Executive Director of Communications

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary communications lead and strategic communications advisor for the OTP, providing leadership for executive and divisional communications across the academic enterprise.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive communications strategies that advance the Provost's priorities, support institutional objectives, and align with the university's broader strategic communications efforts.
• Meet regularly with the Provost and senior academic leaders to understand priorities, perspectives, and communication objectives, and develop content that authentically reflects their voice and leadership.
• Research, write, edit, and finalize speeches, remarks, talking points, correspondence, reports, policy communications, presentations, briefing materials, and other high-profile executive communications for the Provost and divisional leaders.
• Serve as the final editor and quality-control lead for the OTP's highest-profile communications, ensuring excellence, consistency, accuracy, and alignment with institutional priorities.
• Build and maintain an integrated communications calendar across the OTP and affiliated divisions to coordinate messaging, manage competing priorities, and ensure strategic sequencing of communications.
• Provide strategic communications counsel regarding audience engagement, message development, timing, reputational considerations, stakeholder impacts, and communications approaches for significant initiatives and emerging issues.
• Monitor higher education, public policy, and institutional trends to anticipate communications needs, identify opportunities and challenges, and advise leadership regarding potential organizational and reputational impacts.
• Support communications related to emerging issues, organizational change initiatives, and high-profile or sensitive matters requiring exceptional judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Coordinate communications efforts with the President's Office, MarComm, colleges, and campus units to ensure alignment with university-wide messaging, brand standards, and strategic priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, English, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in executive communications, speechwriting, strategic communications, journalism, public affairs, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting senior leaders through executive communications, strategic messaging, stakeholder engagement, and the development of high-impact communications across diverse audiences and communication formats.
• Exceptional writing, editing, research, content development, and strategic communications skills, with the ability to adapt voice, tone, and style and translate complex information into clear, compelling, and audience-centered messages.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, high-volume, and time-sensitive communications initiatives and projects with accuracy, discretion, sound judgment, and strong attention to detail.
• Experience collaborating effectively with senior leaders and executives, incorporating substantive feedback, and building trusted working relationships in fast-paced and complex environments.
• Experience managing sensitive organizational communications and issues requiring confidentiality, strategic judgment, and diplomacy.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive, accessible, and audience-centered communication practices.

Preferred

• Master's degree or higher in communications, journalism, public relations, higher education administration, public administration, or a related field.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in executive communications, strategic communications, speechwriting, public affairs, journalism, or closely related fields.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a trusted communications advisor to higher education executive leadership.
• Experience in higher education communications, particularly within academic affairs, a provost's office, a president's office, or another complex educational environment.
• Experience developing and implementing enterprise-level communications strategies that support institutional priorities, strategic plans, and organizational objectives.
• Demonstrated success managing high-profile, sensitive, or reputationally significant communications, including issues management, organizational change, or crisis communications.

Benefits

• Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.
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