UTHealth Houston is seeking an Associate Director of Digital and Development Communications to join our high-performing Development Communications team. The Associate Director plays a key role in advancing the university's mission by leading digital communications that support fundraising and constituent engagement through strategic, data-informed storytelling, with an emphasis on creating a cohesive digital and print communications ecosystem.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Development Communications, the Associate Director works closely with colleagues in the Development Communications team as well as with partners in Development, Alumni Relations, Public Affairs, and academic units. This role provides leadership for digital strategy and execution across core channels, ensuring content is engaging, effective, and aligned with institutional priorities and brand standards.

In this role, you will lead digital communications that engage a wide range of audiences, including community members, patients, faculty and staff, alumni, and current and prospective donors across all levels of giving. You will collaborate with writers to shape messaging and storytelling and provide strategic oversight to ensure communications across digital, video, photography, and print channels are aligned and effective.

This position is well-suited for a communications leader with experience managing people, projects, and processes. The Associate Director manages team members and workflows within the Development Communications team and uses data and performance metrics to guide continuous improvement in digital engagement and translate institutional priorities into clear, compelling communications.

This position is primarily remote, with occasional on-site work at UTHealth Houston's office in the Texas Medical Center for meetings, collaboration, or project needs.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Develops and designs digital and print communications to inspire support for UTHealth Houston, creating synergies and efficiencies across digital, print, and multimedia channels. Oversees the creation of newsletters, videos, print collateral, websites, and microsites that support fundraising priorities and strengthen ongoing engagement-particularly with donor and alumni audiences.
• Provides strategic guidance for communication initiatives, partnering with alumni relations, marketing, and program leadership to surface key information, refine messaging, and strengthen alignment with institutional priorities and advancement goals. Cultivates strong relationships to effectively elevate projects, achievements, and institutional impact.
• Applies data analytics to assess the effectiveness of communication strategies. Extracts insights to refine messaging approaches and enhance donor relationships while shaping long-term positioning and engagement strategies for alumni where appropriate.
• Mentors communications professionals, fostering a collaborative and creative environment that supports the development of compelling digital and print communications aligned with the university's philanthropic vision.
• Stays at the forefront of digital communication and marketing trends, leveraging emerging technologies and platforms to enhance donor engagement, reach, and impact, and to strengthen digital engagement within the university's alumni community as it evolves.
• Supports communication strategies that contribute to a cohesive donor and alumni engagement ecosystem, ensuring alignment across digital and print touchpoints to reinforce the broader advancement strategy.
• Manages Human Resources activities of the department in regard to recruiting and selection, hiring and termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

• Strong organizational abilities with a keen eye for detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Creative thinker with the ability to find innovative solutions to challenges that may arise during project execution.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to effectively collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of SEO, social media platforms, and email marketing.
• Proficiency in analytics tools and data-driven decision-making.
• Familiarity with development and health sciences is a plus.
• Familiarity with alumni engagement strategies is a plus.
• Social media and digital tracking methods/metrics.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree in communications, marketing, or a related field required

Minimum Experience:

6 years of digital marketing experience or a related field required 2 years of management experience required Experience in websites and content management systems preferred

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether factors such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from maintaining the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas. This position requires some days on-site.