Manager of College Communications

Job title: Manager of College Communications

About the Role The Manager of College Communications leads strategic storytelling for Alma College across internal and external constituencies and serves as the primary media liaison. This role oversees the College’s brand, editorial processes for The Tartan magazine, and the development of executive messaging and crisis communications, partnering with senior leadership to advance Alma's communications objectives.

What You'll Do

• Lead projects from ideation to completion with urgency, working independently and with teams to execute strategic communication initiatives
• Partner with the Senior Director of Marketing to plan and implement communication goals aligned with the college’s strategic objectives
• Define key messages articulating the value of an Alma education
• Collaborate with the marketing team to disseminate communications across the appropriate media mix to increase brand awareness and visibility
• Maintain media contact lists and positive relations with media, handle inquiries, serve as the college's primary spokesperson, monitor news coverage, and expand media placements
• Lead creation of multimedia content — including press releases, blogs, audio/video, social media, and email — about faculty, students, staff, alumni, donors, and programs; develop story topics; gather information; interview sources; ensure accuracy for publications and the college website
• Work with senior leadership and the Advancement Office to develop themes, identify subjects, create content, and ensure timely publication of The Tartan, serving as editor of the college magazine
• Communicate effectively with campus clients, external vendors, and departmental colleagues to determine goals, audience, content, and timelines
• Lead collaborative projects, ensuring completion within established timelines and budgets; oversee the online “Newsroom” and story sharing across the college website
• Advance the scope, quality, and dissemination of college communications by monitoring industry best practices and developing new initiatives; serve as a consultative resource for faculty and staff
• Manage crisis communication and serve as a primary administrator for the college’s crisis alert system
• Develop and refine executive communications, including speeches, remarks, talking points, and messaging for institutional initiatives and public-facing engagements
• Lead and coordinate internal messaging efforts, including campus Town Halls, institutional email communications, and management of the college events calendar
• Copy, edit, and proofread communications
• Help maintain the website for accessibility and optimized content performance
• Other duties as assigned

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in communication, media studies or related field
• Demonstrated ability to take the lead, strategize, and execute communication initiatives independently and collaboratively
• Excellent written communication skills, with experience in storytelling and writing through a marketing lens
• Experience in building and maintaining strong media relationships
• Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and see them through to timely completion under deadlines
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, web processes and social media
• Experience in leading collaborative projects and bringing them to satisfactory and timely completion
• Excellent presentation skills, including development of appropriate resources
• Receptive to constructive criticism and willing to make revisions as necessary
• Able to work collaboratively and participate actively in meetings with office colleagues, faculty, students and staff across disciplines
• Able to work evenings and weekends for major college events

Nice to Have

• At least three years of relevant professional experience
• Experience in communication and media relations in a higher education environment
• Able to identify messaging points appropriate for a broad audience and communicate them clearly
• Experience working with underrepresented, first-generation, Pell-eligible, and diverse populations

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary not disclosed; benefits not listed.