Director of Advancement Communications

University of North Carolina Wilmington, United States

Updated: about 22 hours ago
Location: Wilmington, NORTH CAROLINA
Deadline: 28 May 2024

Posting Details

This position is designated as Exempt from the Human Resources Act (EHRA).


Posting Details


​Benefits of Working at UNCW
Want to become a soaring UNCW Seahawk and work at one of the best universities on the East Coast? Want to put your toes in the sand after a day of work? The University of North Carolina Wilmington offers a wonderfully vibrant university community along with a beautiful location just miles from the beach.
Employees of UNCW are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other programs, resources, policies, and practices that help to support a work/life balance. Our programs have been designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit your needs and the needs of your family. Full time employees are eligible for dental, vision and health insurance plans. Health insurance benefit plans eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Full time employees are also eligible for the tuition waiver program which covers the cost of tuition and fees for up to three (3) undergraduate or graduate courses per academic year at UNCW or any other university within the UNC System. In addition, UNCW covers the cost of tuition and fees for one UNCW course each summer session.
As a full time employee, UNCW also offers a free membership to the Campus Recreation Center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, meditation and yoga sessions, voluntary supplemental insurance coverages, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays, 24 hours of paid community service leave time, paid vacation and sick leave accrual and family medical leave after 12 months of continuous service.
We also offer an abundance of training and development programs through our Dare to Learn Academy , and the employee assistance program , many of which are offered free of charge.
Working Title Director of Advancement Communications
External Link to Posting https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/31865
Vacancy Number E1150
Position Number 1597
Location of Workplace Main UNCW Campus
Home Department University Advancement - 50000
Division University Advancement - 50000 Division
Brief Summary of Work for this Position
UNCW is seeking a Director of Advancement Communications – a collaborative and enthusiastic marketing and communications professional. The ideal candidate will have significant development expertise and will formulate, articulate, and drive strategic communications that support the work of the Division for University Advancement to include Alumni Engagement.
The university is currently celebrating the success of its most ambitious comprehensive campaign, Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW which has raised over $130 million in support for students, faculty, programs and facilities. The successful candidate will help identify and implement multi-channel communications that illustrate philanthropic impact and inspire other constituents to deepen their connection with the university.
A leader within the division, the Director of Advancement Communications will guide communication strategies that drive participation in annual giving campaigns and enhance UNCW’s culture of philanthropy through stewardship and storytelling. Additionally, this person will be a thought partner in creating an infrastructure to develop, deploy and track targeted communications for UNCW’s alumni in alignment with CASE Insights on Alumni Engagement. This leader must demonistrate the ability to collaborate with internal departments, as well as with campus partners and external vendors, to build consensus and effectively coordinate communications is key. These communications will be multi-channel, including but not limited to, direct mail, digital communications, speaking points, print publications and videos.
The Director of Advancement Communications will help match departmental goals with broader divisional goals and will work to align communication channels and budgetary resources accordingly. This role will be called upon to protect campaign branding guidelines, teach techniques, and provide guidance on developing and deploying effective advancement communications. The top candidate will be strategic, innovative, diplomatic and energetic; demonstrate the ability to quickly adapt to new technologies; and be proficient in written, oral and visual communications. Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced yet lighthearted working environment is a necessity.
This position reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and will supervise a staff of two. This full-time is based on campus with the opportunity to occasionally telework.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
  • Relevant post-baccalaureate degree required, or undergraduate degree with relevant experience in substitution
  • Five years of progressive professional responsibilities guiding strategic communications as well as previous management experience
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively tell a story through written text
  • Knowledge of comprehensive fundraising campaigns
  • A self-starter who will immerse themselves in UNCW’s campus community and beyond to uncover stories about the impact of philanthropy and engagement, curate content that appeals to key constituents, and foster professional relationships
  • High level of cultural competence, an inclusive approach to segmentation and messaging, and comfortable building awareness of diverse individuals and groups
  • Ability to implement project management tools that keeps internal departments on-task and aligned
  • An understanding of university advancement best practices related to communications, engagement, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
  • Ability to analyze and interpret complex data
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including high levels of diplomacy, discretion and influence with the ability to work with internal and external stakeholders at any level of seniority
  • Able to secure buy-in on proposed strategies and advocate for resources
  • Demonstrated experience and expertise with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop)
Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience
  • Professional experience in development or higher education
  • Experience using Customer Relationship/Database Management systems, particuarly Blackbaud’s RaiserEdge/NXT
  • Experience building automated marketing journies
  • Experience with GiveCampus
  • Familiarity with UNCW’s history and culture is highly desirable
Required Certifications or Licensures
N/A
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
The Division for University Advancement is responsible for the following primary goals:
  • Coordinate a campus-wide, comprehensive effort to raise philanthropic funds that support the strategic plan and mission of the university.
  • Manage an inclusive alumni engagement program designed to serve and engage over 100,000 alumni as ambassadors, advocates and donors.
  • Strengthen and expand UNCW’s donor pipeline through effective discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies.
  • Ensure that external boards (UNCW Foundation Board, Board of Visitors, Student Aid Association Board, Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Friends of UNCW) are effective in their mission of supporting UNCW.


    • The division’s fundraising efforts are enhanced by effective partnerships with the campus community as well as external constituents including alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, volunteers and friends. Development areas include annual giving, leadership annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, corporate and foundation engagement and planned giving, as well as alumni engagement. Prospect development, events and board management, stewardship, communications and advancement services are support services for the fundraising activities of the division.
    College/School Information
    University Information
    The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.
    A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.
    The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
    UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.
    EEO Statement
    At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.
    Eligibility for Employment
    Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.
    Number of Openings Single Incumbent
    Special Notes to Applicants
    The recruitment range for this position is contingent upon funding availability. The final salary offer will be determined based on qualifications and experience, within the parameters of the available budget.
    PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application, including the ‘Work History’ section before you apply for this position. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.
    Months Per Year 12 Months
    FTE 1.0 (40 hours per week)
    Type of Position Permanent
    Anticipated Ending Date if Time-Limited Positions
    Job Posting Date 04/15/2024
    Posting Close Date 05/28/2024

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