Job Summary
The Strategic Relations and Communications Department at CU Boulder
invites applications for a
Communications and Outreach
Manager ! This role is a strategic multimedia communication
professional who helps translate university priorities, leadership
vision, and institutional initiatives into compelling stories and
experiences that engage diverse audiences across campus and beyond.
Working within Strategic Relations and Communications and under the
guidance of the Senior Director for Communication, this position
combines critical thinking, creative storytelling, digital fluency,
and audience-centered communication to advance the university’s
mission and priorities for a variety of campus administrative
units.
The manager serves as a creative communication partner to campus
leaders and administrative units, developing integrated
communication strategies and multimedia content across a constantly
evolving university communication enterprise. The role moves
fluidly among strategy, storytelling, content development, and
project execution—identifying opportunities to amplify
institutional priorities through the right channels, formats,
voices, and platforms.
Position Impact
This position is designed for a communication professional who sees
beyond individual deliverables to the larger opportunity: building
a more connected, contemporary, and strategic university
communication ecosystem. The successful candidate will help the
university tell its story with greater creativity, consistency,
agility, and impact—using multimedia storytelling and emerging
communication practices to advance institutional priorities and
deepen engagement with the audiences who matter most.
The role requires exceptional collaboration, editorial judgment,
creativity, project management, and discretion, as well as the
ability to move comfortably between strategic planning and hands-on
content creation. Success will depend on the ability to anticipate
communication opportunities, build trusted partnerships, and turn
institutional priorities into stories that people understand,
remember, and want to engage with.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws governing
nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a
workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and
dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to
apply, including protected veterans and individuals with
disabilities.
Who We Are
As the university’s central marketing and communications team,
Strategic Relations and Communications advances CU Boulder’s
mission, vision and reputation through an integrated communications
approach supporting a campus-wide experience that inspires greater
affinity and engagement.
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
50%:
Multimedia Storytelling and Content Strategy
- Develop and produce a broad range of high-quality
communications, including video, photography, social media, web and
digital content, podcasts and other emerging formats, email
campaigns, print materials, infographics, executive communication,
and other creative assets.
Find opportunities to repurpose and extend content across
platforms and audiences.
Translate University Priorities into Compelling
Narratives
- Partner with university leaders, communicators, faculty, staff,
students, and campus units to understand strategic goals and
translate complex initiatives into clear, accessible, and engaging
stories.
- Help shape narratives that demonstrate the university’s impact,
distinguish its strengths, and connect institutional priorities to
the experiences of its communities.
Think Strategically Across Channels and
Audiences
- Develop audience-centered communications approaches and content
calendars that consider purpose, timing, voice, platform,
accessibility, cultural context, and desired outcomes.
- Help ensure communications are coordinated across channels and
contribute to a cohesive university narrative.
Serve as a Creative and Strategic Partner
- Bring an entrepreneurial, problem-solving approach to
communications projects, helping campus partners move from ideas
and opportunities to effective campaigns, stories, and
experiences.
- Recommend innovative approaches, technologies, platforms, and
storytelling formats that strengthen the university’s
communications capabilities.
Measure, Learn, and Optimize
- Use audience insights, analytics, social and digital
performance data, and other measures to assess communications
effectiveness.
- Translate data and emerging trends into recommendations that
improve content, engagement, reach, and impact.
Advance Inclusive and Culturally Responsive
Communications
- Demonstrate cultural awareness and competence in developing
communications for diverse audiences.
- Champion accessibility, inclusive storytelling, and
communications practices that reflect the breadth of the university
community.
Contribute to an Evolving University Communications
Enterprise
- Stay current with emerging technologies, platforms,
storytelling practices, artificial intelligence, digital media
trends, and changing audience behaviors.
- Experiment thoughtfully with new tools and approaches while
maintaining standards for accuracy, ethics, accessibility, privacy,
and institutional reputation.
30%:
Partner with the Office of Leadership Support and
Programming
- Dedicate approximately 30% of the position to supporting LSP
priorities and participating as an active member of the LSP
team.
- Responsibilities may include many of the functions noted above,
which include:
- Strategic communication and marketing.
- Executive communication.
- Leadership storytelling.
- Multimedia content development.
- Event promotion.
- Occasional speech-writing for the senior vice chancellor of
LSP.
10%:
Support Leadership and Executive
Communication
- Provide communication and content support to senior university
leaders, including messaging, talking points, digital content,
multimedia storytelling, and occasional speech-writing.
- Exercise sound judgment and discretion when working with
confidential, sensitive, or high-profile information.
10%:
Other Duties as Assigned
To potentially include, but not limited to:
- Participation in the campus joint information center during
major emergencies.
- Event support.
- Serving on committees and task forces, as determined by the
Senior Director for Communication and SRC leadership.
What You Should Know
This position is working in a hybrid work situation, working a mix
of days on campus and remotely each week. This role could be
fully-in person.
What We Can Offer
The annual salary range for this full-time position is $82,000 -
$90,000.
Benefits
At the
University of Colorado Boulder , we are
committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our
employees. Our comprehensive
benefits package includes medical,
dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition
assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local
transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder
offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class
outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of
Forbes' America's Best
Large Employers , ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado
and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and
programs through the
CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
Be collaborative. Be game-changing. Be Boulder.
What We Require
- A bachelor's degree in graphic design, journalism, marketing,
public relations, advertising or a related field. An equivalent
combination of education and experience may substitute on a
year-for-year basis.
- 5 years of relevant experience in a public relations or
strategic communications role; reporting or editing for a media
organization; institutional communications for a college,
university or public agency/entity; or communications experience in
the private or nonprofit sectors.
What You Will Need
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including
the ability to synthesize information in a clear and concise
manner.
- Cultural awareness. Possess a deep and flexible cultural
awareness of self and others-- in perceptions, values, beliefs,
behaviors and practices -- and behaviorally shifts as
appropriate.
- Adaptive communication. Contextualizes' equity commitments for
varied audiences without abandoning the substance of the work.
- Interpersonal relationship skills. Honors and incorporates
diverse viewpoints, brings conflicts into the open and approaches
them as opportunities for growth, and involves appropriate parties
to find common ground or acceptable alternatives.
- Project management experience, including the ability to set and
meet set timelines, track project progress and communicate
scheduling challenges.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a
fast-paced environment and respond well to feedback.
- Strong organizational, prioritization and time management
skills.
- Photography and videography skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint and Teams.
- Knowledge of how to use social media tools in a professional
setting.
What We Would Like You to Have
- 10+ years of relevant experience in a public relations or
strategic communications role; reporting or editing for a media
organization; institutional communications for a college,
university or public agency/entity; or communications experience in
the private or nonprofit sectors.
- Master's degree (or equivalent experience) in communication,
journalism, marketing, advertising, public relations or a related
field.
- Marketing and communications experience in a higher education
environment.
- Experience in email marketing.
- Experience working in an academic environment, community
organization or nonprofit.
- Graphic design background.
- Proven expertise with Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, including
Illustrator, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro and
InDesign.
- Knowledge of Web Express, ability to write HTML and/or
experience using Drupal or a similar website content management
system.
Special Instructions
To apply, please submit the following materials:
- A current resume.
- A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background
and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and
responsibilities of the position.
We may request references at a later time.
Please apply by
October 6th, 2026 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For
consideration, please apply through
CU Boulder Jobs .
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in
any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying
information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school
attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting
or removing this information.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources
Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu