Associate Director Advancement Communications Projects - University Advancement

Position Summary
The Associate Director Advancement Communications Projects will direct operational activities by expertly managing the day-to-day intake, scoping, scheduling, and prioritization of projects for University Advancement’s Advancement Communications team. This position assigns and launches new projects and facilitates collaboration and communication among internal team members, print vendors, photographers, production companies, and University Advancement partners.
The Associate Director Advancement Communications Projects provides leadership on print, digital, multimedia, and event marketing communications projects through all stages from start to finish. Responsibilities include planning, organizing, managing, and confirming execution of projects, including creating a scope, a project plan, identifying tasks, and navigating process, risk, milestones, and deadlines. The project scope can vary from single pieces of collateral to multifaceted, multichannel communications campaigns to materials for strategic UA-produced events. The associate director, project management will evaluate processes to identify avenues for refinement and will proactively anticipate future needs of UA.
Position will be responsible for meeting with University Advancement partners, reviewing and scheduling incoming jobs, leading weekly production meetings with department directors, and monitoring projects through various stages of development and production, working with all constituents to ensure on time and on budget delivery. This person will support the senior director to balance workload and quality of all creative development. The position reports to the senior director, Advancement Communications and works closely and collaboratively with all of University Advancement.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Advancement Communications Processes

• Lead effort to establish and implement a workflow system, including processes for intake and setting deadlines, objectives, and budgets, for the production of advancement communications and creative projects.
• Translate system into departmental project management software and serve as lead user of software, setting and advising the team of best practices.
• Define priorities and drive projects accordingly.
• Assign individuals or entire teams to tasks within projects, while creating and managing detailed schedules throughout the duration of projects.
• Ensure that staff who are tasked with project duties meet deadlines with consistent quality, and partners are satisfied.
• Contribute to building trust and credibility with university partners by collaborating with others to achieve desired results.
• Identify potential roadblocks related to budgets, resources, and timelines in the production process, reporting these potential issues to appropriate team members and take appropriate action to overcome obstacles where necessary.
• Appraise and evaluate the effectiveness of operations and workflow regularly and systematically.

Internal Team Communication

• Translate project vision and objectives into activities, tasks, and outcomes.
• Set goals for the team, balance constraints and freedoms, determine how the team members share knowledge, define communication channels, decide who will work on what parts of a project and how conflicts will be resolved.
• May occasionally interact with and represent Advancement Communications team in meetings with UA and university colleagues.
• Build effective project communications with the team and with campus partners will require strong written and verbal skills and the ability to manage expectations and adapt to changes.

Print Procurement

• Serve as liaison to print vendors, campus partners, and mail houses and manages bidding and procurement of printing services.

Benchmarking and Best Practices

• Maintain contact with colleagues and professional organizations to assure awareness of trends and developments in creative service project management; incorporate best practices of higher education peers and leaders.
• Maintain a high level or understanding of philanthropy and alumni engagement.
• Perform any other appropriate tasks as may be assigned by the senior director.

Preferred Qualifications

• Digital communications and print publication experience, particularly in a higher education setting.
• Certified project manager skilled in system development.
• Three years of experience in project management in creative services, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent communication, people, project management and organizational skills.
• Experience working in a CRS or project management software system.
• Experience managing project processes in a creative field.
• In-depth understanding of both technical and creative process in print production.
• Proactive, inspiring, and motivating approach to new creative opportunities.
• Enthusiastic, outgoing, and positive approach to working with clients and internal teams.  
• Experience performing within a goal-oriented group to overcome obstacles and resolve disputes in order to produce excellent results on tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with colleagues at every level; commitment to collaboration, a product/goal-focused orientation, and the ability to work as a member of a team.
• Ability to thrive in an intellectually challenging, immensely complex, and frequently unpredictable academic environment.
• Commitment to work within the university’s established organizational structure, to higher education in general and to Washington University in St. Louis in particular.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of three to five years of related experience.

Grade
G13

Salary Range
$64,700.00 - $110,500.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ .

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected]  or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.

• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.

• Want to Live Near Your Work and/or improve your commute? Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees. We also offer a forgivable home loan of up to $12,500 for closing costs and a down payment for homes in eligible neighborhoods.

• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.

• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO/AA Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and especially encourages applications by those from underrepresented groups. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.

Diversity Statement
Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment – fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.