learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job TitleExecutive Director, Strategic Communications

Job Profile TitleExecutive Director A, Business and Finance

Job Description SummaryThe Executive Director (ED) of Communications is the senior communications leader for the Office of the Executive Vice President (EVP) and its nine divisions. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the ED is responsible for designing, building, and leading a newly integrated communications organization that supports the University's administrative enterprise. The Executive Director develops and executes a comprehensive communications strategy aligned with the organization's strategic priorities, brand, and stakeholder needs while leading a high-performing communications team.

Serving as the principal communications advisor to the Executive Vice President and Vice Presidents across administrative divisions, the Executive Director leads the strategic communications function, shaping executive messaging, media relations, reputation management, marketing, and change communications in support of divisional and institutional priorities. The role develops and executes an integrated communications strategy that strengthens stakeholder trust, advances strategic initiatives, and elevates the visibility and impact of the University's administrative enterprise. The Executive Director partners closely with University Communications and leaders across the institution to ensure coordinated, consistent messaging and alignment and provide trusted counsel on high-profile institution-wide initiatives, emerging issues, and reputational matters.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Organizational Leadership

• Build and operationalize a newly integrated communications organization serving the EVP Office and its divisions, establishing the vision, governance, operating model, and communications standards for the function.
• Align communications resources, processes, and priorities to deliver integrated, strategic communications that support the organization's goals and stakeholders.
• Establish service delivery models that balance enterprise initiatives with divisional needs across the EVP organization.

Strategy and Executive Communications

• Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy that advances the organization's strategic priorities, strengthens its brand, engages key stakeholders, and ensures consistent internal and external messaging across the administrative enterprise.
• Advise the Executive Vice President and divisional leaders on executive communications, strategic messaging, reputation management, organizational change, and emerging issues.
• Oversee executive communications, including speeches, presentations, talking points, leadership messaging, and thought leadership.
• Coordinate communications across the EVP divisions and partner closely with University Communications and other key stakeholders on media relations and issues requiring a coordinated approach.

Media Relations, Marketing, and Content Strategy

• Lead proactive and reactive media relations and crisis communications for the organization.
• Advance the organization’s visibility, reputation, and impact through strategic communications, marketing, and issues management.
• Oversee integrated storytelling and content strategy across websites, newsletters, executive communications, intranet/extranet, social media, video, print, and other digital channels.
• Identify and implement emerging communications tools, technologies, and practices that strengthen organizational effectiveness.

Team Leadership and Operations

• Lead, mentor, and develop the communications team, supporting nine divisions across all communications functions.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture focused on innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, and effective change management.
• Manage the communications budget, vendors, and major communications initiatives.
• Establish performance metrics and use data to evaluate impact and continuously improve communications strategy, channels, and outcomes.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree plus 7 – 10 years of progressively responsible communications leadership experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated success advising senior executives and leading strategic, executive, media, crisis, digital, and change communications.
• Experience building and leading teams, managing budgets, and overseeing vendor relationships.
• Exceptional writing, editing, project management, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated judgment, professionalism, and experience navigating complex organizational environments and advising senior leaders.

Skills and Competencies

• Organizational design and change management, with experience standing up or restructuring an organization or function.
• Sound judgment in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Executive presence and the ability to counsel senior leaders under pressure or on sensitive issues.
• Crisis and issues management.
• Talent development and team building across disciplines.
• Data-informed decision making and use of metrics to guide strategy.
• Vendor management.

Job Location - City, StatePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

About The Office of the Executive Vice President:

The Office of the Executive Vice President provides strategic leadership and oversight for the University's business, financial, operational, and administrative functions through nine divisions: Audit, Compliance and Privacy; Budget Planning and Analysis; Business Services; Facilities and Real Estate Services; Finance; Human Resources; Information Systems and Computing; Investments; and Public Safety.

The EVP portfolio encompasses diverse communications needs, including executive and Board communications, regulatory reporting, employee engagement, organizational change, operation communications, media relations, marketing, public affairs, and student-facing communications. Supporting this breadth requires the Executive Director to build a flexible, integrated communications function capable of tailoring strategies to the unique needs of each division while ensuring consistent messaging across the University’s administrative enterprise.

To learn more, visit us at: https://www.evp.upenn.edu/

Department / SchoolExecutive Vice President

Pay Range$167,379.00 - $200,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job TitleExecutive Director, Strategic Communications

Job Profile TitleExecutive Director A, Business and Finance

Job Description SummaryThe Executive Director (ED) of Communications is the senior communications leader for the Office of the Executive Vice President (EVP) and its nine divisions. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the ED is responsible for designing, building, and leading a newly integrated communications organization that supports the University's administrative enterprise. The Executive Director develops and executes a comprehensive communications strategy aligned with the organization's strategic priorities, brand, and stakeholder needs while leading a high-performing communications team.

Serving as the principal communications advisor to the Executive Vice President and Vice Presidents across administrative divisions, the Executive Director leads the strategic communications function, shaping executive messaging, media relations, reputation management, marketing, and change communications in support of divisional and institutional priorities. The role develops and executes an integrated communications strategy that strengthens stakeholder trust, advances strategic initiatives, and elevates the visibility and impact of the University's administrative enterprise. The Executive Director partners closely with University Communications and leaders across the institution to ensure coordinated, consistent messaging and alignment and provide trusted counsel on high-profile institution-wide initiatives, emerging issues, and reputational matters.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Organizational Leadership

• Build and operationalize a newly integrated communications organization serving the EVP Office and its divisions, establishing the vision, governance, operating model, and communications standards for the function.
• Align communications resources, processes, and priorities to deliver integrated, strategic communications that support the organization's goals and stakeholders.
• Establish service delivery models that balance enterprise initiatives with divisional needs across the EVP organization.

Strategy and Executive Communications

• Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy that advances the organization's strategic priorities, strengthens its brand, engages key stakeholders, and ensures consistent internal and external messaging across the administrative enterprise.
• Advise the Executive Vice President and divisional leaders on executive communications, strategic messaging, reputation management, organizational change, and emerging issues.
• Oversee executive communications, including speeches, presentations, talking points, leadership messaging, and thought leadership.
• Coordinate communications across the EVP divisions and partner closely with University Communications and other key stakeholders on media relations and issues requiring a coordinated approach.

Media Relations, Marketing, and Content Strategy

• Lead proactive and reactive media relations and crisis communications for the organization.
• Advance the organization’s visibility, reputation, and impact through strategic communications, marketing, and issues management.
• Oversee integrated storytelling and content strategy across websites, newsletters, executive communications, intranet/extranet, social media, video, print, and other digital channels.
• Identify and implement emerging communications tools, technologies, and practices that strengthen organizational effectiveness.

Team Leadership and Operations

• Lead, mentor, and develop the communications team, supporting nine divisions across all communications functions.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture focused on innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, and effective change management.
• Manage the communications budget, vendors, and major communications initiatives.
• Establish performance metrics and use data to evaluate impact and continuously improve communications strategy, channels, and outcomes.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree plus 7 – 10 years of progressively responsible communications leadership experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated success advising senior executives and leading strategic, executive, media, crisis, digital, and change communications.
• Experience building and leading teams, managing budgets, and overseeing vendor relationships.
• Exceptional writing, editing, project management, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated judgment, professionalism, and experience navigating complex organizational environments and advising senior leaders.

Skills and Competencies

• Organizational design and change management, with experience standing up or restructuring an organization or function.
• Sound judgment in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Executive presence and the ability to counsel senior leaders under pressure or on sensitive issues.
• Crisis and issues management.
• Talent development and team building across disciplines.
• Data-informed decision making and use of metrics to guide strategy.
• Vendor management.

Job Location - City, StatePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

About The Office of the Executive Vice President:

The Office of the Executive Vice President provides strategic leadership and oversight for the University's business, financial, operational, and administrative functions through nine divisions: Audit, Compliance and Privacy; Budget Planning and Analysis; Business Services; Facilities and Real Estate Services; Finance; Human Resources; Information Systems and Computing; Investments; and Public Safety.

The EVP portfolio encompasses diverse communications needs, including executive and Board communications, regulatory reporting, employee engagement, organizational change, operation communications, media relations, marketing, public affairs, and student-facing communications. Supporting this breadth requires the Executive Director to build a flexible, integrated communications function capable of tailoring strategies to the unique needs of each division while ensuring consistent messaging across the University’s administrative enterprise.

To learn more, visit us at: https://www.evp.upenn.edu/

Department / SchoolExecutive Vice President

Pay Range$167,379.00 - $200,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.