Associate Director, Advancement Communications

The salary range for this role is $66,000-$72,000 and is commensurate with experience

Benefits: Our commitment to employee well-being is reflected in our competitive benefits package located here: https://www.iit.edu/hr/benefits

The Office of Advancement supports the Illinois Institute of Technology community by building meaningful relationships with key constituents and securing philanthropic investment that advances the university’s mission and strategic priorities.

The Associate Director of Advancement Communications, under the supervision of the Senior Director of Advancement Communications, plays a key role in driving communication efforts across digital platforms, alumni and donor engagement channels, and other Advancement projects. This position supports the development of impact-driven content, manages routine communications operations, and collaborates with partners across the university to help deliver compelling stories that strengthen alumni and donor engagement.

The ideal candidate is a strong writer with experience crafting clear, engaging, and persuasive content; is detail-oriented; and is comfortable managing multiple projects and deadlines.

For full consideration, please submit a cover letter with your resume.

Key Responsibilities

Advancement Communications Execution

• Assist with writing, editing, and producing impact-driven content for donors, alumni, and key stakeholders, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with Advancement messaging.

• Develop donor stewardship materials and short-form stories, in addition to alumni, board, and event communications that highlight institutional priorities and philanthropic impact.

• Collaborate closely with the Senior Director on campaign projects and high-priority initiatives, providing research, drafting, editing, and project management support as needed.

• Support project intake, scheduling, and coordination to ensure timely delivery of communications assets.

Digital Engagement and Email Management

• Manage day-to-day email communications for Advancement, including proofing content, building emails, scheduling, and ensuring brand consistency.

• Build and maintain a social media strategy to enhance Advancement’s social media presence, including content planning, copywriting, basic graphic creation, posting, and analytics.

• Maintain Advancement’s editorial calendar and contribute ideas to enhance audience engagement and storytelling through Advancement initiatives, including but not limited to Giving Day, direct mail appeals, newsletters, and stewardship materials.

Institutional Collaboration

• Act as project lead for Advancement Communications contributions to the annual Illinois Tech Magazine, working closely with the Office of Marketing and Communications on story development, logistics, and editorial needs.

• Collaborate with campus partners on the creation of departmental newsletters, event promotions, and constituent engagement materials.

• Assist in developing shared communications resources—including messaging guides, templates, boilerplate narratives, and image banks—to support Advancement team members in producing consistent, branded materials.

Design and Content Production

• Create small-scale, in-house design assets such as social graphics, event materials, and basic stewardship collateral.

• Prepare print and digital content for cultivation tools, alumni engagement initiatives, Advancement events, board materials, and other Advancement priorities, ensuring accessibility, accuracy, and alignment with brand guidelines.

• Maintain digital assets, including photography and videography, for use across ongoing donor, alumni, and event communications.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; degree in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, English, or a related field preferred.

• Approximately 3-5 years of experience in communications, marketing, nonprofit/higher education advancement, or a related field.

• Demonstrated writing experience, preferably including impact stories, donor or alumni communications, or audience-centered narratives.

• Experience with social media management and email marketing tools (e.g., Blackbaud NXT, Constant Contact, or similar).

• Familiarity with ThankView or other video messaging platforms preferred but not required.

• Basic design skills and experience with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) or equivalent tools.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong writing, storytelling, and editing skills with an ability to deliver clear, compelling content on tight deadlines.

• Comfortable balancing multiple priorities and managing projects from start to finish.

• Familiarity with communications best practices across digital, print, and social platforms.

• Collaborative working style with strong interpersonal communication skills.

• Detail-oriented, organized, and committed to producing high-quality work.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; familiarity with CRM platforms (such as Raiser’s Edge) is a plus.