UTHealth Houston's Marketing and Communications team is seeking an experienced Manager of Leadership Communications to support McGovern Medical School, one of the nation's largest medical schools. This is an opportunity for a skilled communications professional to serve as a trusted strategic partner to school leadership, helping shape communications that strengthen reputation, advance institutional priorities, and showcase the people and programs driving excellence in education, research, and patient care.
Working closely with the dean and other senior leaders, you will develop and execute strategic communications plans that bring McGovern Medical School's priorities to life for internal and external audiences. You will help translate leadership vision and complex academic, scientific, and clinical topics into clear, compelling communications that enhance executive visibility, engage faculty and other key audiences, and reinforce the school's reputation and impact.
As part of UTHealth Houston's Office of Marketing and Communications, you will help connect the school's communications strategy to the university's broader strategic direction, fostering strong alignment among McGovern Medical School, its clinical practice, UT Physicians, and the university.
This is a role for someone who is equally comfortable thinking strategically and writing exceptionally well. Much of your work will focus on high-level communications strategy and executive messaging, but you should also be able to take highly technical information and make it meaningful and accessible to a range of audiences.
This position offers a hybrid work arrangement, with the expectation that you will be on campus as needed to collaborate with leaders, colleagues, and partners across the university.
Interested in joining the team? Please include a cover letter and writing samples with your application. We are especially interested in examples that demonstrate your experience in executive communications, scientific or medical writing, strategic messaging, or other complex subject matter. Your cover letter and samples can be uploaded as attachments along with your resume.
Position Key Accountabilities:- Serves as primary communications partner to the Dean.
- Develops and implements communication strategies supporting McGovern Medical School, UT Physicians, and institutional goals.
- Ensures consistent communication of the Dean's priorities across McGovern Medical School and clinical operations.
- Advises leaders on messaging, tone, and communication planning.
- Manages sensitive information and supports proactive messaging on clinical and organizational updates.
- Prepares leadership announcements, remarks, scripts, briefing materials, talking points, and communication plans and content for major initiatives.
- Writes and edits communications related to academic programs; faculty, student, and staff initiatives; clinical operations; and institutional updates.
- Translates complex clinical or scientific topics into accessible language for a variety of audiences.
- Develops digital content, newsletters, web updates, and institutional emails.
- Identifies and elevates stories highlighting innovation, research, and community impact.
- Coordinates messaging with colleagues in Marketing and Communications, as well as communications professionals across McGovern Medical School.
- Supports UT Physicians and clinical leadership with practice updates, operational messaging, and aligned communications.
- Plans and executes communication components for academic, clinical, and institutional events.
- Assesses communication performance through metrics and audience feedback, applying insights to strengthen impact, identify new opportunities to engage audiences, and deliver results on schedule.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Education:At least a Bachelor's Degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, healthcare administration, or a related field is required.
Minimum Experience:You must have at least five (5) years of experience in healthcare, clinical, or strategic communications. Experience within academic medicine or large healthcare systems preferred
Physical Requirements:Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount constantly to move objects.
Security Sensitive:This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code a751.215 and Texas Government Code a7411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code a7117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. a7791.4.
Residency Requirement:Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas. This is a hybrid role that requires on-campus presence as needed.
