Program Director of Advancement Communications

Required Application Materials: Resume & Cover Letter

The Office of Advancement Communications (OAC) is a new vertical the Division of University Relations (UR) will establish as it prepares for the public launch of its next comprehensive fundraising campaign on behalf of the University of Maryland. Essential to the success of the OAC is the recruitment of a highly motivated, highly organized, dynamic, intellectually curious and detail-oriented professional to lead organization and infrastructure-building for the office.

The Program Director of Advancement Communications will play an integral role in promoting an outstanding professional reputation for the OAC, UR, and the university among many of the institution’s high-value constituencies, including key internal partners (e.g., university administration, UR staff) and external stakeholders (e.g., alumni, donors, volunteers).

The Program Director will partner with the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Outreach (AVP-SO) in building communications and marketing service offerings and associated processes, workflows, toolkits, and communication assets focused on UR’s advancement mission. This work fulfills an essential need within the division while nesting within existing staffing and infrastructure, such as the university’s central Office of Marketing & Communications (OMC), school-, college- and unit-based communications and marketing teams, as well as UR staff serving marketing and communications functions within the UMD Alumni Association, Office of Principal Gifts, Office of Donor Relations, Office of Annual Giving, and others.

The Program Director will offer leadership in four key areas: (1) building and sustaining an internal communication infrastructure for UR in support of the division’s strategic priorities; (2) finalizing and implementing a campaign marketing and communications plan that will activate and sustain fundraising and engagement momentum; (3) advising the AVP-SO and VPUR on leadership-level content development amplifying the excellence and impact of the UR division and the campaign; and (4) positioning the OAC as an interdependent and collaborative partner to colleagues across the division, OMC and campus, and as a committed contributor to campus-wide communication priorities.

The Program Director will serve as a strategic thought partner for the AVP-SO and assist in building the OAC, adding new employees to the team as well as managing vendor and freelance staff relationships for the office. In working with colleagues across UR, they will offer direction, strategic insights and/or feedback connected to signature and other high-level external communications and marketing efforts. They will drive cohesive alignment with the campaign’s marketing and communications strategy, voice and tone across channels, and enforce well-defined timelines for action items and deliverables. They will also lead the creation of, and contribute heavily to, a wide range of campaign and advancement content creation and promotion workflows, from gift announcements and donor impact storytelling to staff and volunteer engagement tools and event strategy.

The Program Director role requires skills such as critical thinking, storytelling, the interpretation, distillation, and visualization of data, as well as advanced written and verbal communication, copy editing, document formatting, and design to deliver an attractive and effective work product. The successful candidate will demonstrate they are self-motivated, autonomous, creative and diplomatic, with a strong sense of judgment and intuition. The Program Director will contribute as a servant leader and collaborative problem-solver among staff within the OAC and across UR while maintaining a personal commitment to university and UR values.

Physical Demands:

This is primarily a sedentary position involving extensive use of desktop computers. The position does occasionally require walking some distance to attend meetings, and programs. The position will require some night and weekend work throughout the year. Position may require the individual to travel 5% of the time. Physically demanding at times; must be able to lift 40 lbs.

Preferences:

-Bachelor’s degree in communication, journalism, public affairs, marketing or similar discipline

-Master’s degree in communication, journalism, public affairs, marketing or similar discipline

-Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills

-Ability to maintain confidentiality; general awareness, diplomacy regarding sensitive topics

-High degree of comfort in initiating and maintaining professional relationships

-Demonstrated exceptional attention to detail and superior customer service skills

-Strong writing and editing skills, as well as document or slide formatting and design skills

-Strong command of building and optimizing processes and systems

-Ability to meet tight deadlines and juggle multiple responsibilities

-Able to work independently and in a team environment

-Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community

-Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint

-Proficiency with Gmail and Google Suite applications

-Experience working in advancement and with senior executives, department heads, etc.

-Experience building strategic documents and slide presentations for senior executives

-Experience communicating change in large, complex organizations

-Experience in the higher education environment

-Proficiency in building/maximizing project management tools (e.g., Asana, Monday.com)

Licenses/ Certifications: N/A

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Seven (7) years of professional communications or marketing experience.

Other: Additional work experience as defined above may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to four (4) years of the required education.

Knowledge of principles and practices of marketing and brand management.

Knowledge of writing, editing, and proofreading.

Skill in oral and written communication.

Skill in the use of Microsoft Office products.

Ability to multitask and prioritize assignments.

Ability to multitask while demonstrating a commitment to customer service and sensitivity to a culturally and ethnically diverse community.

Additional Job Details

Required Application Materials: Resume and Cover Letter

Best Consideration Date: April 12, 2025

Posting Close Date: NA

Open Until Filled: Yes

Financial Disclosure Required

For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.

Department

VPUR-VP University Relations

Worker Sub-Type

Staff Regular

Salary Range

$109,932 - $120,000

Benefits Summary

For more information on Regular Exempt benefits, select this link.

Background Checks

Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.

Employment Eligibility

The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.

EEO/AA Statement

The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer; all qualified applicants, including veterans and people with disabilities, will receive consideration for employment. UMD is actively engaged in recruiting, hiring, and promoting underrepresented communities. Please read the entire University of Maryland Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Statement of Policy.

Women, Minorities, Disabled, Veterans, and LGBTQ Welcome!

Diversity Statement

The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Title IX Non-Discrimination Notice

The University of Maryland (UMD) does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, color religion, national origin, ethnicity, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities. Specifically, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in UMD programs and activities, including with respect to admission and employment.