Director, Academic Communications

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is :

Grade : Management_Executive 611 Pay Range : $141,900.00 - $255,500.00

Job Description

The Director of Academic / EdTech Communications reports to the SVP of Institutional Advancement and supports the Chief Academic Officer & Provost, (CAO) and owns the vision and execution of multi-dimensional external and internal communications for this senior leader and other leaders in the CAO organization. This includes pitching and securing earned media placements, often in collaboration with regional communicators and WGU's PR firm; creating project- based plans and written / audio / visual communications for employee messaging and other needs; and securing speaking opportunities and preparing background briefings for conferences and events for the CAO and other senior academic leaders. The Director collaborates with the CAO's Chief of Staff on thought leadership. The Director will lead a team of communications managers that support WGU's four schools and the EdTech / CIO organization. The Director will work at the intersection of academic leadership and educational technology to ensure seamless adoption, engagement, and impact of academic initiatives across digital and physical learning environments.

The Director works closely with other senior leaders from the schools, regional operations, government relations, advancement, partnerships, conferences and events, marketing, and enrollment teams to drive growth in public awareness and the university's brand reputation with prospective students, current and prospective partner organizations, government entities, academic institutions, and other audiences. Work supports the university's objective of driving new student enrollment and degree attainment across academic schools and influencing the landscape of higher education to model a more accessible, equitable, and outcome-based option for working adult learners.

Primary Responsibilities

Develops and executes external and internal communication strategy for the CAO and other leaders in the CAO organization.

Cultivates trusted relationships with university partners, including C-level executives, SVPs, and communications professionals of all levels, including Schools, Labs, Academy, Shared Services (EdTech, Financial Aid, Advancement, etc.), and other departments.

Leads a team of communications managers that support the four schools at the university and the EdTech / CIO organization.

Establish and execute a multi-channel external and internal communication strategy that adheres to WGU's established brand standards and voice, and maintains brand integrity across all platforms, including specific local, regional and national audiences, geographic markets, and academic program goals.

Elevates the university's brand with academic and other external audiences, including raising the profile of the university in higher education and policy forums.

Oversees development of multi-year CAO external communications plan that contributes to core university objectives.

Develops media engagement opportunities and event appearances for the CAO organization.

Supports CAO and, as needed other senior leaders within the CAO organization with university events, including monthlytown halls, and school summits and higher education and related conferences.

Provides standards and central coordination (e.g., brand alignment, overall university events calendar) for schools and other entities as they participate in focused events, such as school-aligned industry conferences.

Leads, develops, and inspires a high-performing team, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Provides strategic direction and coaching to the Academic and EdTech communications team, ensuring clear performance expectations and alignment with institutional goals and service standards.

Attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent, building leadership capacity and ensuring the team has the technical expertise, regulatory knowledge, and student-first mindset to succeed in a complex, fast-paced environment.

Performs other communication and writing duties as assigned.

This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities. The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a multi-dimensional communication strategy with key objectives and measurable KPIs.

Proven collaborator with track record of executing complex projects involving cross-functional teams.

Methodical, systematic, and highly organized.

Able to make decisions and drive business forward in a highly complex, multi-faceted organization.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships across contributors and teams, including executives.

Experience working in academic and communications disciplines, including brand development, creative, owned and earned media, and large-scale conferences and events.

Ability to organize information and effectively present issues, recommendations, and conclusions.

Innovative and inclined to explore new approaches for constant learning and optimization of messages.

Skilled at building, developing, and leading high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and student-centered service excellence.

Ability to mentor and develop leadership talent, building the next generation of communications leaders through ongoing coaching, professional development, and performance management.

Strong critical thinker capable of making good decisions under pressure.

Ability to independently manage time, resources and deadlines for multiple projects at a time.

Education

A bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or a related field.

Experience

12 or more years of communications experience

Three years of communications, marketing or closely-related experience in higher education

5 or more years leadership experience

Mastery of communication via owned media, earned media, and for events

Experience in lieu of education

Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in related field.

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours) : This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply : If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer : The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations : Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity : All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.