Director of Communications and Campus Engagement

The Director of Communications and Campus Engagement is a senior-level strategist and storyteller responsible for elevating the visibility, reputation, and engagement of the University of Tennessee Southern. This position leads institutional communications efforts across earned media, internal communications, story development, and message alignment, while also overseeing a centralized master events calendar to ensure strategic coordination, promotion, and storytelling opportunities.

This position will lead media relations efforts as the primary campus media contact, developing and executing proactive strategies to secure earned media coverage. Build and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, and statewide media, write, edit, and distribute news releases, media advisories, op-eds, and official statements.

The Director will identify and mine compelling stories from across campus to highlight the achievements of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Produce high-quality written and multimedia content for both internal and external audiences, supporting brand storytelling that aligns with UT Southern and UT System priorities.

This position supports faculty and staff engagement through campus newsletters, updates, and leadership messaging. Works to ensure a consistent tone, clear messaging, and alignment with institutional strategic priorities, while managing internal communication channels to strengthen transparency and foster a positive campus culture.

For campus engagement and event coordination, the Director will manage the university’s centralized master calendar of events to ensure coordination, visibility, and strong promotional support for major initiatives. Partnering with academic, student life, athletics, and advancement units to identify opportunities for storytelling and media coverage tied to campus events, and provide strategic communication guidance for signature campus and community programs.

In Leadership and Collaboration, the Director will serve as a senior advisor within the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, providing guidance that ensures all communication efforts align with UT Southern’s strategic plan and brand standards. Mentoring and collaborating with junior staff and student workers, fostering a supportive and growth-oriented environment while strengthening the overall effectiveness of the team.

 

Minimum Qualifications 

· Bachelor’s degree required in communications, journalism, public relations, or related field.
· 5–8 years of progressive experience in communications, public relations, or media strategy
· Experience managing organizational communications, internal messaging, or editorial calendars.
 

Preferred Qualifications 

· Master's degree required in communications, journalism, public relations, or related field.
· Knowledge of higher education admissions and recruitment communications
 

Located in southern middle Tennessee, UT Southern is about 70 miles south of Nashville and 40 miles north of Huntsville, Alabama. The campus is nestled in the small community of Pulaski and currently enrolls about 800 students a year.
UT Southern is the newest campus to join the UT System, evolving from UT’s acquisition of Martin Methodist College in 2021. Students enrolling at UT Southern enjoy a private-college experience at an affordable, public-school cost. Among the many advantages are low student-teacher ratios and high classroom personalization. More than 30 academic programs of study are available through the divisions of business, education, humanities, mathematics and sciences, nursing and social sciences.
UT Southern is a college community where friends become family, where learning leads to doing and where everyone sees opportunity.