Job description

Who We Are:

National Louis is a 135+ year old university that has been grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity from its inception. As an institution, we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and superior student service. We believe that through education we are able to empower change and build healthy communities. Our hard-working community is based on collaboration and respect for all team members and students.

What You Will Do:

The Director of Communications supports the university’s brand, reputation, and strategic priorities through the development and execution of integrated communications plans. Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, this role leads day-to-day communications activities, including content development, media relations support, internal communications, and brand consistency across channels. The Director partners with university stakeholders to deliver clear, effective, and timely messaging that advances institutional goals.

Essential Responsibilities

Communications, Planning and Execution:

• Implement communications plans that align with institutional priorities and approved university initiatives.
• Develop clear and effective messaging for key audiences in support of major announcements, campaigns, and projects.
• Collaborate with university departments to support communications needs and ensure alignment with brand and messaging standards.
• Assist with crisis and issues communications by preparing draft messages, talking points, and supporting materials as needed.

Media Relations and External Communications:

• Support proactive and reactive media relations efforts to enhance institutional visibility.
• Draft and distribute press releases, media pitches, statements, and related communications materials.
• Assist CMO in managing the relationship with the Public Relations agency and help maintain relationships with media contacts and external partners.
• Identify and promote stories that highlight student success, academic excellence, faculty achievement, and community impact.

Content Development and Editorial Support:

• Write, edit, and manage content across channels, including web, email, social media, feature stories, and executive communications.
• Ensure consistency of voice, tone, and brand standards across all communications.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to gather content, review drafts, and manage approvals.
• Support website updates and ongoing content maintenance.

Internal Communications:

• Develop and coordinate internal communications that support alignment, transparency, and engagement across faculty and staff.
• Collaborate with HR, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and other departments on communications needs and message distribution.
• Maintain consistent messaging across departments and communication channels.

Project Coordination and Performance Support:

• Coordinate communications projects, deadlines, and deliverables across internal teams.
• Work with external vendors, agencies, and freelance contributors as needed.
• Track basic communications metrics such as media coverage, engagement, and content performance.
• Use performance data to improve communication effectiveness and refine future content.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, marketing, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in communications, public relations, marketing, or related work.
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Demonstrated experience supporting communications planning, media relations, and content development.
• Experience working collaboratively across departments and with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in higher education, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations preferred.
• Familiarity with digital content strategy and analytics tools preferred.

How to apply

Apply now

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.