Director of Advancement Communications

Ref. No.: 00021

Binghamton University is a premier public R1 research institution in the State University of New York (SUNY) system that unites more than 130 broadly interdisciplinary educational programs with some of the most vibrant research in the nation. Our unique character - shaped by our mission, outstanding academics, facilities, and community life - promotes extraordinary student success, research, and service; Binghamton University is where our students, faculty and staff thrive.

Working at Binghamton University is more than about having a great job - it is about having the opportunity to flourish in an exciting, engaging environment. Our faculty and staff appreciate Binghamton's collegial and inclusive culture and its commitment to excellence, education, innovation and civic engagement. Our diverse campus community contributes to our success.

Binghamton merges rigorous academics, distinguished faculty who value cutting-edge, and community-engaged research, teaching and service, exceptional staff, and ultramodern facilities to engage and challenge its 18,000+ students. Our high-achieving student body represents diverse experiences from first-generation college-goers to international students. Beyond their talent, these classmates share a desire to shape the future through technology, insight, intellectual exploration, and community service.

We are an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, and in keeping with this commitment, we welcome all to apply, including veterans and persons with disabilities.

Budget Title: Staff Associate (SL-4)

Salary: $85,000 - $100,000

Binghamton University seeks an experienced and strategic communications leader to serve as Director of Advancement Communications. The Director provides strategic leadership for communications that advance the University's fundraising priorities, strengthen alumni engagement, and inspire philanthropic investment.

Working in close partnership with the Division of Advancement, the Director develops and executes integrated communications strategies that support major gifts, annual giving, donor stewardship, alumni engagement, and comprehensive fundraising campaigns. The Director serves as a communications strategist for University Advancement while ensuring alignment with the University's overall brand strategy, institutional messaging, and marketing priorities. The Director reports directly to the Vice President for Communications and Marketing and has a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Vice President for University Advancement.

The Director directly supervises an Advancement Communications staff member and works collaboratively across the Division of Communications and Marketing, leveraging the expertise of writers, designers, web developers, digital marketers, photographers, videographers, social media strategists, and media relations professionals to deliver integrated communications that advance the University's philanthropic goals.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive advancement communications strategy aligned with the University's strategic priorities, fundraising objectives, and brand platform.
• Serve as the primary communications advisor to University Advancement leadership on fundraising campaigns, donor engagement, alumni relations, and philanthropic storytelling.
• Collaborate with Advancement Leadership to create communications and materials for major gift cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Fundraising and Campaign Communications

• Lead messaging and content strategy supporting major gifts, principal gifts, annual giving, comprehensive campaigns, and special fundraising initiatives.
• Oversee development of case statements, donor proposals, stewardship reports, campaign collateral, and impact publications.
• Develop compelling stories that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy through student success, faculty excellence, research innovation, and alumni achievement.

Content Strategy and Digital Communications

• Oversee advancement communications across print, digital, email marketing, web, social media, video, and emerging communication channels.
• Ensure advancement communications are consistent with University brand standards, editorial guidelines, and institutional messaging.
• Partner with the Division's digital communications team to optimize web content, email strategy, and audience engagement.
• Utilize analytics and engagement metrics to evaluate communications effectiveness and continuously improve performance.

Collaboration and Institutional Partnerships

• Serve as the primary communications liaison between the Division of Advancement and the Division of Communications and Marketing.
• Collaborate with advancement leadership, alumni relations, development officers, academic units, and central communications staff to advance shared institutional priorities.
• Coordinate communications supporting advancement events, alumni programs, campaign launches, donor recognition, and stewardship initiatives.
• Partner with media relations, creative services, editorial, digital communications, and social media teams to ensure integrated execution of advancement communications.

Leadership and Operations

• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and professional development for Advancement Communications staff.
• Lead Advancement Communications through a combination of direct supervision and cross-functional collaboration, leveraging the specialized expertise of the Division of Communications and Marketing to execute integrated communications initiatives.
• Establish editorial standards, project workflows, and communications priorities to ensure timely, high-quality deliverables.
• Manage budgets, external vendors, freelance resources, and agency relationships as appropriate.
• Foster a collaborative culture focused on innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Required Competencies

• Strategic thinking and communications planning
• Effective storytelling and editorial judgment
• Collaborative leadership and relationship building
• Project and workflow management
• Data-informed decision making
• Written and verbal communication skills
• Sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism
• Commitment to collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, or a related field.
• Minimum of eight years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, or advancement communications.
• Demonstrated experience developing strategic communications initiatives that support fundraising, engagement, or institutional priorities.
• Effective writing, editing, and storytelling skills for alumni, donor, and external audiences.
• Experience managing communications projects and collaborating across multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of higher education advancement, donor relations, stewardship, and alumni engagement.

Preferred

• Experience working within higher education advancement or nonprofit fundraising.
• Experience supporting comprehensive fundraising campaigns.
• Demonstrated success integrating print, digital, and multimedia communications strategies.
• Familiarity with CRM platforms, digital marketing analytics, content management systems, and email marketing platforms.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. If you currently need sponsorship or will need it in the future to maintain employment authorization, you do not meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, please note that Binghamton University is not an E-Verify employer.

Offers of employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check and verification of degree(s) and credentials

Binghamton University is a tobacco-free campus.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov

Payroll information can be found on our website https://www.binghamton.edu/offices/human-resources/payroll/

Cover letters may be addressed "To the Search Committee."

Postings active on the website, accept applications until closure.

For information on the Dual Career Program, please visit: https://www.binghamton.edu/offices/human-resources/prospective/dual-career/index.html

The State University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. It is the policy of Binghamton University to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

As required by Title IX and its implementing regulations Binghamton University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the educational programs and activities which it operates. This requirement extends to employment and admission. Inquiries about sex discrimination may be directed to the University Title IX Coordinator or directly to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). Contact information for the Title IX Coordinator and OCR, as well as the University's complete Non-Discrimination Notice may be found here.