Director, Academic & EdTech Communications

Director Of Academic / EdTech Communications

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our countryand you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that futureconsider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The Director of Academic / EdTech Communications reports to the SVP of Institutional Advancement and supports the Chief Academic Officer & Provost, (CAO) and owns the vision and execution of multi-dimensional external and internal communications for this senior leader and other leaders in the CAO organization. This includes pitching and securing earned media placements, often in collaboration with regional communicators and WGU's PR firm; creating project-based plans and written / audio / visual communications for employee messaging and other needs; and securing speaking opportunities and preparing background briefings for conferences and events for the CAO and other senior academic leaders. The Director collaborates with the CAO's Chief of Staff on thought leadership. The Director will lead a team of communications managers that support WGU's four schools and the EdTech / CIO organization. The Director will work at the intersection of academic leadership and educational technology to ensure seamless adoption, engagement, and impact of academic initiatives across digital and physical learning environments.

The Director works closely with other senior leaders from the schools, regional operations, government relations, advancement, partnerships, conferences and events, marketing, and enrollment teams to drive growth in public awareness and the university's brand reputation with prospective students, current and prospective partner organizations, government entities, academic institutions, and other audiences. Work supports the university's objective of driving new student enrollment and degree attainment across academic schools and influencing the landscape of higher education to model a more accessible, equitable, and outcome-based option for working adult learners.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develops and executes external and internal communication strategy for the CAO and other leaders in the CAO organization.
• Cultivates trusted relationships with university partners, including C-level executives, SVPs, and communications professionals of all levels, including Schools, Labs, Academy, Shared Services (EdTech, Financial Aid, Advancement, etc.), and other departments.
• Leads a team of communications managers that support the four schools at the university and the EdTech / CIO organization.
• Establish and execute a multi-channel external and internal communication strategy that adheres to WGU's established brand standards and voice, and maintains brand integrity across all platforms, including specific local, regional and national audiences, geographic markets, and academic program goals.
• Elevates the university's brand with academic and other external audiences, including raising the profile of the university in higher education and policy forums.
• Oversees development of multi-year CAO external communications plan that contributes to core university objectives.
• Develops media engagement opportunities and event appearances for the CAO organization.
• Supports CAO and, as needed other senior leaders within the CAO organization with university events, including monthly town halls, and school summits and higher education and related conferences.
• Provides standards and central coordination (e.g., brand alignment, overall university events calendar) for schools and other entities as they participate in focused events, such as school-aligned industry conferences.
• Leads, develops, and inspires a high-performing team, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Provides strategic direction and coaching to the Academic and EdTech communications team, ensuring clear performance expectations and alignment with institutional goals and service standards.
• Attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent, building leadership capacity and ensuring the team has the technical expertise, regulatory knowledge, and student-first mindset to succeed in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Performs other communication and writing duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Education

Experience

Experience in lieu of education

Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager.

Preferred Qualifications