Director of Advancement Communications

Overview:
The Director of Advancement Communications is responsible for developing, implementing, and leading communications strategies and comprehensive supporting plans to achieve University Advancement’s specific marketing and communication goals. The Division of University Advancement manages the University’s external environment by leading UNC Charlotte’s communications strategies and by building strong, progressive relationships between the University and its alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors, friends, corporate partners, and elected officials to help advance UNC Charlotte’s strategic initiatives.

The Director of Advancement Communications collaborates with colleagues across University Advancement to ensure goals are met in a timely manner to achieve institutional objectives. As the communications subject matter expert, this position is responsible for developing strategies, managing project plans, and ensuring all deliverables support the strategies and goals of the University.

Qualifications:
Minimum
• Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions
Preferred
• Graduation from a four-year college or university with a major in a closely related field and at least three years of experience that provides the knowledge, skills and abilities needed in the area of assignment

Essential job duties:
• Communication oversight, planning, implementation, and production for the Advancement Division including, but not limited to events, fundraising, stewardship, operations, and alumni and donor engagement, along with University Communications initiatives in partnership with the larger UComm unit, ensuring communications are strategically executed and in line with the University’s strategic plan
• Develop comprehensive communications plans and tactics based on the strategic objectives of UNC Charlotte, the Division of University Advancement, and individual departments/units of University Advancement
• Collaborate with internal teams, i.e. creative services, annual giving, gift planning, alumni engagement, development, donor relations, etc., to solidify and execute comprehensive, strategic communications plans
• Coordinate Advancement communications needs, working with individual units and promoting best practices
• Create overarching messaging strategy for Advancement and related initiatives
• Management of all Advancement communications to streamline and ensure audiences are appropriately utilized and communicated
• Coordinate Advancement communications needs, working with individual units and promoting best practices
• Work in partnership with internal and external partners to produce compelling Advancement materials including, but not limited to, videos, postcards, brochures and promotional materials
• Implement comprehensive communication plans for Advancement units in a precise effective manner including, but not limited to, writing, editing, obtaining approvals, and managing video and photography
Other work responsibilities
• Create overarching messaging strategy for Advancement and related initiatives
• Produce engagement, fundraising and stewardship communications
• Develop measurement criteria to gauge campaign and communications success, separate from dollars generated reporting
• Independently obtain necessary knowledge and skills needed to keep up with technology and changing roles
• Applies knowledge of quality principles to all projects
• Demonstrate articulate, professional and courteous use of communication strategies with others in all circumstances
• Deploy University Communications resources to ensure the successful execution of Advancement communications
• Oversee the full life cycle, and expansion of, the Advancement website – from asset-gathering to production, promotion, maintenance, and sunsetting in collaboration with the Director of Engagement Marketing
• Manage and oversee Advancement projects to ensure the timely delivery of communications including, but not limited to, appeals, newsletters and releases that meet objectives
• Coordination of materials, such as invitations, programs, video and photography, needed for Advancement events
• Ensure that projects meet or exceed agreed upon satisfaction goals
• Participate in management and project implementation teams as requested

Experience, skills, training and education:
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing or related field from an accredited university
• 3-5 years of communication experience, non-profit fundraising communication a plus
• Experience in messaging and writing to generate engagement among multiple stakeholder audiences including Alumni and Donors
• Excellent grammar, composition and proofreading skills
• Excellent organizational skills and superior attention to detail
• Ability to multitask, plan, allocate resources, monitor progress, keep stakeholders informed throughout the project lifecycle and bring individual attention to a variety of initiatives
• Big picture thinking with the ability to integrate messaging across unit requests.
• Computer literacy and competency with CRM systems, Adobe Creative Cloud products, Microsoft and Google suite, and project management software with the ability to learn computer and application skills as applicable to the role
• Previous staff management experience is desirable
• Ability to build effective internal and external relationships
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to identify and analyze needs and translate them into innovative and effective solutions