Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement

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Position Summary:

The Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University is seeking a Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement in Boca Raton, FL.

The Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement provides leadership for all institutional communications, marketing, engagement, and visibility initiatives across the Schmidt College of Medicine. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance, this role develops and implements strategies that elevate the College’s visibility, strengthen relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and advance key institutional priorities. Leads strategic communications, executive messaging, digital media strategy, creative direction, alumni engagement programming, and cross-functional strategic initiatives while supervising a multidisciplinary team and contributing to institutional priorities and initiatives. The Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement coordinates closely with the Division of University Communications & Marketing to ensure alignment with university priorities, messaging and brand standards; optimize communications efforts and opportunities; and participates in regular planning and coordination meetings with the division’s designated liaison.

Strategic Communications:

• Collaborates on strategic communications planning, coordination, and engagement opportunities to maximize visibility and consistency across the university.
• Lead the development and execution of comprehensive communications strategies aligned with the College’s goals and priorities.
• Oversee internal communications including faculty/staff updates, institutional announcements, and stakeholder messaging.
• Lead production and content strategy for College's internal newsletter addressing transparency and engagement through Dean updates, Cabinet communications, departmental highlights, and employee recognition.
• Direct the planning and execution of the Dean’s Annual Report, the College’s signature annual publication.
• Coordinate with departments, academic units, and university partners to ensure message alignment, brand consistency, and timely dissemination of communications.
• Oversee website content strategy and coordinate with university central communications to ensure brand alignment and message consistency

Executive Messaging:

• Partners with the Division of University Communications & Marketing to ensure alignment with university priorities, messaging, and brand standards.
• Serve as the primary strategist and lead writer for executive communications from the Dean and senior leadership.
• Develop speeches, remarks, video scripts, and high-impact messaging for events, ceremonies, and institutional announcements.
• Partner closely with the Dean’s Office and senior administrators to shape and amplify the College’s leadership voice across key audiences and platforms.
• Architect and manage recurring leadership of recurring leadership communications, including the Dean's Pulse Check column, and evaluate engagement to continuously enhance effectiveness.

Digital & Print Media Strategy:

• Lead the College’s digital media strategy, ensuring cohesive and effective multichannel storytelling.
• Oversee content planning, publishing, and performance tracking across social media platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X), and monitor analytics to guide growth and visibility.
• Manage centralized strategy for branded promotional items and marketing materials, ensuring brand consistency and equitable distribution across departments and annual College events.
• Guide strategy for email campaigns, newsletters, and website content in partnership with relevant departments.
• Oversee the development and placement of digital and print advertising in support of program recruitment, brand awareness, and community engagement.
• Ensure brand consistency across all College-owned channels and external placements

Creative & Content Strategy:

• Provide high-level creative direction for core College campaigns, publications, and brand-forward materials.
• Guide to development of marketing collateral and digital assets supporting institutional priorities and external storytelling.
• Oversee creative quality standards and ensure alignment with university brand guidelines.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director to manage creative workflows and production capacity.

Alumni Programs Leadership:

• Lead the strategic direction of alumni engagement across UME, GME, and Graduate Programs.
• Oversee lifecycle engagement initiatives including mentorship programs, recognition programs, volunteer pathways, milestone celebrations, and digital engagement campaigns. Direct alumni communication strategy on MedOwls Network ensuring strong alumni/student connectivity.
• Partner with Student Affairs, Advancement, and Graduate Education to align alumni initiatives and strengthen long-term community connection.
• Develop a multi-year engagement framework that supports alumni identity-building, belonging, and community storytelling.

Event Marketing & Institutional Events Strategy:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for event marketing and high-visibility institutional events.
• Supervise the Events Manager, who leads operational planning, logistics, vendor coordination, and on-site event execution.
• Develop and implement promotional materials strategy for all institutional events, including procurement, branding standards, and distribution planning.
• Establish an annual event strategy aligned with college priorities, including donor events, recognition ceremonies, community outreach, recruitment events, and Dean’s Office engagements.
• Ensure events incorporate cohesive branding, pre-event promotion, event-day messaging, and post-event storytelling across digital and print channels.
• Lead cross-college collaboration for major external visibility events, coordinating with partner colleges to define overarching institutional themes, develop cohesive messaging frameworks, ensure brand alignment, and create unified promotional strategies.
• Collaborate with Advancement, Student Affairs, and academic units to ensure events support institutional reputation, community engagement goals, and stakeholder experience.
• Evaluate event performance and engagement outcomes to refine and enhance future event strategy

Leadership, Strategic Initiatives & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Participates in regular planning and coordination meetings with the designee of the Division of University Communications & Marketing.
• Supervise marketing and communications team members.
• Provide mentorship, professional development opportunities, and performance management for direct reports.
• Support strategic planning and business development initiatives, including stakeholder facilitation, competitive analysis, market research, messaging framework development, and executive briefing materials.
• Lead or contribute to cross-functional institutional projects requiring strategic communications, community engagement, or change management expertise.
• Liaise with institutional partners on cross-unit messaging, shared campaigns, and collaborative initiatives.
• Serve on College and University committees as assigned.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned to support the strategic communications, alumni engagement, and institutional visibility goals of the College.

FAU Benefits and Perks

If Benefits & Perks are important to you, then FAU is the place to be! Working at FAU has its perks! In addition to helping drive change and having a positive impact by supporting our students, staff, and faculty, FAU offers:

• Excellent benefit packages including Medical (PPO/HMO $50 per month single & $180 per month family), Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending plans, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and much more.

• State retirement options including tax-deferred annuities and Roth 403(b) plans.

• State employees Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

• Sick Leave Pool Program.

• Paid time off (eligible employees) including vacation and sick leave, 1 personal day, 9 paid holidays, and paid winter break (at President’s discretion).

• Paid Community Engagement Volunteer Service Day

• Employee Educational Scholarship Program (EESP) for eligible Staff/Faculty - Tuition assistance after 6 months of full-time employment. For in-unit faculty, the EESP program may be extended to spouses and dependent children (eligibility rules apply).

For details on FAU's amazing offers visit us at https://www.fau.edu/hr/benefits/index.php

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Minimum Qualifications:

Salary:

Administrative Managerial Professional (AMP)

College or Department:

Location:

Work Days and Hours:

Application Deadline:

Special Instructions to Applicant:

Resume

Cover letter

OFFICIAL SEALED TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED:

Final candidate will be required to have official, sealed transcripts and original NACES evaluation, if applicable, sent from their educational institution to Human Resources prior to the start of employment.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENINGS REQUIRED:

Selected candidates must successfully complete and pass all employment screenings prior to the start of employment. Employment screenings may include a criminal background check (level I and level II), motor vehicle check, credit check, reference checks, alcohol, and drug screening check.

REQUEST FOR ACCOMMODATIONS:

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations may contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX at 561-297-3004 or send an email at [email protected]. To contact Human Resources, please call 561-297-3057. For communication assistance call 7-1-1.