Career Center

E&I Communications Director (5887U), Equity & Inclusion - 33180 About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome and included. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world's leading institutions of higher education, distinguished by its combination of internationally recognized academic and research excellence; the transformative opportunity it provides to a large and diverse student body; its public mission and commitment to equity and social justice; and its roots in the California experience, animated by such values as innovation, questioning the status quo, and respect for the environment and nature. Since its founding in 1868, Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic and social value in California, the United States and the world.

We are looking for equity-minded applicants who represent the full diversity of California and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at Berkeley, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice that requires broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students and community partners. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Berkeley, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, our Principles of Community, and our Strategic Plan.

Departmental Overview

The Division of Equity & Inclusion provides leadership and accountability to resolve systemic inequities for all members of UC Berkeley through engaged research, teaching, and public service, and by expanding pathways for access and success and promoting a healthy and engaging campus climate. The division's work encompasses direct service, programmatic support, and advice and consultation across all campus communities including faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and staff.

The Communications Director manages, designs and executes a comprehensive communications strategy to assist the Vice Chancellor in carrying out their vision and goals and frame the division's vision, mission, objectives, strategic priorities, and work for internal and external audiences. The director provides strategic planning and coordination of all communication to ensure message discipline, high levels of communication cohesion, alignment and collective impact on target audiences. The director cultivates and maintains relationships with and designs and implements activities associated with reaching, serving, and engaging external constituencies and partners. The director translates constituent needs and priorities into customized programs to create, enhance, and sustain relationships between the campus and its partners. Reporting to the assistant vice chancellor and chief of staff, the communications director works independently and serves on the Equity & Inclusion (E&I) senior leadership team.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: April 4, 2022

Responsibilities

Communications Leadership, Strategy & Divisional Branding:

• The communications director manages and develops complex comprehensive and strategic communications programs to frame the Division of Equity & Inclusion's vision, mission, strategic priorities, objectives, and work for internal and external audiences.
• The director works with management to build an organizational brand and create tools for positioning the division strategically with the organization's clients and constituents and in support of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice (DEIBJ) efforts.
• The director works on multiple complex projects/communications pieces simultaneously.
• Work priorities often change daily to address unexpected situations and needs.
• In partnership with the vice chancellor, AVC/chief of staff, Communications and Public Relations and others, develops and implements long- and short-term strategic communications plans to keep internal and external constituents informed; promote understanding of divisional priorities; and publicize progress and success stories on DEIBJ efforts.
• Provides strategic advice and counsel to divisional leadership on all aspects of communications, including strategic planning, effective messaging, and problem resolution.
• Vets and advises leadership on media inquiries and responses.
• Develops and manages writing, editing, and production of high-level reports and strategy communications.
• Provides strategic input and analysis on communications, including effective messaging, especially on emergent, current events that affect marginalized communities.
• Identifies and distills key findings for specific audiences, writes content, and assigns resources or makes recommendations on potential actions.
• Creates divisional messaging protocols, responds to crisis management and campus-wide news stories, and drafts and finalizes messages and communications for internal and external dissemination.
• Works with management to build an organizational brand; oversees branding and communication of activities and products to ensure cohesion, strategic alignment, common look and feel, message discipline, quality, and effectiveness of communication.

Strategic Partnerships:

• Partners with Communications & Public Affairs to develop DEIBJ and crisis message content; cultivates and maintains relationships with a network of communications providers.
• Partners with the Chancellor's Office and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost's Office and campus divisions (Student Affairs, Graduate Division, Undergraduate Education) to provide support on DEIBJ communications strategies and messaging.
• Identifies specific communications needs and develops the strategies, content, and process for organizational improvements.
• Provides direction and leadership of a multifaceted communications strategy (social media, websites, email, print, visual and audio messaging etc.).
• In collaboration with the institutional research analyst and E&I cluster leads, develops and implements suitable metrics and feedback mechanisms to ensure communication of programs, achievements, and goals.
• Serves on campus committees (campus communications groups), task forces, and work teams.

Website, Communications Support & Production:

• Responsible for planning, production, and oversight of all communications platforms and outreach, including multiple websites, reports, videos, surveys, newsletter, publications, materials for high-level donors, and branded digital communications.
• Website: builds, develops and maintains the VC Immediate Office and E&I websites, including efforts of E&I standing committees and divisional and campus initiatives.
• Develops branding templates and works with divisional colleagues to maintain consistency.
• Social media: advises on and implements a social media presence.
• Maintains awareness of campus protocols and tools for greater efficacy.
• May oversee part-time staff or a team of student employees to implement the communications vision.
• Responsible for managing and working with communications vendors, such as printers, copyeditors, and web designers and developers.

Communications Coordination:

• The communications director works with E&I program directors to increase visibility, elevate the work in the division, and provide communications counsel and cohesion.
• Assists program directors in cross promotion of achievements and events; monitors overall communications activity to ensure equitable messaging and promotion of programs.
• Provides toolkits and templates as needed.
• Prepares, advises and consults with program directors or relevant parties on effective media relations.
• Collaborates with program directors and staff to achieve desired communications outcomes; partners with program staff to develop story ideas.

Special Projects:

• Leads the project management of communication regarding annual impact reports, journey 2030 communications, and development of an interactive website presence for the VCEI Immediate Office.
• Professional development: keeps abreast of changing and evolving trends in the field.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge and understanding of all aspects of communications, including strategic planning for various media venues, technical aspects and requirements of various venues, and most appropriate and effective applications.
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of technical applications to direct professional technical staff, or personally perform technical work, including design concepts, various media, and applications.
• Thorough knowledge of or ability to learn about the organization, including its mission, vision, goals, policies, and infrastructure; strong knowledge of current affairs and issues in higher education, the current context of social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education, and impacts.
• Advanced skills to create, develop, and implement long- and short-term strategic communication plans.
• Advanced skills to advise and consult management on the full range of communications, including developing effective communication strategies, audience messaging, media, policy, and publishing.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications, tact and political acumen to effectively represent the campus, including with external media. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, research, project management, and problem recognition, including sound judgment, decision-making, and problem-resolution skills.
• Knowledge and experience working with low-income, first-generation-college undergraduate students from underrepresented communities.
• Skills and experience in writing a variety of materials for external and internal audiences including press releases, website content, op ed pieces, promotional/marketing materials, website and social media content.
• Demonstrated experience in creating or implementing social media and website communications methods and tools.
• Ability to produce communication pieces under tight timelines while managing input from multiple key stakeholders, and ensuring that content is accurate, up-to-date, informative and responsive to input from various stakeholders and leaders.
• Advanced skills to advise and consult management on all aspects of communications, ranging from developing effective communication strategies to appropriately responding to inquiries regarding sensitive or complex issues or information.
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of technical applications to direct professional technical staff, or personally perform technical work, including design concepts, various media, and applications.
• Advanced skills to create, develop, and implement strategic audience- and brand-building initiatives.
• Advanced knowledge and experience with editing and copyediting best practices.
• Advanced knowledge of a complex and changing body of communications tools, including publishing software, social media channels, analytics software, website content management systems.
• Other: occasional evening work may be required.

Education/Training:

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.

Salary & Benefits

This is an exempt, monthly paid position. Annual salary is commensurate with experience within the range of $100,000.00 - $125,000.00.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit:

https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

How to Apply

Please submit your cover letter and resume as a single attachment when applying. Please upload the document in the Resume section, then skip the (optional) Cover Letter upload section.

Diversity Statement

Please include, as part of your application a brief (1-2 paragraph) statement on your contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in your professional experience.

Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our UC Berkeley Principles of Community, which states that