Director of Communications & External Relations

Auburn, AL (On-site)

$118K/yr – $137K/yrDirector/Executive10+ years expFull time

Posted 5 weeks ago

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Job Summary

Own the CADC external narrative and brand positioning, aligning messaging with capital campaigns, facilities planning, and cross-school programs, while scaling media relations, digital presence, and multi-platform storytelling.

  • Strategic Positioning and Brand Stewardship across campus and external audiences.
  • Media relations, external engagement, alumni and industry partner programming, and cross-platform storytelling.
  • Website, digital platforms, and CADC PRESS launches, with team mentorship and operations oversight.

Job Description

Own the CADC external narrative and brand positioning, aligning messaging with capital campaigns, facilities planning, and cross-school programs, while scaling media relations, digital presence, and multi-platform storytelling.

  • Strategic Positioning: Partner directly with the CADC Dean to define and execute a communications strategy aligned with capital campaign priorities, facilities planning, and institutional repositioning, serving as a senior advisor on institutional messaging and public positioning.
  • Lead the college’s marketing, communications, public relations, and external engagement initiatives across all schools and programs.
  • Serve as a strategic advisor on messaging related to advancement, major gifts, naming opportunities, and donor engagement.
  • Work in partnership with the Dean, external strategy consultants, and university partners to steward the development and implementation of a college-wide brand identity system.
  • External Engagement: Strengthen relationships with alumni, industry partners, and key stakeholders through thoughtfully designed programming, events, and communications.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for media inquiries and collaborate closely with Auburn University’s central Office of Communications and Marketing.
  • Shape and communicate narratives around the college’s research, design, and outreach-situating faculty and student work within broader disciplinary and public conversations-across print, digital, video, social, exhibition, and public programming platforms.
  • Infrastructure & Operations: Provide strategic oversight for the CADC website and digital platforms, guiding the design and implementation of a new college website while ensuring clarity, coherence and alignment with broader communications priorities.
  • Oversee the launch and cultivation of CADC PRESS, advancing publication initiatives that promote, circulate, and archive faculty and student work.
  • Provide leadership, mentorship, and professional development for the college’s communications team, including designers, writers, and student staff.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, or related field.
  • 10 years of experience in external relations and communications industry related to academic, media, marketing, and/or public relations.
  • 2 years of experience supervising full time employees.

Nice to Have

  • Demonstrated fluency in design culture and the ability to communicate across creative, technical, and construction fields.
  • Exceptional writing and editorial judgment, able to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively.
  • Experience leading multi-platform storytelling across digital, print, video, and emerging media.
  • Experience supporting advancement and campaign communications in academic, cultural, or design-driven organizations.
  • Capacity to operate strategically and tactically within a dynamic, intellectually rigorous, multidisciplinary environment.
  • Established relationships with media and communication outlets.

Benefits

  • Why Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
  • Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
  • We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
  • Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
  • A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
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