Senior Manager for Leadership Communications, Texas McCombs

Job Posting Title :

Senior Manager for Leadership Communications, Texas McCombs

Hiring Department :

Red McCombs School of Business

Position Open To : All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours :

40

FLSA Status : Exempt

Earliest Start Date :

Immediately

Position Duration : Expected to Continue

Location : UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details : General Notes

Texas McCombs is a top business school at the center of one of the most innovative cities in the U.S. The McCombs community champions hands-on experiences alongside the ground-breaking research and thought-leadership of a world-class faculty. The collaborative spirit and enterprising drive of the Longhorn alumni network, one of the largest university networks in the world, is embedded in our culture, making us human-centered and future-focused in all our endeavors. We are shaping those who will shape tomorrow, and solving challenging problems while remaining committed to creating a community that is dynamic, supportive, and challenging. What starts here really does change the world.

For more information about Texas McCombs please visit : https : / / www.mccombs.utexas.edu

Purpose

The Senior Communications Manager for Leadership Communications is a pivotal role responsible for developing and executing the communications strategy for the dean of the McCombs School of Business and her leadership team. This individual acts as a key partner to the director of communications, translating the dean's strategic priorities into compelling narratives. The ideal candidate is a gifted writer, a sharp strategic thinker, and a poised professional capable of navigating complex issues with sound judgment and discretion. This role is responsible for ensuring the dean's voice is clear, consistent, and impactful across all channels.

Responsibilities

Dean's Communication Strategy and Execution

Conceptualize, research, and draft a high volume of sophisticated communications on behalf of the dean and dean's leadership team, including speeches, talking points, school-wide emails, presentations, video scripts, and op-eds.

In partnership with the director, develop and manage a comprehensive annual communications plan and editorial calendar for the dean, ensuring proactive and strategic engagement with key stakeholders.

Provide in-person messaging and logistical support to the dean for public appearances, media interviews, and high-stakes events, occasionally during evenings and weekends.

Serve as the primary liaison between the dean's office and the MarComm team to ensure seamless amplification of leadership messages across social media, web, and media relations channels.

Develop and manage a dashboard to track and analyze the impact of the dean's communications, providing regular reports and recommendations for improvement to leadership.

Issues and Crisis Management Support

Serve as a key point of contact and first responder for emerging issues related to the dean's office and school leadership, ensuring timely escalation to the director and CMCO.

Support the director in managing crisis situations by drafting initial holding statements, internal talking points, stakeholder messages, and FAQs with speed and accuracy.

Monitor the higher education and business landscape to proactively identify potential reputational risks and opportunities, providing strategic counsel to the communications leadership.

Work with stakeholders across the school and university to create a McCombs crisis communications playbook, with roles, responsibilities, and plans of action, focusing especially on dangerous situations such as an active shooter scenario.

Special Project Leadership and Alignment

Lead and collaborate on multifaceted communications projects and campaigns that support school-wide priorities, such as major gift announcements, new program launches, and strategic initiatives.

Write and edit copy as needed for special projects across school platforms, including online newsroom, digital newsletters, microsites, departmental, program, and center webpages.

Make and oversee assignments as needed to staff and freelance writers, editors, consultants, photographers, and videographers for special projects.

Serve as adjunct to director for media relations support.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and 5 years of professional experience in corporate communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field, with a portfolio demonstrating exceptional writing and strategic planning skills.

Demonstrated experience handling sensitive or crisis communications with discretion, maturity, and excellent judgment.

Proven ability to advise and collaborate with senior-level executives or public figures, translating their vision into clear and compelling messages.

Exceptional news judgment and the ability to think critically and act quickly under pressure.

Superb project management skills, with a track record of managing multiple complex projects concurrently while meeting tight deadlines.

Mastery of AP style and experience writing across a variety of platforms and formats.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and 5-7 years of professional experience in corporate communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field, with a portfolio demonstrating exceptional writing and strategic planning skills.

Experience working in higher education or for a large, complex organization.

A deep understanding of the national media landscape.

Experience preparing executives for media interviews and public speaking engagements.

Experience using web content management systems (e.g., WordPress) and project management tools (e.g., Asana).

Salary Range

$80,000 - $ 85,000 + depending on qualifications.

Working Conditions

Works in standard office conditions with repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.

Some evening and weekend hours may be required during peak periods and special events.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for any employer in the United States. This position is not eligible for sponsorship of work visas.

This is an Austin, TX-based position

Required Materials

Resume / CV

3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers : You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers : As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

Employment Eligibility :

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion / transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility :

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks :

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer :

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer ,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency :

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification :

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify :

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following :

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance :

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031 .

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.