Associate Director of Communications

Company Description

The University of Notre Dame is more than a workplace! We are a vibrant, mission-driven community where every employee is valued and supported. Rooted in a tradition of excellence and inspired by our Catholic character, Notre Dame is committed to fostering an environment of care that nurtures the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Here, you will find a deep sense of belonging, a culture that prioritizes well-being, and the opportunity to grow your career while being a force for good in the world. Whether contributing to world-class research, shaping the student experience, or supporting the University’s mission in other ways, you will be part of a dedicated team working to make a meaningful impact on campus and beyond. At Notre Dame, your work matters, and so do you!

Job Description

The Mendoza College of Business at Notre Dame is hiring an Associate Director of Communications to elevate the school’s reputation and support student recruitment. Working within the Marketing and Brand Strategy team, this professional will develop and execute creative communication initiatives that showcase Mendoza's academic excellence, faculty research, and values-based education. The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and storyteller who thrives in a collaborative environment and can seamlessly manage content across digital, print, social media, and public relations platforms.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Director of Strategic Communications, the Associate Director serves as a strategic
communications leader responsible for increasing awareness, engagement and affinity among
prospective students, alumni, corporate partners, media and other key stakeholders. The role will focus
particularly on advancing Mendoza’s graduate programs—especially the MBA program—through
targeted editorial campaigns, reputation-building initiatives and compelling storytelling that attracts
talented students seeking a world-class, mission-focused business education.
The successful candidate will possess a strong record of developing communications strategies,
producing exceptional content, managing multiple projects simultaneously, and building trusted
relationships with faculty, academic leaders, and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications & Enrollment Marketing

• Develop and execute strategic communications initiatives that strengthen Mendoza’s reputation

among prospective students, alumni, corporate partners, peer institutions and media audiences.

• Partner with the Integrated Marketing team to create communications strategies that support

enrollment goals and differentiate Mendoza in a competitive higher education landscape.

• Lead editorial and content marketing campaigns designed to attract high-achieving students

who seek a values-based, purpose-driven business education.

• Develop audience-focused communications plans that support awareness, consideration and

engagement across the prospective student journey.

Editorial Leadership & Storytelling

• Identify, research, write and edit compelling stories that showcase Mendoza’s faculty expertise,

research impact, student experiences, alumni success and academic excellence.

• Produce high-quality content across multiple platforms, including websites, newsletters,

magazines, social media, videos and marketing materials.

• Develop long-form editorial content and thought leadership initiatives that advance the

College’s strategic priorities and strengthen its reputation.

• Contribute to annual publications and special projects highlighting Mendoza’s academic

programs, faculty achievements and institutional impact.

Reputation Building & External Engagement

• Lead proactive reputation-building efforts through targeted media pitching, strategic storytelling

and content placement opportunities.

• Develop and manage paid editorial and sponsored content opportunities that support the

College’s reputation and enrollment objectives.

• Design and implement targeted editorial campaigns across media outlets, social platforms,

websites and newsletters to increase awareness among key audiences.

• Create external engagement strategies that strengthen relationships with alumni, corporate

recruiters, industry leaders and other influential stakeholders.
Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, English, marketing or a
  related field.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic
  communications, journalism, public relations, higher education communications, content
  marketing or a related field.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills with a portfolio demonstrating the ability to
  create compelling content for diverse audiences and channels.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic communications plans that
  advance organizational goals.
• Proven ability to translate complex topics into engaging, accessible and audience-centered
  content.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience building productive relationships with senior leaders, faculty, subject matter experts or other stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to editorial excellence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education, business education, academic communications, research
  communications or journalism.
• Proficiency with the Associated Press Styleguide.
  Experience supporting student recruitment, enrollment marketing or audience acquisition
  initiatives.
• Familiarity with media relations, reputation management and thought leadership strategies.
• Experience with content management systems, email marketing platforms, analytics tools and
  social media management.
• Knowledge of emerging communications technologies, digital listening tools and AI-enabled
  content workflows.

Three writing samples must be submitted with the application. Candidates will be asked to describe
briefly how the writing samples were used in multi-channel, integrated campaigns, including a summary of the campaign's results.

Additional Information

Compensation: Starting at $65,000, commensurate with experience

This position will be accepting applications until July 8, 2026.

A cover letter and 3 writing samples are required to be considered.

The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). We strongly encourage applications from candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.