Director Strategic Communications, Fuqua School of Business

Duke University:

 

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

 

 

Director, Strategic Communication

 

Overview

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business is a top-ranked business school within a leading multi-discipline university, dedicated to advancing the understanding of management through research and providing the highest quality education. Fuqua attracts and develops those who thrive on difference, have the ability to bring out strength from others to move toward a common purpose, and who inspire entire organizations to win the right way.

The school enrolls more than 1,900 students a year across ten-degree programs in formats for working professional and full-time students. Fuqua also offers a portfolio of open-enrollment and tailored non-degree programs for executives. Fuqua’s faculty receive international acclaim with their research leveraged by organizations worldwide. While its home campus is in the United States, the school maintains a presence in East Asia, Europe, India, and Latin America. Fuqua enjoys long-standing relationships with firms in key industries such as energy, financial services, consulting, health care, consumer goods, technology, media, and entertainment. Our network of over 29,000 alumni, many of whom maintain a high level of engagement with the school, has great functional depth and industry breadth, with graduates making a significant impact in their organizations and communities.

Fuqua’s Global Marketing group is a centralized function responsible for understanding the school’s customers and markets; generating program revenue through campaigns; stewarding and building the brand via owned, earned, paid, and shared media; promoting program and faculty thought leadership; and leading strategic school initiatives. This unit is known for its agility in responding to the fundamental changes in customer behavior, channels, and tactics emerging within each market we serve. We focus on allocating limited resources as effectively as possible, measuring overall ROI and engagement metrics within different channels and media sources to hold ourselves accountable for improving performance in different dimensions of our work.

 

Given our dynamic environment, we value versatility and adaptability in teammates who can excel in various aspects of our function and contribute significantly to the school’s success.

 

Job Description

 

Fuqua seeks a Director of Strategic Communication (level 16) to shape and maintain the school’s reputation and messaging across various platforms. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Global Marketing, this position leads a 4-person team of strategic communications experts to manage public and media relations, faculty research communications, social media, and community management.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

PR and Media Relations

• Develop overarching PR strategies aligned with school goals and brand positioning
• Identify key narratives and storytelling opportunities to enhance the school’s reputation
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with key journalists and media outlets
• Approve major media releases and pitches
• Oversee the development and distribution of press materials

 

Crisis Planning and Support