Senior Director, YSM Executive & Internal Communications

Yale University; New Haven, Northern (CT, KY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Yale University invites applications for a Senior Director for Executive and Internal Communications within the Yale School of Medicine. The role reports to the Executive Director of Communications and leads an internal communications strategy across YM and YSM, aligning leadership messaging with school priorities.

The Senior Director will oversee content strategy, collaborate with Yale New Haven Health System partners, and guide 50 departmental officers to enhance engagement and impact.

Qualifications

• Outstanding written and oral communications; submit three writing samples with application.
• Excellent judgment, reliability, and discretion in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Strong writing, organization, and attention to detail; ability to lead teams and manage multiple priorities.
• Experience planning and assembling teams, and working in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with audience-centered content and data analytics requirements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as senior leader of university and/or professional school communications.
• Manage relationships with clients with professionalism and understanding of initiatives and mission.
• Oversee long- and short-range planning for coordinated communication channels.
• Design, manage, and implement communications plans for key initiatives.
• Develop and implement strategic plans promoting Yale’s strength to diverse audiences globally.

Skills

Executive leadership guidance

Writing and editing

Communication strategy

Organizational management

Stakeholder relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications/related field

Master’s Degree

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

Yale School of Medicine (YSM) is seeking an experienced and innovative Senior Director for Executive and Internal Communications to join the leadership team within the Office of Communications. Serving as the intentional voice of the school, the Office of Communications works to elevate the school’s reputation, support its community, support revenue generation, and be a metrics-driven leader in academic medicine communications.

Reporting to the YSM Executive Director of Communications, the Senior Director will support the executive communications needs of the Dean of the School of Medicine and deputy deans, including community-wide messaging, talking points, and presentation development. The Senior Director will further develop and implement a comprehensive internal communications plan for the medical school, including its clinical brand, Yale Medicine (YM), that addresses key stakeholders, including faculty, students, staff, and clinicians.

Managing a team of eight, this position will oversee the creation, development, and management of a content strategy to optimize engagement with an internal communications platform, including a school-wide intranet that encompasses the work of departmental communications officers, comprehensively represents the school’s administrative functions, and amplifies the school’s strategic goals and priorities by informing and inspiring the medical school community. In addition, the Senior Director:

• Develops an overarching executive communications strategy that provides the dean and other senior leaders with ongoing, relevant strategic messaging that engages the community in leadership’s vision and strengthens their commitment to the school’s values.
• Strategically evolves and executes on YSM’s internal communications vision.
• Partners with leaders at Yale New Haven Health System to create and coordinate unified messaging in a highly matrixed clinical environment.
• Acts as a strategic partner to the executive director and other office leaders to develop an internal communications strategy that informs, connects, and engages all members of the YSM and YM community.
• Writes and edits internal messages from leadership related to senior administrative appointments, schoolwide and clinical policies and initiatives, and other topics; drafts talking points, messages, presentations, scripts, and other materials for internal, alumni, and donor audiences.
• Uses and develops communications channels to inform and motivate faculty, students, and staff.
• Ensures internal communications are consistent across the School of Medicine, Yale University’s Office of Public Affairs and Communications, Yale New Haven Health System, and with external messaging.
• Collaborates with 50 departmental communications officers to develop and empower a strong, school-wide internal communications team.
• Defines goals and metrics for the successful execution of the strategy and uses data to evaluate content impact and push for continuous improvement.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Outstanding written and oral communications skills; demonstrated ability guiding and advising executive leadership on communications. Must submit three writing samples with application.
• Exceptional judgment, reliability, and discretion. Ability to thrive in a role that requires the establishment of consensus in a complex, matrixed environment. Demonstrated ability building productive relationships through interaction with leaders, faculty, and staff.
• Excellent writing and communication skills with a keen eye for grammatical errors or confusing text. Outstanding organizational skills and very detail-oriented.
• Demonstrated organizational ability in planning, directing, and assembling teams, and working wisely in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with an audience-centered approach to content and the data analytics such an approach requires.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Master’s Degree.
• Familiarity with the academic culture, and the processes and policies of an educational institution. Communications experience in an academic institution.
• Experience writing for a variety of audiences.

Principal Responsibilities

• Serve as senior leader of university and/or professional school communications.
• Manage key relationships with clients with high degree of professionalism, judgment, and understanding of University initiatives, goals and mission.
• Oversee long-range and short-range planning for coordinated communications channels.
• Serve as key strategist to improve broad staff and faculty communications initiatives and campaigns; design, mange, and implement communication or marketing plans for key initiatives.
• Develop and implement communication strategic plan promoting Yale’s strength to a variety of audiences throughout the globe, using both traditional and digital media.
• Direct communications planning for the all internal and/or external announcements, statements and messages on various institutional issues and initiatives and oversee their dissemination to the media and other parities.
• Direct communication strategies based on user and audience preference; analyze and understand various communication preferences of client group.
• Establish standards and protocols for best practices in communications.
• Act as executive producer of content including articles, video and photo galleries.
• Arrange interviews on various issues and provide briefing and background materials, message points, content and training.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism or related field and eight years of experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Posting Date

10/13/2026

Job Category

Manager

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Administration & Operations

Compensation Grade Profile

Leader (M7)

Salary Range

$120,000.00 - $225,000.00

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

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 basedon 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 throughtheir 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.