Director of Communications, Educating Character Initiative

External Applicants: 

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Job Description Summary

The Director of Communications provides essential communication, digital media, and creative support for the Educating Character Initiative (ECI), a grant-funded project working to catalyze a movement in character education at colleges and universities across the U.S. Since 2023, the ECI has built a community of character among over 2600 individuals and 850 organizations / institutions; awarded nearly $60 million in grants to our partners; hosted educational and community-building webinars, conferences, convenings and other events; and become a major team in its unit, the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, and a significant presence in character education around the world.

This position is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive communications strategy to successfully drive continued engagement with the ECI Community, encourage connection between members, amplify our grantees’ work, oversee storytelling about the impact of our work, contribute to the design and dissemination of character-related resources and reports, and attract participants to apply for grants. The role requires a style that encourages community-building, excellent written and verbal communication skills, the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences and stakeholders, and the interpersonal and organizational skills to collaborate with the Executive Director of the Educating Character Initiative and the Director of Collective Learning on a variety of projects. The Director of Communications may also support other communications activities of the Initiative and the Program for Leadership and Character on an as-needed basis. This is a grant-funded position supported by a multi-year grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational institution dedicated to academic excellence in liberal arts, graduate, and professional education. Located in Winston-Salem, NC (“The City of Arts and Innovation”), the University has a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world, as indicated by the motto Pro Humanitate (for humanity), which encourages students to develop the qualities of human character needed to serve humanity. With the aim to educate the whole person, the University has established an innovative Program for Leadership and Character that plans creative programming and courses to help students develop the character needed to lead inclusively in an increasingly complex world. The Program is based on cutting-edge academic research on leadership and character, including research conducted by Wake Forest faculty in various fields who are leading experts on the study of character. For more on the Program, see https://leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/.

Over the last few years, the Program for Leadership and Character has received major grants and gifts to develop leaders of character at Wake Forest and support other colleges and universities who seek to promote leadership and character on their campuses. We are now supporting a significant expansion of work to external partner institutions through the Educating Character Initiative, aimed at empowering and equipping other colleges and universities to educate character in their contexts. These efforts include support for major conferences and convenings on character; managing a community platform; developing character-related resources that faculty and staff can use to design and deliver courses and programming; and community-building and capacity-building grants to facilitate this work at other institutions. Details about the Educating Character Initiative are available here https://leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/eci/.

Please submit (1) a cover letter explaining your communications experience and your fit with the Educating Character Initiative; (2) a résumé or curriculum vitae; (3) a portfolio of 3-5 pieces of relevant communications work (stories, articles, newsletters, videos, posters, reports, etc.); and (4) three professional references (at least one of whom must be a current or former supervisor).

Deadline for priority consideration is October 18, 2026. This position is eligible for remote work. The position will remain open until filled.

* This position is not eligible for sponsorship of non-immigrant or immigrant visa status through Wake Forest University. All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply.

Job Description

Essential Functions:

• Develops and implements a strategic vision for communication to drive continued engagement with the ECI Community, encourage connection between members, and  communicate the ECI’s reach, impact, and opportunities to a variety of audiences and stakeholders. 
• Sustains brand voice aligned with the Initiative’s values of hospitality, humility, and common purpose to build an engaged, connected community from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds.
• Manages storytelling efforts about faculty, staff, students, and events that convey the value of character and character programming, the impact and reach of the ECI, the connections forming within the ECI Community, and the importance of research, scholarship, and creative activity related to character in higher education.
• Directs content creation (e.g. social media posts, emails, videos, reports, etc.) to share the work of the Educating Character Initiative (ECI) in ways that align with the mission, content, and style of Wake Forest and the Program for Leadership and Character (PLC).
• Collaborates with an external vendor and the Senior Director of Communications for the Program for Leadership and Character to create homepage content for a new networking platform for character educators.
• Serves as creative director for a community platform, enabling institutions to showcase their work and attract collaborators and funders.
• Oversees internal and external communication efforts — including web text, newsletters, social posts, event participant email updates, grant acceptance/rejection notifications, articles, and more — related to Educating Character Initiative grants, events, partnerships, and requests for proposals.
• Writes, designs, and delivers newsletters, articles, and social media profiles and communications that share compelling stories of impact and opportunity.
• Manages and updates ECI websites and web platforms, including keeping event registration portals up to date.
• Communicates to internal and external audiences about all grant activities, including Requests for Proposals (RFPs), awards, information sessions, impact, and scholarship.
• Assists with ECI and PLC conferences and event planning, execution, evaluation, and communication. 
• Develops, sustains, and expands a strong digital media presence to advertise events, communicate impact, and highlight achievements.
• Assists with writing annual reports to the University and funding agencies.
• Collaborates with the University Marketing and Communications office, including Design, Writing, Video, Digital, News & Media Relations, and Events, on news and announcements that may require coordinated messaging, appeal to a wider University audience, and/ or draw external media interest.
• Collaborates with ECI staff to host online activities and events, including Advisory Board meetings, monthly online workshops, and summer programming. 
• Coordinates with outside consultants, contractors, and partners for writing, graphic design, video production, and communications strategy as needed, and manages communications budget.
• Supports other Communications activities for the Program on an as-needed basis. 
• Position may grow to include supervision of other members of the ECI team.
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree with five or more years of related experience. 
• Exceptional ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; strong command of grammar, diction, and English usage in professional communications, including accuracy in proofreading, composing correspondence, editing, and typing.
• The ability to think creatively, communicate strategically, and expand a range of relevant audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter with a strong work ethic who takes initiative, works with minimal supervision, and completes tasks without prompting.
• Capacity to lead the messaging for a complex, evolving, mission-driven initiative. This includes understanding the mission, tracking core conceptual language, tailoring messaging for discrete context, and being out ahead in framing what is next.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work professionally, courteously, and effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community, including faculty, staff, and administrators.
• High degree of professionalism, integrity, and dependability.
• Commitment to supporting the intellectual and ethical development of students, faculty, and staff and the capacity of partner institutions. 
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information and records in accordance with state and federal laws and professional ethics; ability to manage and distribute information appropriately.
• Ability to represent the Educating Character Initiative, the Program for Leadership and Character, and Wake Forest University in a professional manner and in alignment with the mission and vision of the Program and University. 
• Openness to feedback and a commitment to personal and professional growth. 
• Proficiency with technology and computers, including demonstrated ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and the ability to learn website management and other relevant software. 
• Ability to positively support and supervise direct reports. 

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Experience in higher education.
• Experience in community engagement or organizing.
• Experience with graphic design.
• Experience with digital storytelling.
• Experience with large and small-scale on-site and remote conferences and programming.

Accountabilities:

• Reports to the Director of Collective Learning for the Education Character Initiative, Program for Leadership and Character. Receives feedback and support from the Senior Director of Communications, Program for Leadership and Character.
• Supports ECI grants, education, operations, scholars, and research teams with communication needs.
• Responsible for own work.
• Communicating with internal and external stakeholders in a manner that reflects the mission and vision of the Educating Character Initiative, the Program for Leadership and Character, and Wake Forest University. 

Physical Requirements:

No adverse environmental conditions expected.

Environmental Conditions: 

Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting/standing.

Additional Job Description

Time Type Requirement

Full time

Note to Applicant:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and military or veteran status.  

 

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact [email protected] or (336) 758-4700.