Director of Community Engagement (Open to Internal Candidates Only)

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• At least ten years of experience leading communications or related functions in a complex organization including, but not limited to demonstrated experience developing, socializing, and executing a communications strategy for public and community engagement.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Mastery of communications and public engagement strategies and tactics across print, digital, and broadcast marketing and communication channels; experience in digital and interpersonal storytelling.
• Ability to engage with and bring together stakeholders from diverse communities to further the strategic goals of the organization.
• Proactive, inspiring and self-directed work ethic with ability to lead a focused team within a large organization; supervisory experience and skills.
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and shift priorities as necessary.

• Ability to make high-level decisions and provide communications advice to colleagues and direct the work of staff and external consultants, firms, etc.
• Clear understanding of State and Federal government structure at the intersection of education and research funding.
• Ability to translate a strategy or concept into effective public and community engagement programs with measurable results.

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

• Supervise and manage the performance of all content development team members, including student and staff content production team members, ensuring the productivity and quality of work produced by the content development team. Direct and supervise activities of freelancers, and other independent creative content developers.
• Stay current on relevant life sciences and agriculture-related topics and issues that should be referenced in executive communications.
• Develop and support college events in alignment with college goals and priorities.
• In partnership with the Integrated Marketing Director, ensure strategic alignment with UNH Marketing and Media Relations. Oversee development of college-level policies and practices to ensure branding compliance and strategic communications.
• Develop and direct communications programming consistent with college and station goals and priorities, with responsibility for managing high-level events including special lecture series, awards ceremonies and graduation ceremonies, and identifying and ensuring necessary communications components and measures appropriate to each event.
• Implement a comprehensive and diversified communications program to reach key internal and external audiences about college and station initiatives, priorities, and achievements, including serving as Editor in Chief of THRIVE, the College's flagship print and digital publication.
• Develop strong relationships with the campus communicators and development teams. Collaborate across these networks and ensure cross-promotion opportunities are secured.
• Develop strong relationships with external media communicators relevant to the college and station and actively engage across these networks.

• Identify NH communities that may be underserved by UNH / COLSA (including Indigenous Peoples populations) and strengthen those relationships.
• Strengthen relationships with community, municipal, regional, non-profit leaders.
• Lead the organization of public engagement events-at UNH and around NH-that will enable diverse communities to engage with COLSA/NHAES research and researchers.
• Develop a strategic vision and execution strategy to increase communication among COLSA faculty/staff and diverse communities around NH.
• Work with UNH Foundation to identify whether / how these stronger connections could be leveraged to increase support for COLSA.
• Work with UNH admissions and CPA to identify whether / how these stronger connections could be leveraged to increase enrollment by in-state students to COLSA.

• In strategic alignment with UNH legislative affairs team, strengthen and establish new government relations for the college, with both State and Federal delegations.
• Serve as a liaison between UNH legislative affairs office and COLSA/NHAES, helping strategically implement UNH-level government relations strategies and communicating new opportunities to the UNH legislative affairs office.
• Actively identify earmark opportunities specific to COLSA's strengths, build relationships with delegations and understand how their priorities can be aligned with COLSA strengths, and work with faculty and staff to develop targeted proposals that maximize the chances of successful earmark requests.
• Establish regular communications with State and Federal delegations to ensure that there is a constant flow of information about how COLSA/NHAES is benefitting the state.
• Work to increase opportunities for COLSA faculty and staff to testify at the State and Federal levels, bringing key knowledge back to NH communities.
• Work with NHAES to strengthen the crafting and delivery of a stronger message to State and Federal delegations about the importance of capacity research funding.

• Determine and prepare budgetary recommendations and manage expenditures of budgeted funds for approved communications and events activities of the college.
• Create timelines and budgets for communications and events projects and ensure timely and effective delivery.
• Develop and rely on analytics and data to inform decision and make recommendations.

• Other duties as assigned