Sr. Director, News and Storytelling

About the role

Stanford University seeks a Sr. Director, News and Storytelling to work in the Office of University Communications. Reporting to the Vice President for University Communications, the successful candidate will assign, write and edit stories for a variety of audiences and channels. The individual will work closely and collaboratively with colleagues within University Communications, especially the team responsible for content and channel strategy. The senior director must also establish strong and trusted relationships with communications partners in schools and units across campus, as well as with world-class faculty, whose research is the subject of many of the stories told by the editorial team. The ability to write and edit complex scientific research stories for a general audience is a critical skill for this position.

Responsibilities

• Direct planning and implementation of long- and short-term communication plans with direct impact to the university, in strategic partnership with leadership.
• Accountable for the strategic execution of creative, compelling, and effective means of communicating the innovations, employee experience, academic excellence, and essential nature of the university and its components.
• Determine channels for school/unit/university key messages and execute strategies impacting multiple audiences, channels, and constituencies.
• Responsible for overseeing strategic communication projects to meet school/unit/functional area objectives.
• Direct staff and provide leadership to achieve communication goals supporting the university's mission and vision.
• Responsible for hiring and retaining staff, career coaching, personal development for direct reports and accountable for the performance of employees.
• Develop guidance on protocols and best practices for a communications functional area of responsibility.
• Collaborate with University Communications and school/unit/functional areas leadership to ensure strategic plans and activities are aligned with overall university outreach and communications.
• Assist with development of crisis communication response including emergency matters as well as issues with reputational impact and training communication leads in the school/units in various situations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and eight years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience.
• Depth of experience, sound judgement, and confidence befitting a functional leadership position.
• Strategic and tactical thinking ability.
• Demonstrated ability to manage issues through diverse and competing interests.
• Understanding of the communications role in institutions.
• Excellence in communicating at all levels and for all audiences.
• Excellent influencing, negotiating, and relationship management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to earn credibility and influence opinion leaders.
• Excels at writing, analyzing and synthesizing complex materials and with demonstrated ability to communicate highly technical or nuanced information in a manner easily understood under time constraints.
• Creative thinker with a desire and ability to seek and optimize opportunities.
• Proven management skills and the ability to build and sustain a best in class communications team.
• Demonstrated ability to lead communication efforts across functions and school/units towards a common goal.
• Demonstrated ability to discern a strategy to move forward and make or escalate decisions as appropriate.

About University Communications

University Communications, part of the Office of External Relations, provides leadership and support for strategic communications programs that advance Stanford's mission. The office is responsible for brand positioning and strategy; issues and reputation management; crisis communications; digital content and top-level web and social media platforms; media relations, news and storytelling; executive communications; major publications; and video production. University Communications coordinates with communications professionals across the university and advises senior executive staff on communications strategy.

Pay & Schedule

• Budgeted Salary Range: $187,000 to $223,000 per annum
• Schedule: Hybrid (at least 2 days per week on site)
• Main Work Location: Historic Stanford Campus