Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives and Communications

Overview

Reporting to the Director of Communications, Office of the Secretary and Vice President for University Life, the Associate Director advances initiatives housed in and led by University Life through program and project management, implementation, and crafting and executing integrated communications. The ideal candidate is a strong project manager who excels at cross-functional collaboration and operational details, and a skilled communicator who can craft clear, compelling content for a variety of audiences and formats to support university life initiatives, enhance institutional culture, and engage multiple constituencies. Experience with website and social media management is required, as the position plays a key role in conceiving, producing, and delivering content across multiple channels and in multiple formats. The Associate Director may collaborate with colleagues in the President’s Office, Office of the Provost, and Office of Public Affairs and Communications (OPAC), as well as students, faculty, and staff across the institution to advance programs and projects and develop content that reflects Yale's mission and values. The role also requires a high level of discretion and the ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality.

The Associate Director plays a key role in supporting workshops, programming, and events, as well as executing related communications, including the development of promotional content, media coverage, and post-event storytelling. They collaborate closely with program and event planners and other stakeholders to ensure consistent branding and messaging across platforms. The Associate Director contributes to the planning and production of select high-profile events produced by University Life, helping to shape the overall experience and amplify impact. The Associate Director may perform other duties as assigned.

 

Please note that candidates advancing in the recruitment process will be asked to provide writing samples.

 

Key responsibilities include:

 

• Oversee the operational execution of projects, programs, and committees, maintaining primary accountability for daily management and successful delivery of outcomes.
• Develop and manage timelines, resources, and workflows to ensure programs and initiatives are delivered on schedule and within scope.
• Assist in executing comprehensive communications campaigns in collaboration with key stakeholders, ensuring alignment with university priorities and initiatives.
• Draft, edit, and proofread a variety of content, including emails, newsletters, website copy, and other materials for a variety of internal and external audiences including students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
• Contribute to project, program, and communications content development that advances university initiatives and the division's work, generating ideas that resonate with multiple constituencies.
• Manage and maintain websites and social media accounts, creating engaging content that reflects the university’s voice and strategic objectives.
• Monitor and analyze metrics to inform strategy and improve outreach effectiveness.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the university to identify opportunities for storytelling and to amplify key messages.
• Support project, program, and event-related communications and contribute to the planning and production of select high-profile events.

 

Please note that the information above most closely defines the daily responsibilities of this position; the essential duties listed below are generic.

 

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Experience in planning and executing projects, programs, and events that satisfy multiple stakeholders, coordinating logistics, and crafting related communications for promotion, engagement, and follow-up.

2. Proven skill in writing and editing clear, compelling content for various audiences and formats. Strong attention to detail.

3. Experience creating, editing, and managing digital content for websites and social platforms, applying accessibility standards, branding guidelines, and engagement strategies to optimize user experience.

 4. Can deliver time-sensitive and confidential messaging with discretion and ensure communications align with institutional tone, values, and strategic goals.

5. Demonstrated ability to collaborate across teams and departments, to build strong relationships and foster alignment on shared communication objectives.

 

Preferred Education, Skills and Abilities

1. Demonstrated experience in project oversight and delivery.

2. Proven results in growing engagement through social media and web presence, informed by analytics.

3. Design, photography, and/or video production and editing skills.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Manages relationships with external media sources. Pursues media coverage creatively and aggressively. Responds to inquiries from national and international news media, student media, the University community and the general public. 2. Enhances the overall quality of media relations for key stakeholders by preparing them for media interviews. Manages relationships with key campus stakeholders with a high degree of professionalism, judgment and understanding of stakeholder goals. 3. Creates compelling story ideas and narratives; produces content for both external and internal channels; writes copy and social media posts and manages content. 4. Plans social media strategies for key University communications and programs. Monitors University social media assets for negative comments or misinformation. 5. Supports short- and long-term communication planning with insights into audiences, channels and culture; coordinates with other communications professionals to achieve institutional goals; leads the communications process within developed standards and protocols. 6. Supports effective response strategies, often in crisis situations requiring 24/7 attention and intense media/public scrutiny, and articulates the University’s position via personal interviews or written responses. 7. Produces multimedia content and manages the work of graphic and web designers, student interns, printers, video producers and photographers. 8. Manages communication plans for all stakeholders by understanding the significance of campus initiatives and/or academic work; creates compelling stories and messages to translate the significance through language that is clear and accessible for public awareness. 9. Develops and maintains regular contact with media representatives in multiple disciplines. 10. Maintains the Yale brand and graphic identity standards; supports and maintains standard operating procedures; contributes to digital asset management. 11. May perform other duties as assigned. Required Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications or related field and five years of experience in public relations, journalism, television, corporate communications or agency work or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Demonstrated experience in developing communications for a range of media and working with creative professionals in design, photography or video.

Job Posting Date

10/09/2026

Job Category

Professional

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Administration & Operations

Compensation Grade Profile

Supervisor; Senior Associate (P5)

Salary Range

$68,000.00 - $120,500.00

Benefits

A general description of the benefits to be offered with this Managerial & Professional position is available at:

Yale Benefits

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff

Work Model

Hybrid