Executive Director of Advancement Communications

University of Southern California (USC)

Los Angeles, CA - Downtown

Executive Director of Advancement Communications

USC Health Sciences Advancement is seekaing an Executive Director of Advancement Communications to lead a successful advancement communications program for Keck Medicine of USC. The Executive Director of Advancement Communications will report to the Assistant Vice President Strategy and Operations and will be responsible for content strategy and execution for the Keck Medicine Advancement team. The Sr. Director will lead a team of communications professionals who will play a key role in developing proposals, cases for support and other communications materials to engage individuals with the potential to make annual, major, principal, and transformative gifts. They will lead the editorial content generation on print, digital, and social media channels.

The Executive Director of Advancement Communications should be experienced creating a variety of donor-centric communications materials and familiar with brand/identity development, integrated communication programs, digital communications, and effective graphic design. Experience in health care, higher education or other large, complex organizations is required, as is a high comfort level writing about medical and scientific subjects.

Essential job duties include, but are not limited to: 

• In consultation with fundraisers and senior leaders, write proposals and other solicitation materials to support major, principal, and transformative gift conversations and solicitations.

• Write letters, impact reports, presentations materials, leave-behinds, and other materials to help cultivate and steward our highest-level prospects and donors.

• Collaborate with senior philanthropy staff and enterprise leaders to develop white papers about key programs/projects in need of significant philanthropic support.

• Conduct thoughtful interviews with enterprise leaders, scientists, clinicians, program directors, graduate students, donors, and administrators to support content development.

• Serve as a trusted resource for gift officers, assisting with their development of effective communications strategies.

• Partner with colleagues on scripting for videos and donor events.

• Develop proposal templates in key areas to support gift conversations and solicitations. 

• Serve as a key partner to the Asst. Vice President and other philanthropy leaders in shaping strategic initiatives and developing communications to support their success. 

• Write and collaborate on the writing of cases for support for strategic initiatives in philanthropy.

• Play a leading role in developing and disseminating key messages for strategic initiatives in philanthropy. 

• Help ensure that messaging is consistent throughout proposals, white papers, case materials, publications, and other communications vehicles. 

• Collaborate with colleagues in the Annual Fund, Digital Communications, Donor Experience and Philanthropy Communications, Individual Giving and Keck Medicine and Keck School of Medicine Marketing and Communications to disseminate key messages through various channels.

• Assist the Asst. Vice President in developing and implementing communications plans for strategic initiatives in philanthropy. Building on the case for support, develop secondary publications, one-sheets, website content, videos, digital communications strategies, and other communications as needed.

• Develop fundraiser toolkits, proposal templates and other training materials, as needed, to help fundraisers advance gift conversations and ultimately secure significant gifts for strategic priorities. 

• Oversee a digital tracking system for communications projects. 

• As requested, assign work to staff writers, freelance writers, graphic designers, photographers, and videographers. 

• Develop and carefully monitor timelines for various projects, ensuring that the necessary information is gathered, meetings are held, vetting takes place and design is completed, so that high-quality projects are delivered in an efficient and timely way.

• Review and develop processes as needed. 

• Edit the writing of colleagues and freelance writers for style, grammar, content, and messaging.

• Serve as project manager for videos and digital communications initiatives, as needed.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Seven to ten years of experience in communications at a complex educational or medical nonprofit organization. Advanced degree preferred.

Follows established USC and department policies, procedures, objectives, performance improvement, attendance, safety, environmental, and infection control guidelines, including adherence to the workplace Code of Conduct and Compliance Plan. Practices a high level of integrity and honesty in maintaining confidentiality.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff & their family with access to the renowned university medical network; tuition benefits for staff & their family; free online professional development classes; discounts to football, basketball & other campus events.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 5 years, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience

Minimum Field of Expertise: Management experience in journalism and public relations.

Apply Online:

https://usc.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/ExternalUSCCareers/job/Los-Angeles-CA---Downtown/Executive-Director-of-Advancement-Communications_REQ20106623      

The University of Southern California values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment.