Director of Strategic Communications and Proposals at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia

Job Description:

The Director of Strategic Communications and Proposals is a leader on the strategic communications team in University Marketing at William & Mary. The Director provides a full range of communications services to meet major goals of University Advancement and the university as a whole.


The director leads strategic communications for key university priorities, particularly in areas that connect funding priorities, principal prospect/donor management, marketing efforts, engagement initiatives, and strategic events with broader university goals. The director is responsible for developing strategic communications plans that advance fundraising initiatives, proposals, and priorities that align with the university's strategic plan, campaign goals, and philanthropic interests of major prospects as well as special university-wide projects. The director's portfolio of work prioritizes high-level, strategic projects in support of the university's priorities, specifically donor proposals at the $1M+ level, and complex proposals with multiple stakeholders. The director also supports key university initiatives and is responsible for project execution and project deliverables.


The director works with development officers and advancement staff across the university to devise strategic plans for engagement initiatives and donor events on campus, across the U.S., and in key global regions. The director also collaborates closely with leadership, faculty, and advancement staff to develop concepts, conduct in-depth research, and write strategic communications and proposals that support university initiatives.


The successful director of strategic communications and proposals will be an innovator - a values-driven professional who will foster a culture of belonging. This is a hybrid position based in Williamsburg, Virginia, that offers a flexible work environment.


Please review the full position description with all job duties under the "Featured Job Opportunities" on the University Advancement recruitment website: https://advancement.wm.edu/come-work-with-us/open-positions/index.php
Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with significant professional experience and specialized expertise in communications and public relations or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with a high attention to detail and demonstrated ability to write strategic communications and fundraising proposals.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively and effectively with team members and diverse groups of colleagues.
• Knowledge of fundraising principles, preferably in a higher-education setting.
• Understanding of best practices in campaign strategy and execution.
• Ability to research, collect data and provide analysis on a wide range of topics.
• Executes with a service-oriented approach, personal initiative, and creative thinking.
• Excellent project coordination, planning, and leadership skills with the ability to lead strategic initiatives.
• Strong innovative and analytical thinking with the demonstrated ability to prepare, implement, and lead new initiatives.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple and competing projects and relationships concurrently.
• Ability to create and format reports and presentations, including PowerPoint presentations.
• Ability to identify short- and long-range goals of multiple departments and contribute to effective and measurable execution of outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Professional experience in higher education or a nonprofit, particularly in a position within university advancement that required significant writing and coordination with campus leaders.
• Previous experience working in a strategic role helping to design and implement organization-wide initiatives.
• Experience working in highly matrixed organizations with multiple goals and numerous stakeholder profiles.
• Knowledge of William & Mary, the institution's strengths and the university's priorities to make connections with the strategic planning process.
• Understanding of graphic design principles and concepts, including the ability to create presentations.
• Ability to visually conceptualize layouts.
• General understanding of HTML, Web design, and social media.
• Familiarity with Adobe InCopy, InDesign, PowerPoint, and Photoshop.
• Familiarity with project management software and methodologies.

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