The Director serves as a strategic, creative, results-oriented, and visionary leader who can design, organize, and execute inspiring storytelling efforts to engage internal and external audience groups. A significant amount of time will be spent on both creative and critical content writing for the Dean’s Office and college leadership. The director has oversight of the strategic and integrated communications plan for Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine, with campuses in Mount Pleasant and Saginaw, MI, and its clinical enterprise-CMU Health. The individual will guide external and internal communications, ensuring messaging and branding consistency with collaborative integrated marketing communication strategy and manage media relations. This position requires exceptional technical and creative writing skills. Ability to create, write and edit branded copy for a variety of audiences across print and digital channels including email, web, print, social media, and advertisements. Director will work in partnership with University Communications to ensure appropriate brand voice and tone based on audience, channel and marketing strategy, the writer shapes CMED’s brand narrative to engage readers and inspire action.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, journalism, English, writing or a related field.
Four years of relevant experience related to the duties and responsibilities of this position.
Exceptional writing and editing skills.
Ability to tell compelling stories across a variety of platforms (social, web, email, etc), reaching diverse audiences in meaningful, engaging ways.
Proven project management expertise- ability to effectively manage multiple projects, prioritize, stay organized and meet deadlines.
Knowledge of integrated marketing communications best practices.
Experience following style guides and graphic standards manuals to achieve consistency in text and graphics for print and web.
Demonstrated problem-solving skills.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
Working knowledge of computer applications.
Ability to project a positive and professional image.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree.
Previous experience managing a website.
Prior experience in an academic, hospital, or clinical environment. Experience working across multiple sites or locations.
Familiarity with college/university operations.

Duties & Responsibilities

Directs and supports the critical writing needs for the Dean’s Office and college leadership. Acts as the primary author of college project proposals, strategic documents, and has the ability to tell a story in meaningful and compelling manner.
Prepares and develops CMED’s annual report.
Creates written content to successfully execute and support the goals and mission of the College of Medicine.
Directs and fosters internal and external communications by the college, its leadership, and units through activities including, but not limited to, the development and dissemination of communications from administrators and preparation of remarks, speeches, talking points, preparing special announcements, project proposals, fact sheets and other documents for the Dean and senior leadership.
In collaboration with university-wide efforts, provide oversight of communication, marketing, branding compliance, and promotion activities for the college.
Provides support to CMU Medical Education Partners.
Oversees implementation of a communications strategic plan to promote the mission of the college.
In collaboration with other college team members creates project proposals, philanthropic submissions, and other strategic documents.
Provides support for and works collaboratively with the college and University Advancement in proposal development and writing.
Supervises Communication Specialist in internal and external marketing and communications, including the website, mass correspondence and direct mail efforts, published materials, other resource materials and the management of the College’s social media presence.
Serves as liaison with communications peers at the University, affiliated hospitals, partner communities, and other organizational stakeholders. Works closely with University Communications to identify regional, state, and national trade media opportunities to ensure a constant flow of news stories and other strategic communications.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity by working to develop a culture of inclusion and mutual respect.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervision Exercised

Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others in our teams. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve leadership abilities and demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMU’s culture of excellence.

Message to Applicants

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering a broadly diverse and inclusive campus that respects all social identities, experiences, and perspectives. In an effort to further this initiative, we are especially interested in candidates who will advance and promote an inclusive and supportive environment for every member of our university community.

You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

Employee Group

Professional & Administrative -Salary

Staff Pay Level

Pay Range

$78,000 - $95,000

Division

Academic Affairs

Department

College of Medicine

Position Status

Regular

Position End Date

Employment Status

Full-Time

FTE

1.0

Position Type

12 month

Weekly Work Schedule

M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; evenings & weekends as required.

Location

Mount Pleasant, MI

About the Department

About CMU

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

CMU Leadership Standards

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.