Responsibilities

• Build and lead a high-performing communications team, advise senior leadership on executive communications and public relations, and create strategies to assist with translating the School of Medicine’s unique academic agenda into narratives and engagement initiatives that resonate with diverse audiences and advance the school’s long-term strategic goals.
• Partner closely with the Development and Fundraising team to ensure seamless integration of philanthropic messaging, donor engagement communications, and campaign-related marketing; support philanthropic initiatives through compelling storytelling, donor engagement materials, campaign messaging, impact reports, solicitations, acknowledgments, and stewardship communications.
• Collaborate with CUNY's marketing and communications teams to ensure aligned messaging, coordinated storytelling, and consistent brand experiences across clinical, academic, and research environments; provide strategic counsel to school leadership on reputation-building, issues management, media strategy, and institutional positioning.
• Shape, refine, and steward the School’s brand narrative across all platforms, ensuring a cohesive and compelling story that highlights the school's mission, impact, and differentiation; lead a multi-platform content strategy—including web, digital, print, social media, executive communications, video, and campaign materials—that supports strategic objectives across education, research, clinical care, and advancement.
• Provide direction about the development and maintenance of social media platforms, web content strategy and execution, and various communications frameworks that support school-wide priorities, including research visibility, faculty accomplishments, student success, and community engagement; strengthen the School’s engagement initiatives for students, alumni, affiliates, and various strategic partners through strategic communications, digital outreach, and signature publications.
• Oversee internal communications to ensure clear, timely, and consistent messaging that aligns staff, leadership, and stakeholders with organizational goals and priorities; build and maintain relationships with media, industry leaders, sponsors, and business partners to support audience growth and visibility.
• Direct, mentor, and evaluate a team of communications and marketing professionals and oversee budget planning, resource allocation, and long-term strategic planning for the marketing, communications, and public relations function.
• Serve as a steward of CUNY SoM’s brand, ensuring consistent messaging and positioning across all platforms.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to leadership to strengthen visibility and stakeholder engagement.
• Lead media relations and external communications, including press inquiries, materials, and public-facing opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

Preferred

• 6–10+ years of progressive experience in an executive role leading and supervising strategic communications, public affairs, media, or related fields within complex, mission-driven organizations.
• Develop and lead the execution of a comprehensive communications strategy aligned with organizational and fundraising priorities.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with experience developing fundraising campaigns, donor communications, website content, and storytelling materials.
• A passion for innovation in digital, multimedia, and emerging communications platforms, paired with strategic discipline and operational excellence.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and credibility in crisis- and reputation-sensitive situations, including those involving science, public health, healthcare delivery, or institutional trust.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, influence without formal authority, and navigate complex institutional dynamics, particularly within faculty-driven or expert-led environments.
• A deep appreciation for the role of science, evidence, and academic integrity in public communication, with experience translating complex research or health-related concepts for varying audiences.
• Demonstrated experience working in a multiracial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic community.
• Deep knowledge of academic medicine, as well as the importance of inclusion in academic medicine.
• Understanding and knowledge of the importance of addressing disparities in higher education and healthcare.

Benefits

• CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.