Associate Director of Communications - School of Molecular & Cellular Biology - College of LAS

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Marketing & Communications

Urbana, IL, USA

Posted on Oct 14, 2026
Duties Responsibilities Strategy and Leadership With input from the Director of the School and the School’s Communications Committee, provides vision and direction to build the School’s identity, messaging, and overall communications strategy in support of student recruitment, advancement, reputation, and community building priorities. Ensures brand consistency of all School materials across all media, and compliance with college and campus brand standards. Supervises communications specialist, ensuring his or her work supports office priorities and helps to deliver desired outcomes for the school. Hires and manages outside vendors as appropriate; this may include writers, photographers, and designers. Tracks and evaluates effectiveness of the communications team’s work. Implementation of Overall Communications Plan Implements or oversees implementation of all components of the School’s communications plan, which may include: Develops and produces print publications including the MCB magazine, departmental newsletters, and program brochures promoting School’s research and instruction missions. This includes coordinating and overseeing several projects at a time along with setting and adjusting work priorities to meet production deadlines. Researches, writes, composes, and edits announcements, press releases, and articles for dissemination through a variety print and electronic media. Works with the MCB Communications Committee to track news sources for articles featuring MCB departments, faculty, research, and instructional programs. Produces content for and maintains the websites of the School, its departments, and instructional program. Monitors and facilitates updates of time-sensitive web content (calendar items, announcements, features, highlights, job postings, etc.) either by direct action or by coordination with those responsible for specific content. Creates content, plans, and posts to School social media channels. Creates short videos, with assistance from technical specialists, to promote MCB. Assures compliance with campus and college regulations, policies, and standards. Maintains records associated with all aspects of MCB communications activity including articles, photos, graphics, print publications, videos, etc. Advancement communications Creates a communications plan specifically for advancement to include fundraising and stewardship in partnership with College communications and advancement offices. Executes or oversees execution of all elements of this plan, including the creation of collateral materials, and monitors outcomes.