| | As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. All of which has allowed the UW to be nationally recognized as a “Great College to Work For” for six consecutive years.
UW Medicine Advancement has an excellent opportunity for a Director of Strategic Communications.
OVERVIEW
The Director of Strategic Communications will develop and implement integrated communications and marketing strategies that support the fundraising goals of UW Medicine Advancement. This position partners with colleagues on the fundraising, annual philanthropy, stewardship, events and alumni teams – as well as with partners in UW Medicine and the University of Washington’s communications and marketing teams – to create compelling, donor-centric messaging and content, effective multi-channel marcom strategies, and polished fundraising publications, cases and proposals, collateral, and other digital and print assets. The Director of Strategic Communications will be responsible for overseeing the work of a five-person team that handles the creative, editorial, and digital communications needs for UW Medicine Advancement. This role will also act as the story-teller and editor-in-chief for all UW Medicine Advancement communications, including for the UW Medicine Magazine. The Director will be expected to track and measure results and make data-driven recommendations and decisions to increase stakeholder engagement and action that will help drive increased philanthropy.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy, Planning and Production of Advancement Communications/Marketing (40%)
•Develops and manages short- and long-range strategic communications plans and services that further UW Medicine Advancement goals as well the specific goals of the office’s fundraising, annual philanthropy, stewardship, events and alumni teams.
•Fosters high performing cross-functional partnerships with the various teams within UW Medicine Advancement, providing expertise, strategic guidance, and exceptional marcom services that further shared goals.
•Ensures that the work of the communications team is strategic and data driven, setting key performance indicators and measuring, tracking and reporting on results across channels.
•Designs and manages multichannel strategies that engage current and future donors, alumni, volunteers, patients and other stakeholders.
•Continually learns from best practices in fundraising marketing and communications both within the healthcare, medicine, and higher education sectors as well as in the nonprofit sector at-large. Delivers work that is a model for effective fundraising communications.
Writing and Editorial Oversight (40%)
•Oversees the writing and editing of donor-centric editorial content across multiple platforms, including donor communications (annual fund, stewardship, and major gift proposals and cases); short and long-form features, narratives and multimedia stories; advertising copy; event communications and collateral; social media posts; speaker remarks; event and video scripts; and external and internal reports; and environmental signage.
•Oversees, measures and reports on the effectiveness of our content strategies.
•Ensures an equity lens to developing and overseeing content, staying current on the evolving ways that content can support and promote diversity, inclusion and equity.
•Receives and incorporates editorial input and feedback from internal and external stakeholders across multiple teams and departments.
•Ensures the implementation of fundraising writing best practices, maintains the highest level of editorial standards and ensures compliance with UW Medicine brand guidelines and style guide, based on thorough familiarity with AP style.
Team Management and Leadership (20%)
•Leads and manages a five-person communications team responsible for content strategy, creative and digital communications for UW Medicine Advancement.
•Ensures effective and positive collaboration across the office to create integrated campaigns.
•Supports and nurtures the growth and development of communications staff and helps them navigate competing priorities.
•Fosters and models positive leadership behaviors, collaboration, authenticity and a growth mindset.
•Manages the day-to-day operations of the communications team, including guidance and oversight of budget, projects, workflow and general project timelines.
•Builds relationships with communications and marketing peers across UW and UW Medicine.
•Other duties as assigned.
KEY COMPETENCIES
•Fundraising Writing and Communications: Understands the elements of successful donor-centric communications and how copy, design, video and stories can best engage donors. Has proven experience writing powerful and effective cases, proposals, annual fund appeals, stewardship communications, stories and donor reports, and demonstrates impeccable grammar, writing and editing skills.
•Strategic thinking: Ensures a clear purpose and vision behind all marketing and communications efforts that align with the UW Medicine Advancement’s goals. Recognizes and seizes opportunities. Identifies a thoughtful path forward when faced with ambiguous or complex problems and situations. Draws upon past experiences and nuanced understandings of the situation and stakeholders to formulate recommendations.
•Collaborative leadership: Actively works to tear down silos and build trust cross-functionally, defining unifying goals and emphasizing cooperation and collective success. Listens for understanding, assumes positive intent and identifies solutions to barriers or conflict. Empowers team members, building their capacity and skillset and supporting their career growth.
•Interpersonal awareness: Builds and maintains positive and effective professional relationships and actively contributes as a member of working teams to achieve results. Seeks out feedback and models a growth mindset. Has a poised, professional manner with the ability to express oneself clearly and empathetically in interactions with others in all forms of communications, i.e. verbal and written, one-on-one and group, etc.
•Results orientation: Effectively communicates objectives and guides direct reports and team members to make decisions and achieve goals. Develops strategies, measures for success and feasible timelines for successful project implementation and execution. Anticipates market trends and effectively facilitates and manages creative processes to achieve results in self and others.
•Promoting diversity and inclusiveness: Respects, supports and contributes to the UW’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity, ensuring that UW Medicine Advancement’s communications reflect that.
•Accountability: Takes responsibility for meeting goals, objectives and obligations, and for collaboratively solving problems.
•Organizational planning: Develops and manages comprehensive team goals and measures team progress while balancing short-term and long-term priorities that are consistent with the organization’s mission, priorities and goals.
•Managing conflict: Recognizes and addresses conflicts and disagreements in a safe and respectful environment, manages conflicts collaboratively and builds consensus in the best interests of the organization. Sees every difference as an opportunity for growth and change.
REQUIREMENTS
•Bachelor's degree in English, communications, marketing, advertising or related field and five years of management experience developing and leading successful fundraising marketing and communications strategies and teams. Equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired may substitute for degree.
•Proven ability to work collegially and effectively with development colleagues to design and implement successful communications and marketing plans and content that advance organizational goals.
•Demonstrated experience leading teams, managing workflows and supporting the professional development of staff.
•Demonstrated expertise in strategic communications across digital, visual and print channels as well as in branding; messaging; copy writing; and marketing metrics and measurement.
•Superb writing and editing skills and mastery of the principles of donor-centered fundraising writing, storytelling and messaging. Ability to understand, interpret, and articulate complex medical research and scientific information in a way that resonates with stakeholders.
•Demonstrated experience with organizational proficiency and project management, including the ability to prioritize concurrent deadlines and overlapping tasks. Must be able to work in a team environment as well as independently. Must be flexible in a fast-paced setting and able to work under deadline pressure. Must be self-motivated with a positive attitude. Must be able to work professionally with many constituencies.
•Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat Pro, for editing/markup, correspondence, special reports, spreadsheets, databases, forms, etc.
•Demonstrated creativity, organizational ability, and strong attention to detail. Ability to make decisions in ambiguous situations, exercise good judgment based on information and analysis in a fast paced, dynamic, deadline driven environment in an organized and professional manner.
Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum requirements.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Knowledge of development/advancement/alumni relations principles.
•Knowledge of healthcare fundraising practices.
•Experience planning and editing print magazines.
•Knowledge of digital advertising principles and of email and website analytics.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed. |
