Associate / Assistant Director, Strategic & Creative Communications (5174U) Intercollegiate Athletic

Associate / Assistant Director, Strategic & Creative Communications (5174U) Intercollegiate Athletic About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles , Principles of Community , and Strategic Plan .

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.
Departmental Overview

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics consists of more than 275 staff members and coaches and sponsors 30 varsity sports programs. These 30 programs include more than 850 student-athletes who participate in the various sports programs annually within the National Collegiate Athletics Association.
Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is April 29, 2026
Responsibilities

Olympic Sport Team Immersion:
Engage with all members of the assigned Olympic Sports teams to learn the student-athletes personalities, talents and abilities, exploit coaches strengths for public consumption, identify sport influencers and engage to broaden the message and identify and target critical audiences that can amplify the strategies of elevating the sport publicly.

Capture and create content:
As an extension and critical player with the Olympic Sports team makeup, capture content (as needed) in support and in alignment with the Media plan.
Content can be in all forms - video, visual, graphic, written, spoken, etc. Platforms include, but are not limited to Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premier, iMovie, et.

Olympic Sport Media Plan Creation:
For each assigned Olympic sport, create, manage, communicate, publish, share and continue to revise a Media Plan. The media plan will highlight on a scheduled basis the flow of information, how communication will occur, cadence of messaging, types of required content, intended audiences and other key factors in publicizing the team.

Storytelling Integrator:
Collaboratively work with content creators, Athletics digital ecosystems directors, Cal Athletics fundraisers and game day entertainment employees to synchronize all communication, publicity, and engagement specific to the assigned Olympic Sport. Keep a firm working knowledge of the overall strategy shared by these groups that in totality make up the external engine of Cal Athletics.

Strategic Communications Project Manager:
Serve as the main, public-facing resource for the assigned sports specific to all storytelling aspects of the position. Project manage requests, coverage, and alterations or additions to the media plan and maintain historical knowledge of each sport.

Other:
Facilitate required statistical submissions, written notes or releases specific to the assigned sports. And other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications

To qualify for the Associate Director title, the successful candidate must have at least 3-5 years of experience in strategic & creative communications or a related field.
Advanced knowledge of program activity and best practices.
Problem-solving skills; multi-task, work with frequent interruptions, and effective listener.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in the English language.
Proficiency in the use of computer applications relevant to job duties.
Creation and execution of a sport-specific Storytelling strategy
Create and follow a sport-specific media plan that includes cadence of messaging, audiences, mediums, types of content, and schedules.
Ability to learn all facets of a sports program quickly - including personnel, trends, participants, national landscape and critical audiences
Strong ability to create and deliver targeted content in efforts to recruit and retain individuals to the sport represented.
Ability to thrive in a flexible, fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
Strong collaborator that is flexible in adjusting schedules, timelines, content, messaging, mediums, etc. in order to best fit the immediate and impactful needs of a sports program.
Strong digital media and content creation skills
Proficient user of social media related to promote teams and Athletics.
Previous experience using Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram and other other social media channels to story tell on behalf of a sports team.
Knowledge of NCAA/Power 4 landscape, including recruiting cycles, NIL trends, and student-athlete retention drivers.
Working knowledge of concepts and principles of news and media communications.
Must maintain current knowledge of applicable rules and standards of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as well as other associations and agencies to which the Berkeley campus of the University of California adheres, and, at all times avoid any and all violations of these rules and standards.
Leadership skills to oversee the strategic direction of assigned teams' storytelling over multiple platforms
Strong time and project management skills
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously from concept through
completion.
Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $70,000 - $100,000 (salary dependent on working title).

This is a full-time (40 hours/week), career position that is eligible for UC Benefits.

This is an exempt monthly-paid position.
Other Information

This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.