Communications Manager, Marketing, Communications & Stewardship, Duke (AED)

Occupational Summary:

 

As a member of the Creative Team, the Communications Manager will serve as a lead writer and editor for a diverse body of writing supporting Duke Alumni Engagement and Development, including fundraising proposals, gift announcements, narrative stories communicating the impact of giving to Duke, marketing copy and other development-related print and digital collateral. Working within a highly-collaborative and cross-functional Marketing, Communications, and Stewardship department, the Communications Manager will supervise a small cohort of writers, will help edit the work of a cross-functional team of marketing and communications staff and freelancers, and will work closely with the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications to support various other communications needs of AED.

 

Responsibilities:

 

Writing

 

• With input from senior development leaders, write proposals, white papers and other content to support gift conversations in the $100,000 to multi-million-dollar range.

 

• Collaborate with development colleagues, schools and units to identify alumni and development stories to promote the benefits and impact of giving to Duke, educate prospective donors about Duke accomplishments and priorities, and promote a positive image of the university.

 

 

Editing

 

• Working closely with the Executive Director of the Creative Team, serve as a lead editor for the team’s collective writing that touches a wide variety of genres and that supports the work of more than 20 partner teams across AED.

 

• Edit the writing of colleagues and freelance writers for style, grammar, content and messaging on writing tailored to a wide variety of channels, including email, digital newsletters, websites, social media, print collateral and more.

 

 

Managing

 

• Supervise 1-2 writers to ensure they are fully supported and can produce optimal content on deadline.  

 

• Utilize project tracking software (Asana) to manage task lists, maintain transparency with colleagues, and meet project expectations as outlined by a project manager and partners.

 

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with other alumni, development and communications offices at Duke.

 

• Collaborate with graphic designers, web developers, videographers and other writers on a wide range of development marketing and communications efforts.

 

• Perform other duties as assigned.

 

 

 

Preferred Qualifications at this Level:

 

• Five to seven years of relevant editing and writing experience
• Experience with development writing required
• Demonstrated excellence in editing and writing across a variety of mediums
• Familiarity with AP Style
• Ability to set schedules and manage deadlines effectively
• Ability to be flexible and work collaboratively