Director of Communications & Public Relations

Description

The Communications and Public Relations Director will establish and lead a coordinated communications and public relations function for NCUS and its affiliated programs and organizations. This is a department-building leadership role: the Director will set the strategy, create the operating systems and standards, coordinate communications across the organization, and build the capacity needed to deliver consistent, timely, and measurable work.

The Director will translate NCUS’s mission, organizational priorities, and program outcomes into clear communications for employees, students, participants, partners, funders, media, and the public. They will lead brand management, media relations, executive communications, digital and social media, content production, internal communications, and issues and crisis communications.

The successful candidate is both a strategic leader and a hands-on operator who can set direction, manage multiple projects, write and edit high-quality content, advise leadership, and ensure communications work moves from request through approval, publication, and evaluation.

Core Responsibilities

1. Establish and Lead the Communications Department

- Design and implement the department’s structure, annual work plan, service model, and priorities in alignment with NCUS’s strategic goals.
- Assess current communications practices, resources, channels, vendors, and organizational needs; recommend a practical plan to build departmental capacity.
- Create and maintain core procedures, including communications intake and prioritization, project assignments, editorial planning, content review and approval, brand review, media response, and asset management.
- Establish clear service expectations, timelines, decision rights, and escalation paths for communications requests from NCUS departments, campuses, programs, and affiliated organizations.
- Develop a centralized editorial and campaign calendar covering organizational announcements, program milestones, events, recruitment, fundraising, and other priority communications.
- Recommend staffing, freelance, agency, technology, and budget needs; recruit, supervise, coach, and evaluate communications staff or contractors as approved.
- Build productive working relationships with leaders and staff so communications is included early in planning for initiatives, events, and organizational changes.
- Provide regular updates to executive leadership on departmental capacity, priorities, risks, results, and resource needs.

2. Set Organizational Communications Strategy

- Develop and manage an annual communications strategy that supports NCUS’s mission, reputation, growth, programs, and organizational priorities.
- Translate leadership priorities into clear communication plans, audiences, messages, channels, timelines, and measures of success.
- Build consistent organizational messaging that explains NCUS’s work, impact, programs, and value to the communities it serves.
- Advise the CEO and senior leaders on communication opportunities, public positioning, sensitive issues, and audience response.
- Coordinate communications across NCUS entities and programs to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment while reflecting the distinct needs of each audience.
- Develop audience-informed approaches for employees, students, families, participants, partners, funders, community leaders, policymakers, and the media.

3. Lead Public Relations and Media Relations

- Develop and implement a proactive public relations plan that increases awareness of NCUS, its programs, leadership, and measurable community impact.
- Build and maintain relationships with local, regional, and national journalists, media outlets, influencers, community partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Prepare and distribute press releases, media advisories, statements, pitches, background materials, talking points, and interview briefs.
- Coordinate media inquiries, interview requests, spokesperson preparation, and follow-up; serve as an NCUS spokesperson when designated.
- Establish a timely, consistent process for receiving, assessing, assigning, approving, and responding to media requests.
- Maintain an accurate media contact list, press archive, organizational fact sheet, leadership biographies, approved key messages, and other public relations resources.
- Track media coverage and assess its accuracy, reach, tone, and relevance to organizational priorities.

4. Direct Digital Communications and Content

- Lead the organization’s digital communications strategy, including website content and governance, search visibility, email communications, social media, and paid digital campaigns.
- Establish channel-specific goals, audience standards, publishing practices, accessibility expectations, and response protocols.
- Oversee editorial planning, content development, review, publishing, and community management across approved platforms.
- Ensure websites and digital channels are current, accurate, accessible, and consistent with NCUS messaging and brand standards.
- Develop and manage content that tells the story of NCUS programs and their outcomes, including articles, profiles, interviews, photography, video, newsletters, and impact reports.
- Coordinate internal staff and external photographers, videographers, writers, designers, agencies, and other vendors to deliver approved content.
- Establish a process for obtaining releases and permissions for photographs, video, testimonials, and other content featuring students, employees, participants, or community members.
- Monitor channel performance, audience feedback, and emerging issues; use findings to adjust content and channel plans.

5. Own Brand Standards and Communications Assets

- Develop, maintain, and enforce organization-wide brand guidelines covering logos, colors, typography, photography, voice, naming, and approved descriptions of NCUS and its programs.
- Create a review and support process that helps departments, campuses, and partners use approved brand elements and messaging correctly.
- Oversee the development and quality control of brochures, flyers, reports, presentations, newsletters, signage, event materials, recruitment assets, and other communications collateral.
- Maintain an organized, accessible library of approved brand assets, templates, photography, video, boilerplate language, and published materials.
- Review external-facing materials for accuracy, consistency, readability, accessibility, and alignment with organizational standards before publication or distribution.
- Coordinate design and production work, including vendor selection, timelines, budgets, print specifications, and final approvals.

6. Lead Internal and Executive Communications

- Develop an internal communications approach that keeps employees informed about organizational priorities, decisions, milestones, and changes.
- Partner with leadership, Human Resources, program teams, and other departments to plan and deliver timely employee communications.
- Draft and edit executive messages, speeches, presentations, talking points, announcements, reports, and other leadership communications.
- Help leaders communicate complex or sensitive information clearly, accurately, and with appropriate timing.
- Establish consistent channels and practices for internal announcements and measure whether employees are receiving and understanding key communications.

7. Manage Issues and Crisis Communications

- Develop and maintain an issues and crisis communications plan, including notification procedures, roles, approval requirements, spokesperson protocols, holding statements, and response timelines.
- Work with executive leadership and relevant departments to assess reputational and communications risks and prepare appropriate response materials.
- Coordinate communications during urgent or sensitive situations, ensuring that information is verified, approved, consistent, and shared with the appropriate audiences.
- Maintain a process for monitoring emerging public concerns and escalating issues that may affect NCUS, its employees, students, participants, partners, or reputation.
- Conduct post-incident reviews, as appropriate, and recommend improvements to communications procedures.

8. Support Events, Partnerships, and Organizational Initiatives

- Provide communications leadership for major events, campaigns, announcements, launches, and organizational initiatives.
- Develop event communications plans covering audience, messaging, promotion, media engagement, signage, scripts, digital content, and post-event reporting.
- Represent NCUS at selected events and meetings, strengthening relationships with community partners, funders, media, and civic leaders.
- Coordinate communications with partners and sponsors, including review of joint messaging, use of logos, announcements, and public acknowledgments.
- Ensure communications teams and vendors receive the information, materials, approvals, and deadlines needed to deliver event and campaign work.

9. Measure Performance and Manage Resources

- Establish a practical performance framework for communications work, with measures tied to organizational objectives.
- Track and report on media coverage, website activity, social engagement, email performance, campaign outcomes, content production, project completion, and other relevant measures.
- Provide regular performance reports and recommendations to executive leadership and relevant teams.
- Use data, audience feedback, and project reviews to improve communications plans, content, workflows, and use of resources.
- Develop and manage the communications budget, monitor spending, approve expenses within delegated authority, and assess vendor performance.
- Maintain project records, approvals, schedules, media coverage, and campaign results in approved organizational systems.

First Year Department Building Priorities

During the first year, the Director is expected to:

- Complete an assessment of NCUS’s communications needs, assets, channels, workflows, staffing, and external support.
- Present a recommended department structure, resource plan, and annual communications strategy to executive leadership.
- Implement a centralized communications request and prioritization process, editorial calendar, approval workflow, and shared asset library.
- Publish organization-wide brand standards and establish a practical review process for external-facing materials.
- Create a media relations plan, media response procedures, spokesperson resources, and an issues and crisis communications plan.
- Establish baseline performance measures and a regular reporting schedule.
- Deliver an annual review of progress, results, capacity, and next-year priorities.

Requirements

- Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a related field required; graduate degree preferred.
- At least seven years of progressive experience in communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field, including experience leading major initiatives or building communications capacity.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and implement communications strategies that support organizational goals and produce measurable results.
- Experience creating or improving department workflows, communications standards, approval processes, editorial calendars, or service models.
- Strong writing and editing skills across press releases, executive communications, web content, newsletters, reports, presentations, and social media.
- Experience managing media relations, preparing spokespeople, responding to media inquiries, and supporting sensitive or time-critical communications.
- Strong knowledge of digital communications, social platforms, web content management, email marketing, search optimization, paid digital media, and analytics.
- Experience managing projects, budgets, vendors, contractors, or staff; supervisory experience preferred.
- Ability to manage competing deadlines, exercise sound judgment, and maintain accuracy and discretion.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, and Canva; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and web analytics tools preferred.
- Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
- Commitment to collaboration, diversity, and advancing the mission of NCUS.

Leadership Competencies

The Director will demonstrate:

- Strategic judgment and the ability to connect communications work to organizational priorities.
- Strong ownership, follow-through, and transparent communication about progress, barriers, and results.
- The ability to establish clear standards and dependable processes while remaining responsive to organizational needs.
- Sound editorial judgment, attention to detail, and respect for confidentiality.
- Skill in advising senior leaders and working effectively across teams, programs, and levels of the organization.
- Initiative, adaptability, and the ability to lead through changing priorities.