Associate Director of Storytelling and Content Strategy

Responsibilities

• Develop and contribute to editorial strategies and compelling content for internal and external audiences across websites, newsletters, publications, magazines, social media, and other communications channels.
• Proactively identify, develop, and pitch story ideas that highlight university people, programs, discoveries, and impact.
• Support the planning, development, and distribution of flagship university communications, including campus news and publications.
• Contribute to content strategy and editorial planning for major university websites and event calendars, ensuring content is relevant, engaging, and responsive to audience needs.
• Conduct research and fact verification, and gather and analyze content performance metrics to inform editorial decisions and improve communications effectiveness.
• Assist with the production of a daily news briefing and support other communications programs and initiatives.
• Collaborate with communications colleagues, campus partners, and creative professionals to develop content, coordinate projects, and bring stories from concept to completion.

Requirements

• Advanced knowledge of the fundamentals of writing, grammar, syntax, style and punctuation and advanced skills to write clear, lively, engaging, compelling and effective copy in a variety of styles appropriate to target audiences and the broader public.
• Advanced skill in taking initiative to creatively identify and pitch story ideas to senior management and clients.
• Advanced research and fact verification skills.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee the creation and distribution of relevant and appropriate institutional publications efforts supporting the promotion of programs and services through strategic planning, research, writing and content development.
• Advanced project management, organizational and problem recognition, avoidance and resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with demonstrated ability to lead projects and programs to completion, determining priorities and demands of diverse constituents.
• Strong ability to set priorities that accurately reflect the relative importance of job responsibilities and take into consideration deadlines, competing requirements and complexity.
• Knowledge of computer applications for publishing, image handling and/or web production. Experience using other software/tools such as Photoshop, Canva, Emma/Constant Contact (or similar platform) etc. and working with professional technical staff (e.g., designers, photographers, etc.) preferred.
• Advanced interpersonal communications skills, including active listening and effective collaboration skills.

Preferred

• Experience with digital publishing, image-editing, email marketing, or web-production tools is a plus.