Associate Director of Campus Communications
Position Category: Staff (Exempt)
FLSA: Exempt
FTE: 1
Location: Thousand Oaks
University Background:
The mission of California Lutheran University is to educate leaders
for a global society who are strong in character and judgment,
confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service
and justice. Founded in 1959 in beautiful Ventura County, the
university has an enrollment of about 4,000 undergraduate and
graduate students who come from across the nation and around the
world from a diversity of backgrounds, cultures and faiths. As a
federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, Cal Lutheran is
looking for candidates with a dedication to and success in working
in diverse communities. The university is committed to an inclusive
learning and work environment that values individual differences
and respects each person's dignity.
Basic Function:
Reporting to the Vice President for Strategic Brand Communications,
the Associate Director of Campus Communications plays a central
role in planning, coordinating, and executing university-wide
communications that advance California Lutheran University's
mission, strategic priorities, and institutional brand. The
position coordinates newsroom operations, editorial planning, and
communications workflows; develops and coordinates institutional
communications; collaborates with University leadership and campus
partners to identify and share stories that demonstrate the
University's impact; and supports executive communications,
internal communications, and crisis communications.
Representative Duties:
Communications Planning & Newsroom Operations
- Serve as a central coordinator for campus communications
activities by managing communications requests, coordinating
priorities, monitoring project status, and facilitating
collaboration across the Strategic Brand Communications team.
Coordinate the CLU Newsroom editorial calendar and campus
messaging schedule to ensure timely, strategic, and coordinated
communications.
Develop and coordinate communications plans supporting
institutional initiatives, executive priorities, major
announcements, University events, and special projects.
Manage communications workflows and recommend process
improvements that enhance collaboration, efficiency, and
operational effectiveness.
Coordinate communications activities to ensure consistency with
University messaging, editorial standards, and brand
guidelines.
Editorial Planning & Content Development
- Serve as a key member of the CLU Newsroom editorial team,
collaborating with colleagues across the University to identify,
develop, and promote stories that demonstrate California Lutheran
University's mission, academic excellence, student success, alumni
achievements, and community impact.
- Coordinate, research, write, edit, copy-edit, and finalize a
variety of institutional communications, including newsroom
articles, newsletters, executive correspondence, speeches,
presentations, campus messages, video scripts, event promotional
materials, website content, and other University
communications.
- Coordinate, support, and provide backup to the University
Editor in the development of the CLU Magazine and other
institutional publications.
- Ensure editorial quality, consistency, accuracy, and adherence
to University messaging and brand standards across
communications.
Executive, Internal & Crisis Communications
- Support the Vice President for Strategic Brand Communications
and other University leaders in developing executive
communications, including speeches, presentations, executive
correspondence, campus messages, and responses to selected
executive communications.
- Develop and coordinate internal communications that strengthen
employee engagement, organizational alignment, and effective change
management.
- Support crisis communications planning and implementation by
coordinating timely, accurate, and effective institutional
communications.
- Research and analyze complex academic and institutional issues
to develop communications recommendations and support cohesive
University messaging.
Communications Operations & Project Management
- Coordinate communications projects from planning through
implementation while ensuring quality, accuracy, and timely
completion.
- Monitor project timelines, deliverables, communications
requests, and competing priorities across multiple
initiatives.
- Develop, evaluate, and improve newsroom workflows, editorial
planning processes, and communications operations.
- Recommend and implement innovative communications practices,
technologies, and process improvements that enhance operational
effectiveness.
Collaboration & Communications Consultation
- • Build trusted relationships with faculty, staff,
administrators, and campus partners through responsive,
collaborative, and results-oriented communications support.
- • Serve as a communications resource by guiding messaging,
editorial planning, communications strategies, and best
practices.
- • Collaborate across the University to identify strategic
communications opportunities that strengthen institutional
visibility and reputation.
- • Represent the Strategic Brand Communications department on
University committees, initiatives, and special projects, as
assigned.
- • Perform other related duties as assigned.
Knowledge Of:
- Principles and best practices of strategic communications,
journalism, public relations, editorial planning, and
organizational communications.
- Institutional branding, messaging, storytelling, and editorial
standards.
- Executive, internal, and crisis communications.
- Communications planning, project management, and workflow
coordination.
- Digital communications, content management systems, and
emerging communications technologies.
- Trends and best practices in higher education
communications.
Ability To:
- Write, edit, proofread, and communicate clearly and effectively
for a variety of audiences and communication channels.
- Plan, coordinate, prioritize, and manage multiple
communications projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and
maintaining a high level of quality.
- Research, analyze, and synthesize complex information into
clear, accurate, and compelling communications.
- Build and maintain collaborative working relationships with
University leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni, media
representatives, and external partners.
- Exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and
effectively manage sensitive and confidential information.
- Develop and coordinate executive, internal, and crisis
communications with professionalism, discretion, and attention to
detail.
- Interpret and apply University branding, editorial standards,
and communication best practices to ensure consistent
messaging.
- Work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced
environment while adapting to changing priorities and
organizational needs.
- Utilize digital communication tools, content management
systems, and Microsoft Office applications effectively to support
communications initiatives.
Minimum Qualifications:
Any combination equivalent to: a bachelor's degree in
communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, English,
or a related field and five years of progressively responsible
professional experience in communications, journalism, public
relations, marketing communications, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public
Relations, Marketing, Higher Education Administration, or a related
field.
- Experience in higher education or another mission-driven
organization.
- Experience supporting executive communications and
organizational communications.
- Experience with newsroom operations, editorial planning, or
institutional publications.
- Experience supporting crisis communications.
Licenses and Other Requirements:
none
Physical Abilities:
Detect to understand appropriate written correspondence; operate a
computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a
calculator, copy machine, and computer printer; communicate to
exchange information in person, in writing, on the telephone and by
email; stationary position for extended periods of time; move or
transport light objects; position self to store and/or retrieve
files
Working Environment:
Work requires frequent interaction with University leadership,
faculty, staff, students, alumni, media representatives, and
external partners. Occasional evening and weekend work is required
to support University events and communications needs.
Hiring Range $90,000 - $95,000
Posting Number: Staff005542022
Open Date: 08/07/2026
Close Date: 08/23/2026
Application Procedure/Special Instructions
To apply, visit https://careers.callutheran.edu/postings/13509
California Lutheran University is committed to providing equal
opportunity in employment for all persons, regardless of race,
religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical
disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status,
sex, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender
identity or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable
law. No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program,
activity or facility of the University on the basis of these
factors in a manner consistent with applicable federal and state
laws, regulations, ordinances, orders and rules, and University's
policies, procedures, and processes.
Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process
can be provided to individuals with qualifying disabilities. Please
contact the Human Resources Department for further information or
to request an accommodation.
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