Associate Director, Corporate Communications (Hybrid Eligible)
Philadelphia, PA, United States
University Overview
The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.
The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.
Posted Job Title
Associate Director, Corporate Communications (Hybrid Eligible)
Job Profile Title
Associate Director C, Arts and Media, Communications and Marketing
Job Description Summary
Reporting to the Director of Reputation Management and Dean's Communication, the Associate Director of Corporate Communications is responsible for executing comprehensive communication strategies to enhance the visibility and reputation of the Wharton School and its senior leadership among key stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, corporate partners, and the broader business community.
Job Description
We are seeking a dynamic and strategic communications professional with strong writing skills and an ability to tailor communications to suit wide-ranging audiences with nuanced needs. In this role, you will create and edit compelling content, drawing from pre-existing materials, including talking points, blog posts, presentations, and internal communications, to showcase Wharton's thought leadership and expertise in business education and support strategic priorities. Relate complex School goals and accomplishments in lay terms using storytelling anecdotes, templated visual tools, and conversational language. Manage a repository of messaging prompts, talking points, and presentation content on strategic topics for efficient repurposing and recurring needs. Serve as a resource for quarterly and annual planning on messaging. Build and maintain relationships with key Wharton and Penn staff and external partners.
This role will also assist with reputational tracking and reporting, including regular monitoring of news media and social media channels on key topics relevant to School and leadership initiatives. Prepare reports and briefing documents that summarize issues impacting Wharton, Penn, competitors, and/or higher education as a whole. Monitor industry trends and competitor activities to identify opportunities for Wharton to differentiate itself and maintain a competitive edge. Conduct research and provide counsel on strategic event attendance, viable speaking engagements, and other inbound invitations for the Dean and senior leadership.
Support crisis communication efforts as needed. Serve as a member of the Wharton Issues Management Response Team, working in close coordination with the Director of Reputation Management and Dean's Communication.
Job Responsibilities
Create and edit compelling content, drawing from pre-existing materials, including talking points, blog posts, presentations, and internal communications, to showcase Wharton's thought leadership and expertise in business education and support strategic priorities.
Relate complex School goals and accomplishments in lay terms using storytelling anecdotes, templated visual tools, and conversational language. Understand the audience for which the communication is being created, conduct necessary research and fact finding, ensure accuracy of details, and meet tight timelines. Create and design presentations using PPT.
Manage a repository of messaging prompts, talking points, and presentation content on strategic topics for efficient repurposing and recurring needs. Serve as a resource for quarterly and annual planning on messaging. Build and maintain relationships with key Wharton and Penn staff and external partners. Act as backup to the Director of Reputation Management and Dean's Communication when unavailable.
Assist with reputational tracking and reporting, including regular monitoring of news media and social media channels on key topics relevant to School and leadership initiatives. Prepare reports and briefing documents that summarize issues impacting Wharton, Penn, competitors, and/or higher education as a whole. Monitor industry trends and competitor activities to identify opportunities for Wharton to differentiate itself and maintain a competitive edge.
Support crisis communication efforts as needed. Serve as a member of the Wharton Issues Management Response Team, working in close coordination with the Director of Reputation Management and Dean's Communication. Partner with program offices and internal partners as appropriate.
Support external events in which the Dean and senior leaders participate including analysis of inbound event invitations, proactive outreach to secure event speaking slots, and preparation of remarks, talking points, etc. to prepare leaders for event activities.
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
Possessing a keen attention to detail, astute use of iteration tools and systems, as well as strong skill in task identification and management, the Associate Director of Corporate Communications must be a team player who exhibits exceptional judgment, strong written and verbal skills, and the ability to present data and information in a compelling way. Candidates should possess the ability to distill and disseminate information using traditional tools such as Excel and PPT, as well as more creative design tools like Canva and communication brainstorming resources like ChatGPT. Experience managing institutional communications for various stakeholder audience priorities in a corporate and/or non-profit setting is preferred, however previous experience in higher education is not required.
This position requires strong interpersonal skills, diplomacy, and accuracy to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Must be able to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff and external partners. Must be a strategic thinker and self-starter, take initiative, have the ability to prioritize workload, and be flexible to adapt to continual changes, demands, and interruptions throughout the day.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree required, preferably in communications, English, journalism or a related field. and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Ability to discern the need for confidentiality and handle as appropriate.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously across multiple teams.
Strong organizational and digital file management skills.
Demonstrated and exceptional written and verbal communications skills.
Advanced Microsoft Office knowledge, skill and ability, especially in use of PPT, Excel, advanced Word.
Demonstrated knowledge of content management systems (e.g. Wordpress,), Microsoft Office software and creative media/design tools.
Willingness and enthusiasm to learn new skills and work in a collaborative, team environment
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Wharton School
Pay Range
$51,824.00 - $72,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.
Affirmative Action Statement
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.
Special Requirements
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
University Benefits
Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.
To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay
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