Director of Community Relations

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director of Economic Development, the Director of Community Relations provides high-level leadership in developing, directing, and implementing university-wide community engagement strategies.  The incumbent leads partnerships between Cal Poly, local/regional government agencies, business and nonprofit leaders, CSU partners, and external organizations. The position is responsible for identifying, advocating for, securing, and implementing opportunities that advance Cal Poly’s role in the region.

The Director of Community Relations serves as the primary point of contact between campus leadership, regional agencies, elected officials, and community organizations on multi-faceted, complex matters. The incumbent represents the university in a variety of capacities, having broad programmatic responsibility and working collaboratively with senior campus leadership, faculty, students, and staff. The Director develops and maintains relationships with strategic regional partners, serves as the main informational conduit and point of contact for regional community leaders, and advocates for Cal Poly in a variety of public and private settings. The role also requires leadership and consistent Cal Poly updates on regional committees and boards as the Cal Poly representative to these organizations, while facilitating collaboration between campus departments to ensure cohesive community outreach efforts. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Director develops awareness and goodwill for the university, provides timely information on community and regional development issues, and exercises broad authority to make independent decisions that lead directly to institutional strategies, advising senior leadership and influencing short and long-range planning.

Department Summary

The Office of Industry, Innovation and Economic Development (OIIED) serves as a central coordinating entity that aligns Cal Poly’s unique higher education expertise, resources, and strategic priorities with the needs of industry and government. The office advances economic development, innovation, and workforce development while leading the university’s advocacy and government relations initiatives at the local, regional, state, and federal levels. Through strategic partnerships and collaboration, OIIED helps strengthen Cal Poly’s impact, expand opportunities for students and faculty, and position the university as a trusted partner in addressing regional and statewide priorities.

Key Qualifications

• Demonstrated success building and managing complex external partnerships with government agencies, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and community stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent the university effectively in high-stakes public and private settings.
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategic community engagement plans with measurable institutional outcomes.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and interpersonal skills to navigate sensitive, high-level relationships across diverse constituencies.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Public Affairs, or a closely related field and seven (7) + years directly related work of progressively responsible professional experience. Experience must include demonstrated success in community relations, public affairs, or government relations with direct responsibility for building and managing complex external partnerships and developing strategic programs that advance institutional or organizational goals. Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Licenses, Certificates, Credentials

• Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain by the date of hire.

Salary and Benefits

The anticipated hiring range for this role is $110,000 - $135,000. Note that the offer is calculated based on the background and relevant years of experience of the individual selected.

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Anticipated Hiring Range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Classification Range may be broader than what the University anticipates pay