The Position

Title:Director of Communications

Position Type:Full time

Requisition No:23015

Category: Administration

Supervisor: Vice President of External Affairs, Marketing and Communications

Last Updated: October 2022

Job Purpose:Leads communications and media relations for Calbright College

Location:Remote, various locations throughout California

Salary Range: M-20 Typical beginning range steps 1-3

Position Overview

The Director of Communications is a key member of Calbright College’s growing External Affairs, Marketing, and Communications team and brings a keen eye for institutional communications. At the broadest level, this position requires exceptional written and verbal skills and is responsible for developing and tactically executing an integrated communications program—both internal and external—that supports the College’s unique mission and goals.

Reporting to the VP of External Affairs, Marketing, and Communications, the Director of Communications serves as the spokesperson for the college and leads media relations. In addition, the successful candidate will oversee strategy and implementation for stakeholder communications, executive engagement, advocacy and partnership endeavors, and build and advance Calbright’s budding institutional narrative.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

The duties below are representative of the role and are not intended to cover all of the duties performed within the scope of work.

• Work collaboratively with all departments of the organization to lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive communications program that covers public relations, social media channels, messaging, positioning, thought leadership programs, and crisis communications.
• Serve as Calbright’s spokesperson and lead media relations activities.
• Work collaboratively across the organization to promote the Calbright’s unique education model, develop materials and initiatives to support academic programs, and ensure College-wide understanding of key data and initiatives.
• Develop and advance thought leadership opportunities and objectives for College leadership.
  • Support the CEO and others across the College in preparation for media interviews and media training.
  • This role may support the VP of External Affairs, Marketing, and Communications with speech and ghostwriting
• May manage third-party agencies and firms to support ongoing communications programs.
• Support the development of marketing communications assets including collateral, websites, advertising, content marketing, and other material as may be needed, including messaging, positioning, and copywriting.
• Establish tracking and reporting mechanisms to ensure transparency into the performance of communications programs.
• Prepare budgets, analyses, recommendations, strategies, and tactical execution recommendations as may be required to ensure accountability and high-quality outcomes for Calbright’s communications program.
• Perform other related duties as assigned that support the objective of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• The Director of Communications should be an articulate and concise synthesizer, analyzer, storyteller, and explainer of tactical plans, information and data. A successful Director of Communications will cultivate collaborative, collegial, and effective relationships with colleagues across the organization as well as key external stakeholders and partners.
• Experience operating in fluid environments, and across large and complex organizations—though experience in higher education is not required—will serve the successful candidate well.
• While the majority of this position’s tasks will be performed in a remote environment, travel to in-person events, meetings, and other gatherings throughout the year will be necessary.
• Calbright is a new institution and is being built from the ground up. Assignments and functions that may not be included in this description may be required as part of the institution's evolution.

This role also requires:

• Knowledge of strategic planning and execution principles and practices;
• Knowledge of project management principles, techniques, and practices;
• Knowledge of contemporary communications principles, techniques, and practices;
• Knowledge of basic business applications including G Suite, MS Office, Slack, video conferencing, Asana, Adobe Creative Suite, and general use of personal and mobile computers, printers, telephones, telephone answering machines, Internet, and electronic mail;
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills;
• Skills in supervision and interpersonal relationships;
• Ability to work in a collegial, collaborative environment;
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents in English;
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints in written and spoken English;
• Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, or boards in English; and
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and present/explain in a concise manner.
• Demonstrate understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for the diverse academic, socio-economic, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, disability, and sexual orientation of community college students, staff and faculty.

Minimum Qualifications

• Relevant Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum of four (4) years of related experience required.

Desired Qualifications

• Understanding and interest in the state of California, higher education, and local, regional, statewide, and federal politics and policy.
• Experience working with and/or within the public sector and/or elected politics.
• Experience staffing leadership and working directly with a leadership team.
• Experience in a start-up environment.

Working Conditions and Travel

• Calbright College is a statewide online college where all instruction and support are done via various online technologies both in person and remotely. Calbright College has administrative offices in Sacramento available for use. When working remotely, employees should be able and willing to use digital communication tools as used by the college, and have the ability to work on a computer for extended periods of time.
• Regular attendance is considered an essential job function; the inability to meet attendance requirements may preclude the employee from retaining employment.
• The person holding this position is considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in Calbright College policies, procedures, and Title IX.
• Calbright College celebrates all forms of diversity and is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Individuals interested in advancing Calbright College’s strategic diversity goals are strongly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.
• Requires the ability to function in a remote online instructional environment performing work of primarily a sedentary nature. Requires the ability to use hearing and speech to make presentations to groups and carry on conversations over the phone and in-person. Requires speaking skills to communicate with staff and students in one-on-one and small group settings, on the phone, and to distinguish sound prompts from various types of equipment. Requires near visual acuity to read printed materials and computer screens. Requires sufficient hand/arm/finger dexterity to retrieve work materials, operate a personal computer keyboard, and operate standard office equipment. Requires the ability to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Work is performed indoors where minimal safety considerations exist.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Calbright College provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Calbright College complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

Who We Are

Calbright College is one of California’s newest community colleges – the first statewide, online campus designed to bridge the gap between employers with unfilled positions and students who don’t have either the time or money to attend a traditional school. Our mission is to increase economic mobility and close equity gaps for working adults who lack easy access to traditional forms of higher education by offering online, flexible, affordable skills-based programs that provide tangible economic value for both working adults and hiring managers.