branding, content creation, and media relations.
• Ability to set strategy and advise senior scholars.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes the communications and publicity strategy.
• Liaises with center leadership, fellows, vendors, and University partners.
• Directs editorial planning and production workflows.
• Manages contracted media professionals and production vendors.
• Advises scholars on communications for their projects.
• Analyzes audience reach and adjusts strategy.
• Manages the program's communications budget.

Skills

Strategic communications

Independent work

Written & verbal communication

Vendor & stakeholder liaison

Branding & marketing sense

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications or related field

Job description

Working at Yale means contributing to a better tomorrow. Whether you are a current resident of our New Haven-based community, eligible for opportunities through the New Haven Hiring Initiative, or a newcomer, interested in exploring all that Yale has to offer, your talents and contributions are welcome. Discover your opportunities at Yale!

Overview

The Communications Officer will develop and implement communications and media strategy for the Jesus Christ Today Program, a multi-year, grant-funded initiative of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. Reporting to the Center’s Communications Officer, this team member exercises independent judgment in shaping and executing the program’s public-facing presence and serves as principal liaison among Center leadership, program fellows, contracted media professionals, and University partners. The position requires a communications professional capable of setting strategy, managing external vendors and expenditures, and advising senior scholars on the presentation of their work to scholarly and public audiences.

Principal Responsibilities

• Develops and executes the communications and publicity strategy for the Jesus Today Program, including public events, fellows’ research projects, and the initiative's overall public profile.
• Serves as principal liaison among Center leadership, program fellows, external vendors, and University communications partners; reconciles competing priorities and ensures strategic alignment across constituencies.
• Directs day-to-day production workflows and editorial planning for the program’s media output; establishes standards, timelines, and delivery requirements.
• Identifies, engages, and manages contracted media professionals and production vendors; defines scopes of work and evaluates performance against deliverables.
• Designs and directs the media and documentation plan for program events, including production requirements and on-site execution.
• Advises program fellows on communications approaches for their individual projects, recommending formats and strategies appropriate to their aims and audiences.
• Analyzes and synthesizes data pertaining to reach, audience, and engagement; interprets findings and recommends adjustments to strategy and resource allocation.
• Administers the program's communications budget; recommends expenditures and monitors performance against grant requirements and reporting obligations.

Required Skills And Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a strategic communications plan, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently as well as to collaborate and contribute to team objectives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Administration of multi-part projects requiring vendor and stakeholder interface. Demonstrated ability to liaise and streamline communication between multiple parties.
• Familiarity and honed taste in branding, content, and/or marketing.

Preferred Skills And Abilities

• Technological agility in current digital media, software, and related platforms. Ability to learn new platforms as needed.

Required Education And Experience

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, media studies, or a related field and some related professional experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Principal Responsibilities

• Brand & Communications Strategy. Develops and executes public relations strategy, output, and performance for the department with the goal of increasing media impressions in local, national, industry-specific and alumni media. Creates communications strategy to showcase top technologies available for license. Ensures consistent look and tone for all department communications, including written content, website and social media.
• Media Relations. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with media representatives. Identifies opportunities to work with other the departments, university publications and the Office of Public Affairs to develop and publicize stories.
• Content Creation. Assesses the University faculty inventions and student startups for newsworthiness and create compelling news and public relations content. Creates engaging, dynamic content for the public, including press releases, blog articles, website updates, newsletter articles and social media.
• Outreach. Manages delivery channels for newsworthy content, including updating and maintaining the department websites, social media accounts, and articles for email newsletters, and creating video, print, and on-campus events. Creates websites that embed existing content from Yale and external sites (publications related to the technology, videos featuring inventor, profile on Yale Bulletin and Calendar innovators webpage).
• Other. Seeks out, negotiates with and recommends external organizations that can provide services that optimize both the cost and functionality of the new communications strategy. Ensures that all communications conform to the University guidelines. Hires student workers as needed to assist in producing copy. May perform other duties as assigned.
• Required Education and Experience Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and four years of experience in website design, production, marketing, project management or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Posting Date

10/29/2026

Job Category

Professional

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Administration & Operations

Compensation Grade Profile

Supervisor; Senior Associate (23)

Salary Range

$65,000.00 - $101,000.00

Benefits

A general description of the benefits to be offered with this Managerial & Professional position is available at:

Yale Benefits

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff Fixed Duration (Fixed Term)

Work Model

Hybrid

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit \"Learn about background checks\" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education in relation to the position requirements, along with the role’s grade profile and current internal and external market conditions.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring department.

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.