University of Missouri - St. Louis
Summary
The Director of Advancement Communications develops and executes a strategic communications program that builds philanthropic support for the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Reporting to the Managing Director of Advancement Communications, the director creates an integrated multimedia communications plan that engages alumni and drives the Division’s fundraising strategies and stewardship of donors. This role ensures that messaging aligns with institutional priorities, enhances the university’s reputation and fosters a culture of philanthropy. The Director collaborates closely with colleagues within Advancement and across campus, including the Office of Marketing and Communications, to plan and deliver effective communications.
• Develop and implement an annual communications strategy for Advancement in collaboration with the Managing Director, evaluating and adjusting as needed.
• Write, edit and manage content for print and digital platforms, including alumni publications, donor newsletters, solicitations, stewardship materials, web content and social media.
• Manage the Alumni Association’s social media channels, working with the Office of Marketing and Communications to align messaging and track engagement metrics.
• Support communication efforts for fundraising campaigns, conducting research, interviewing stakeholders and writing compelling cases for support, proposals and campaign messaging across digital and print channels.
• Oversee Advancement’s comprehensive calendar to ensure consistency and strategic timing of communications.
• Assist in coordinating alumni and donor-related content for UMSL Magazine and manage outreach for alumni featured in Class Notes.
• Maintain and optimize web and email design templates, ensuring effective segmentation for targeted outreach. Analyze alumni and donor engagement for improved messaging.
• Develop SEO strategies to improve website visibility, analyzing website traffic and user behavior using Google Analytics, and optimize website content.
• Collaborate with division colleagues and campus communicators to align messaging with Advancement and university branding.
• Monitor data and performance metrics to assess communication effectiveness and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Stay informed on best practices in advancement marketing and communications to keep strategies innovative and effective.
• Handle additional duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, journalism, public relations or a related field.
• Four or more years of professional experience in communications.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills with the ability to craft compelling messaging for diverse audiences.
• Experience with social media management and digital engagement strategies.
• Excellent verbal communication and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in development and alumni communications preferred.
• A higher education or nonprofit communications background, especially fundraising campaigns, is preferred.
• Strong understanding of alumni engagement and advancement principles.
• Strong technology skills including HTML, website content management systems, SEO and Google analytics.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign) preferred.
• Photography, videography and editing experience a plus.
Application materials include a cover letter and resume. Finalists will be asked to provide references at a later date.
Applicants must combine all application materials into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment to the UMSL Job site: http://umsl.jobs.
The link to the job: https://erecruit.umsystem.edu/psc/tamext/STLOU/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_SCHJOB_FL&Action=U
Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). For questions about the application process, please email employment@umsl.edu. If you are experiencing technical problems, please email umpshrsupport@umsystem.edu.
We value the uniqueness of every individual and strive to ensure each person’s success. Contributions from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives promote intellectual pluralism and enable us to achieve the excellence that we seek in learning, research, and engagement. This commitment makes our university a better place to work, learn and innovate. In your application materials, please discuss your experiences and expertise that support these values and enrich our missions of teaching, research and engagement.
