Communications Director

Job Summary:
The Division of the Arts seeks a Communications Director to increase engagement in the arts by internal and external audiences, catalyze the arts to advance campus goals and priorities, and build a national profile for the arts at UW-Madison. The Communications Director leads the Integrated Marketing and Communications team (IMC), directing and empowering a group of 2-4 professional communications staff towards a shared goal, overseeing the budget, and ensuring a cohesive voice and brand identity for all Division communications. The Communications Director develops and implements a strategic communications plan for the Division and also participates in creation of content related to their area(s) of specialization.
The Communications Director reports to the Director of the Division of the Arts and serves on the leadership team, working closely on the development and implementation of a strategic vision. This position also works closely with colleagues in the campus Office of Strategic Communication on setting and attaining key arts communication goals and aligning with campus branding and communications.
The Division of the Arts is an administrative unit reporting to the Provost's Office. Led by a faculty director, the Division of the Arts advocates for, connects, and elevates the arts at UW-Madison. We support and promote the missions of the academic arts departments and affiliated partners, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, deepen the student experience, build community engagement, and advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity, and access across the arts.
Learn more about working for the Division of the Arts and UW-Madison at Responsibilities: Directs communications strategic planning, and execution. Provides approval and guidance for communications including staffing and budgetary planning in support of communication goals.
30% Develops, implements, and monitors strategic communication initiatives for designated audiences and internal stakeholders to maximize engagement and strengthen collaboration efforts
20% Identifies, establishes, and directs media relationships and partnerships with internal and external sources
10% Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revived operational policies and procedures
20% Audits and directs day-to-day operational plans to align with strategic initiatives and to meet established objectives
10% Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
10% Creates communications content related to area(s) of specialization
Tasks:
Develops strategic communication plan in alignment with Division of the Arts strategic plan to meet goals
Oversees all marketing and communications work for the unit including digital marketing, social media, public relations, and content creation for a variety of platforms ensuring timelines and objectives are met
Develops and maintains Integrated Marketing and Communications (IMC) budget(s) and financial records to ensure adherence with institutional rules and regulations
Determines IMC personnel resource allocation plan
Facilitates and guides work of IMC professional staff
As a member of the Division of the Arts Leadership Team, participates in annual planning, strategic visioning, and implementation
May represent the Director at appropriate meetings and events with internal and external stakeholders
Builds strong relationships with high-level campus communicators, national and international media, and national professional organizations
Fosters local, regional, and national coverage of the arts at UW-Madison by pitching stories
Identifies public speaking opportunities and creates talking points for Director and other campus arts experts
Strategizes on content of leadership presentations and messaging
Advises and prepares the Director on critical communication issues, interviews, and special projects
Fosters a community of practice among campus arts communicators
Connects to national professional organizations, tracks larger conversations in the arts
Attends events hosted by the Division of the Arts and campus arts partners as assigned, including evening and weekends events
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion
Education:
Required
Bachelor's Degree
Preferred
Master's Degree
Qualifications:
Required:

• Minimum of three years' related professional experience
• Strong commitment to the mission and vision of the Division of the Arts, especially to accessibility ("Arts for Everyone, Everywhere")
• Specialized knowledge or professional experience in one or more areas including strategic communications, public relations, marketing, media relations, journalism, brand strategy, or visual communications
• Superb storyteller with the ability to engage multiple types of audiences through different channels and a variety of media
• Exceptional verbal and written communicator with a clear, compelling, and accessible voice
• Outstanding writing and editing skills across multiple platforms
• Experience project managing complex communications initiatives and programs
• Minimum two years' experience supervising staff
• Minimum two years' experience building and managing budgets
• Minimum two years' project management experience

Preferred:
- Work experience related to higher education and/or the arts
- Experience or specialized knowledge building a national profile for an organization
- Understanding of and ability to champion arts research, especially in the higher education context
- Experience supervising a team of professional creative staff
- Technical proficiency in one or more areas such as video, audio, photography, graphic design, animation, website design, social media, print production, podcasting
- Understanding of trends in communications and technology and how they apply in the higher education context
- Experience working in a shared project management system
Work Type:
Full Time: 100%
This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.
Appointment Type, Duration:
Ongoing/Renewable
Salary:
Minimum
$80,000 ANNUAL (12 months)
Depending on Qualifications
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced insurance plans, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Learn more at How to Apply:
Click the 'Apply Now' button above to begin. After creating a UW Jobs profile, you will be asked to upload a cover letter and resume. Although not required, you are welcome to provide work samples that illustrate your skills. Please provide any work samples as PDF/JPEG/PNG files or links to existing work.
The search committee will review and score application materials based on how well they directly address the qualifications, responsibilities, and tasks included in the job posting.
Contact:
Kory Breuer Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.
Official Title:
Communications Director (C)(CM061)
Department(s):
A18-ARTS/ADMINISTRATION
Employment Class:
Academic Staff-Renewable
Job Number:
AS

J-18808-Ljbffr