Executive Director Institutional Communication, External Affairs

Boston University's award-winning External Affairs division seeks an Executive Director of Institutional Communications to lead the University's institutional communications strategy and serve as a senior advisor on messaging, organizational change, and campus engagement. This role is for a communicator who thrives in complexity, helping a large, decentralized research university explain itself clearly to the people who make it run.

About the role

Reporting to the Vice President for Public Affairs and Institutional Communication and working in close partnership with the Provost's Office, you will advise on and build communications plans and frameworks that advance institutional priorities, manage reputational risk, and cascade information to the broad BU community. You will serve as an advisor to university and school and college leadership, and lead a team of three communications professionals to execute on strategy.

As the University navigates change and transformation, you will develop strategic communications plans to help the community understand what is happening, why, and how it connects with the University's mission and priorities.

This position is hybrid and requires three days per week on campus at 985 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA. Tuesday and Wednesday are required in-office days. The third in-office day is determined in consultation with the manager.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of three professionals focused on the strategy and execution of the institutional narrative and communications.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with communicators across schools, colleges, and administrative units.
• Serve as a strategic communications partner to leadership and communications staff in the Provost's Office and to school and college communicators.
• Lead communication strategy for major institutional initiatives, leadership transitions, and organizational change efforts.
• Develop messaging frameworks and communication plans that help faculty and staff understand the context, rationale, and implications of institutional change.
• Advise leaders on effective communication approaches during periods of transition or uncertainty.
• Design communication strategies that promote transparency, trust, and alignment across the campus community.
• Establish governance standards for internal communication channels and tone.
• Partner with teams across External Affairs and the wider campus to keep internal audiences informed and aligned when the stakes are high.
• Develop proactive communication plans that advance accurate and contextual information and improve transparency within the campus community.
• Ensure internal messaging and external positioning stay aligned across the institution.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• Ten or more years of progressive leadership experience in internal, corporate, or strategic communications.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives and leading executive messaging.
• Demonstrated success managing communications through organizational change.
• Experience working within complex, decentralized organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in communications, business administration, higher education administration, or a related field.
• Experience in higher education communications or institutional messaging.
• Strong emotional intelligence and a track record of collaborative influence across diverse stakeholder groups.

Pay

Expected hiring range: $150,000 – $160,000. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, training, and internal pay comparison.

Benefits

• Tuition remission for employees and eligible dependents.
• Retirement contributions.
• Health and dental coverage.
• Paid time off.