Who We Are:

System Administration, which also houses the Office of the President, is located in the uptown neighborhood of Denver with a few smaller offices located on the campuses. Many of our departments support the educational and research missions of the four University of Colorado campuses, but System Administration is not considered a campus. We provide diverse opportunities for professional development, innovation, and collaboration with talented staff and faculty. Learn more about CU System Administration.

The Office of University Relations is responsible for all official public communication regarding the Office of the President, which includes responding to requests from the news media for information, interviews and official statements. The office also directs the president's community tours and outreach, manages the president's regional business and community councils and oversees the university's special events and outreach with targeted communities. University Relations also produces the weekly CU Connections, news and information for CU Faculty and Staff, oversees the systemwide branding initiative and the implementation of an online alumni communications tool, among many other print, web and social media projects.

Position Summary:

The Vice President of Communication is the leader in the University of Colorado (CU) Office of University Relations and reports directly to the Senior Vice President for External Strategy and Operations (SVP). With policy direction provided by the president of the university and SVP, the vice president of communication serves as a member of the president’s executive staff and coordinates and facilitates internal and external communications and communications-related strategy for the University of Colorado (CU) system. The position coordinates and collaborates with communication colleagues on its four campuses (Boulder, Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, and Colorado Springs). The position provides strategic communication/issues management advice to the university president, SVP and the leadership team, as well as to the institution’s governing Board of Regents. Its primary duties include regular communications, executive communications for the president (and in selected instances, the university’s governing Board of Regents), issues management, crisis communications, media relations, systemwide brand management, and contributing to systemwide marketing, outreach and engagement initiatives. The position often writes drafts of communications for the president and/or works closely with the executive writer to ensure an effective voice for the president in a variety of written and oral presentations. The vice president oversees a communications office and approximately six professional-level staff at the system level responsible for executive communications, social media, website content and management (cu.edu), and system-wide internal communications (CU Connections). The position also serves as media spokesperson for the president and Board of Regents, in addition to selected media relations for state and national legislative issues. This position works closely with campus communications vice chancellors regarding awareness of campus issues that may affect the president and/or regents. The position convenes and leads regular meetings of the campus communication leaders to address items of common interest. It contributes to systemwide marketing initiatives, as needed, under direction of the Senior Vice President of External Strategy and Engagement. The vice president also coordinates with the University of Colorado Foundation’s leadership and communications team related to communications and issues management related to fundraising.

This position reports to the Senior Vice President for External Strategy and Engagement of the university, is a member of the president’s executive staff, is an Officer of the Administration, and is exempt from the State of Colorado Classified Staff System.

Where You Will Work:

This position is located at 1800 Grant St. in Denver, Colorado, and is expected to be in the office 3-4 days per week.

Diversity and Equity:

The University of Colorado System Administration Office is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse workforce. The university strives to promote a culture of inclusiveness, respect, communication and understanding. We encourage applications from women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons within the LGBTQ+ community and all veterans.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Reports to the SVP and coordinates to advance the president’s goals, partnering with the president’s executive team and other team members on operational and key initiatives.
• Serves as a member of the president’s executive team and leads the university’s communications, issues management and crisis communications;
• At the direction of the SVP and in collaboration with leadership team, plans, directs, and executes the overall communications strategy for the president, Board of Regents, and system administration;
• Serves as media spokesperson on issues relating to the president, Board of Regents, system administration and selected legislative issues and selected fundraising issues.
• Coordinates with campus communications vice chancellors and chairs regular meetings of that group;
• Convenes and leads weekly call with campus media relations leads;
• Fosters collaborative working relationships among the regents, campus administrators, faculty, staff and student governance groups to ensure the university maintains the highest level of integrity and transparency;
• Oversees executive communications, including the president’s monthly electronic newsletter (circulation: 500,000 students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, donors, regents, friends), social media, selected internal communication and speeches;
• Writes drafts of communications and presentations that will go under the president’s signature and works closely with the executive writer on execution of materials for the president;
• In coordination with the SVP, provides strategic advice to university leadership;
• In conjunction with the Government Relations team, assists in developing communications strategies and responses for local and state governments, as well as legislative issues;
• Supports outreach activities to foster relationships with stakeholders;
• Under direction from the SVP, contributes to CU’s systemwide marketing, branding and communications vision and strategy;
• Effectively leverages technology, including social media, multimedia and video content, to advance communications goals;
• Develops and implements crisis communications plans, as necessary;
• Manages the University Relations office to include oversight of the department’s budget and supervision of professional-level staff;
• Coordinates with CU Foundation and Advancement leaders and communicators on communications/issues management related to fundraising;
• Works with employee services and the Senior Diversity Officer to ensure the communications reflect the diversity of Colorado.
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned.

What We Offer:

Salary: The anticipated hiring range has been established at $220,000 - $275,000.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Benefits: The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision and Wellness
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
  • Vacation Days: 22
  • Sick Days: 15
  • Holiday Days: 10
• Tuition Benefit: System employees have the benefit on all campuses
• ECO Pass: RTD Bus and light rail service
• Additional Perks & Programs: Click here to access a few more Perks and Programs

Click here to access our Total Compensation Calculator to see what your total rewards could be at CU. This position is a University Staff position.

Additional taxable fringe benefits may be available.

More information on benefits programs, including eligibility, is available at www.cu.edu/employee-services/.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

Please ensure your resume includes any and all relevant experience to be accurately assessed against these qualifications. You must meet all minimum requirements listed at the time of application to be considered for this role.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, or equivalent professional experience (professional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis).
• Sixteen (16) years' professional experience in strategic communications, marketing, journalism, and/or public relations, which includes:
  • Building successful internal and external communications, issues management and communications programs and integrated strategies, as well as overseeing qualitative and qualitative communications research.
• Eleven (11) years' experience in a leadership role in a complex organization, which includes directing a large-scale communication, issues management, developing and implementing strategies and initiatives, and managing personnel and finances.
• Experience in executive-level communications.
• Experience in developing communication plans and crisis communication plans.
• Experience advising/working with an organizational governing board or board of directors.
• Experience serving as an organizational spokesperson.
• Experience coordinating and collaborating across a complex organization.
• Experience managing staff and budget.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the educational, research, business, organizational, audiences and fundraising structures and activities of CU, including its mission, campuses, departments, and colleges and the services they provide.
• Collaboration skills, including the ability to work with others from different areas and backgrounds to reach a common goal.
• Oral, written, and listening communication skills, including the ability to accurately, clearly and concisely convey messages, information, concepts, and details.
• Understanding of and familiarity with Colorado media.
• Demonstrated strong writing skills.
• Employee management, supervision, and team building skills, including the ability to train and coach others, communicate effectively, manage conflict, recognize good behavior, and establish and maintain accountability.
• Ability to consider multiple audiences, sometimes with competing interests.
• Understanding of landscape and trends in higher education.
• Research skills, including the ability to use a variety of resources to ask questions, gather information, and review, analyze, and interpret data.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and ages.
• Ability to handle and maintain sensitive and confidential material and information.
• Ability to navigate a complex political environment.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective media, public, and stakeholder relations.
• Ability to develop, write, and implement a variety communications strategies and campaigns used to reach a variety of audiences.
• Ability to develop and reach specific and measurable communications goals.

COVID-19:

The University of Colorado has a requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations and full completion of the attestation form within the first 30 days after hire date. Information regarding this requirement, and exemptions can be found at

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please attach the following as separate documents to your application:

Please ensure you check the “Job Specific Attachments” box next to each document on the “Required Documents” page of the application for the appropriate documents to be attached.

When to Apply:

For full consideration completed applications must be submitted by January 2, 2023. Reference checking is a standard step in our hiring process. You may be asked to provide contact information, including email addresses, for up to five references as part of the search process for this position. *Please note: All application materials must be submitted through CU Careers; emailed materials will not be considered.*

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado is committed to providing a safe and productive learning and living community. To achieve that goal, we conduct background investigations for all final applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial and/or motor vehicle history. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that a verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work. The University of Colorado is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.

ADA Statement:

We are committed to an inclusive and barrier-free search process. We provide accommodations for applicants requesting accommodation through the search process such as alternative formats of this posting. Individuals with disabilities in need of accommodations throughout the search process should contact the ADA Coordinator at: systemhr@cu.edu.