Job Abstract

The MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies is a vibrant international community that is responsible for connecting with all international teaching and research on campus. Home to seven regional councils and a set of transnational programs, the Center hosts ~500 events per year on and off-campus.

The Director for Outreach and Impact is responsible for elevating the MacMillan Center’s visibility with on- and off-campus audiences, for helping to foster relationships that add meaningfully to the work of the Center, and for conceiving of and delivering on fresh content types to broaden the reach of the Center’s outputs.

Oversee the excellence of all public-facing outputs from the Center. Supervise the processes to develop dynamic, well-designed reports and materials for the Center and all of its councils and programs. With the Deputy Director, identify high-profile opportunities to lead and participate in collaborative programming that will elevate the visibility of the Center. Work effectively and collaboratively with leadership and colleagues across Yale to coordinate communications and outreach opportunities to maximize Yale’s influence in international academic circles.

Manage the planning, execution, and distribution of prizes and awards for faculty and students. Coordinate with university leadership to ensure all events hosted in MacMillan-operated spaces follow university guidelines related to freedom of speech and safety. Lead the Center’s Fine Arts programming by curating exhibits and arranging performances throughout the year. Identify additional innovative opportunities for additional cross-center and pan-university programming. In consultation with the Yale Office of Public Affairs and Communications, develop strategies to channel the Center’s work into major media outlets and to offer the Center’s faculty as content experts.

With the Assistant Director of Communications, develop and implement graphic identity and editorial standards to ensure excellence and consistency in all the Center’s outputs And arrange and / or offer training for Center staff to support continued design and writing excellence. Manage a team of staff and students to innovate the Center’s outreach tactics in ways that gratify existing audiences and attract new audiences. This will include, but not be limited to, events, partnerships, materials, and fresh content types. Support the fundraising efforts of the Senior Director for Engagement – particularly with leading high-profile events and grant writing.

Collaborate with the Center’s councils and programs to support programming for the local community and influence policymakers and practitioners. Establish key performance indicators to measure success. Use data-informed tactics to support the research, outreach, engagement, and fundraising activities of the Center. Collaborate with the Center Manager to orchestrate large-scale events on behalf of the Center as well as programming aimed at various stakeholders throughout the year. Hire and train teams of students to draft content and design posters and social media posts on behalf of the Center and its councils and programs. Oversee work to craft strategies and programs to attract students and scholars to MacMillan’s events and activities. Demonstrated positive attitude and commitment to working as a member of a center-wide team. The ideal candidate should have the ability to understand, communicate, and effectively interact with people across cultures. Being open to learning about different dimensions of diversity and exhibiting positive attitudes towards cultural differences. 1. Provide vision, leadership, and counsel for the unit’s communication, marketing, and branding. Lead short- and long-term communication planning for insights into audiences, channels, and culture to elevate awareness and understanding of the school and its faculty and support its mission, goals, and objectives. Ensure that strategic communications emanate from, amplify, and actively assist with implementing the strategic plan. 2. Serve as a member of the Leadership Team, cultivating strong relationships to enhance the communications objectives. Craft and disseminate the narrative and mission to various audiences in collaboration with the Leadership team. 3. Develop and implement a comprehensive media relations plan at the local, national, and global levels and across various platforms. Manage relationships with external media sources, including developing and maintaining regular contact with media representatives in multiple disciplines. Pursue media coverage creatively and aggressively. 4. Help to build communications capacity and impact for key stakeholders in the School/unit (the Dean, faculty, administration, and others) by working with them on content, developing training as needed, and preparing them for media interviews. 5. Develop and implement an integrated digital communications strategy. Set the vision and strategic plan for web design and maintenance. 6. Lead a data-driven process to identify key messages, stakeholders, and audiences and work consistently to tell stories, including translating faculty scholarship into impactful stories for the public. Develop benchmarking criteria and track and evaluate the effectiveness of communications strategies regularly. 7. Maintain the Yale brand and graphic identity standards. Create a consistent, unified message and brand and ensure consistent application and use across constituencies. 8. Lead and support a talented communications team, including web operations, graphic design, media relations, and outreach specialists. 9. Create and implement an appropriate and comprehensive crisis communication strategy. Lead responses for the School/unit, Dean, and Leadership Team in crises require 24/7 attention and intense media/public scrutiny. Articulate the School/unit’s position via personal interviews or written responses. 10. Manage relationships with key campus stakeholders with a high degree of professionalism, judgment, and understanding of stakeholder goals. Coordinate and collaborate with other communications professionals to achieve institutional goals, including, but not limited to, the Yale Office of Public Affairs and Communication. 11. Support efforts to advance the School/unit's commitment to diversity and inclusion. 12. Perform other duties as assigned. Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, Humanities, or related field and eight years of demonstrated experience in public relations, journalism, television, corporate communications, or agency work or an equivalent combination of education and demonstrated experience.