Executive Director Strategic Communications Jobs

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Executive Director, Strategic Communications
Position Summary
Charlotte Athletics is seeking a visionary communications leader to redefine how our story is told. This position leads the Strategic Communications department while transforming Charlotte Athletics into one of the nation's most innovative, market-driven, and strategically connected athletics programs.
The Executive Director oversees Charlotte Athletics' communications operation while building a modern communications organization focused on strategic communications, public relations, executive communications, internal communications, storytelling, institutional messaging, fan engagement support, recruiting, and organizational reputation.
Working collaboratively across Charlotte Athletics, this position partners closely with Marketing & Fan Engagement, Creative Services, Charlotte 49ers Ventures, the 49ers Club, university leadership, and campus partners to develop a unified communications strategy that strengthens the department's voice, aligns internal stakeholders, and elevates Charlotte Athletics' visibility across the Charlotte region and nationally.
Serving as the primary communications advisor to the Director of Athletics, this role provides strategic counsel on executive messaging, leadership communications, institutional positioning, public perception, and high-profile departmental initiatives.
This position reports to the Deputy Athletic Director - Strategy & Operations.
Strategic Communications & Public Relations
Lead Charlotte Athletics' strategic communications function by developing and executing an integrated communications and public relations strategy that advances the department's mission, strengthens its reputation, and elevates its visibility across the Charlotte region and nationally.
Essential Responsibilities
* Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy aligned with the department's strategic priorities and long-term vision.
* Lead the department's public relations, media relations, institutional messaging, and reputation management efforts.
* Serve as the primary communications advisor to the Director of Athletics, providing strategic counsel on executive messaging, leadership communications, public positioning, and high-profile departmental initiatives.
* Develop messaging frameworks that ensure consistent communication across leadership, athletics units, and external audiences.
* Oversee proactive earned media strategies that elevate Charlotte Athletics, its student-athletes, coaches, alumni, donors, and institutional achievements.
* Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, and national media, business leaders, community organizations, university stakeholders, and key influencers.
* Lead communications planning for major announcements, fundraising initiatives, conference and NCAA matters, organizational changes, and other strategic priorities.
* Direct crisis communications planning and reputation management while serving as a trusted communications resource for department leadership.
* Establish a year-round storytelling strategy that supports recruiting, fundraising, ticket sales, corporate partnerships, fan engagement, and institutional pride.
* Partner with Marketing & Fan Engagement, Creative Services, Digital, Charlotte 49ers Ventures, the 49ers Club, Development, and University Communications to ensure messaging is aligned across all department initiatives.
* Champion innovation by leveraging AI, emerging technologies, audience insights, and evolving communications platforms to modernize the department's communications function.
* Measure communications effectiveness through media coverage, audience engagement, message penetration, and reputation metrics, using data to continuously improve strategy.
Communications Operations
Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Charlotte Athletics' communications function, ensuring excellence in media relations, sport communications, championship communications, executive communications support, and day-to-day departmental operations.
Essential Responsibilities
* Lead the day-to-day operations of the Strategic Communications department, establishing priorities, managing resources, and ensuring successful execution of departmental objectives.
* Supervise, mentor, and develop the department's communications staff while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and service.
* Oversee communications support for all varsity sports, including media relations, press conferences, credentialing, interview coordination, feature development, and game-day communications.
* Ensure the timely production and accuracy of statistics, game notes, historical archives, conference reporting, NCAA reporting, championship communications, and other required publications.
* Provide communications leadership for postseason competition, championships, coaching announcements, and other high-profile departmental initiatives.
* Maintain strong relationships with conference offices, the NCAA, local and national media, broadcast partners, and peer institutions.
* Establish departmental standards, workflows, editorial guidelines, and best practices that promote consistency, efficiency, and operational excellence.
* Ensure compliance with NCAA, conference, university, and media policies while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, accuracy, and integrity.
* Identify opportunities to modernize communications operations through technology, AI, automation, and process improvements.
Internal Communications
Lead an integrated internal communications strategy that connects coaches, staff, student-athletes, university leadership, the 49ers Club, Charlotte 49ers Ventures, and campus partners through clear, consistent, and purposeful communication.
Essential Responsibilities
* Develop and implement a department-wide internal communications strategy aligned with Charlotte Athletics' mission and strategic priorities.
* Create leadership communications that connect departments around organizational goals and institutional priorities.
* Lead communication planning for organizational changes, department-wide announcements, strategic initiatives, and major milestones.
* Partner with university leadership and campus stakeholders to support change management and organizational alignment.
* Foster transparency, collaboration, and engagement across all areas of Charlotte Athletics.
* Reinforce the department's culture, mission, and vision through effective internal communications.
Strategic Partnerships & Collaboration
Build collaborative relationships across Charlotte Athletics and the University to ensure communications advances the department's strategic priorities while strengthening institutional visibility and reputation.
Essential Responsibilities
* Partner closely with Marketing & Fan Engagement, Creative Services, Charlotte 49ers Ventures, the 49ers Club, Development, Ticket Sales, Corporate Partnerships, Student-Athlete Development, Digital, Sport Programs, University Communications, and campus leadership.
* Serve as the department's communications connector, ensuring messaging, storytelling, and public relations efforts are coordinated across all functional areas.
* Collaborate on integrated initiatives that support recruiting, fundraising, ticket sales, corporate partnerships, fan engagement, and institutional visibility.
* Strengthen relationships with campus and community partners to maximize opportunities for storytelling and earned media.
* Support cross-functional initiatives that elevate Charlotte Athletics' profile and deepen engagement with key audiences.
Staff Leadership
Develop and lead a high-performing Strategic Communications team committed to innovation, collaboration, service, and excellence.
Essential Responsibilities
* Recruit, hire, mentor, develop, and evaluate communications professionals.
* Foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
* Empower staff through professional development in writing, media relations, public relations, digital communications, AI, and leadership.
* Establish clear performance expectations while promoting a service-oriented mindset.
* Build one of the premier strategic communications departments in collegiate athletics.
Preferred Qualifications
* Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
* Eight or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in strategic communications, athletics communications, public relations, media, higher education, professional sports, or corporate communications.
* Demonstrated success leading high-performing communications teams.
* Exceptional writing, editing, strategic planning, and relationship-building skills.
* Experience leading executive communications, crisis communications, and reputation management.
* Strong understanding of media relations, storytelling, digital communications, and audience engagement.
* Experience collaborating across executive leadership, marketing, creative services, development, and revenue-generating functions.
* Experience leveraging AI and emerging technologies to improve communications and organizational effectiveness is preferred.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.