Communications Director

Job Title
Communications Director


Requisition Number
RE51141


Working Title
Crisis and Issues Communications Director


Department Name
3R100:PR and Strategic Communications


Work Location
Lexington, KY


Grade Level
45


Salary Range
$47,278-78,000/year


Type of Position
Staff


Position Time Status
Full-Time


Required Education


BA




Click here for more information about equivalencies:
https://hr.uky.edu/employment/working-uk/equivalencies


Required Related Experience


4 yrs




Required License/Registration/Certification

None



Physical Requirements

Sitting or standing for long periods of time.



Shift

Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Occasional nights and weekends if an emergency. Serve as on-call four or five times a fiscal year.



Job Summary

The Crisis and Issues Communication Director leads crisis communication planning, protocols, and response during emergency situations. Reporting to the Executive Director of Issues Management and Strategic Operations, the position also supports issues management, particularly rapid response communication needs, and collaborates with stakeholders to mitigate issues and proactively monitor emerging issues. The position plays a critical role in establishing public trust and ensuring messaging continuity informed by a variety of viewpoints and stakeholder needs. The ideal candidate should be someone who can work in high-stakes, fast-moving situations, with expertise in both public relations and internal communication and experience in large, complex organizations.

Writing Sample Instructions:
In the Applicant Documents section, a writing sample is required. Please submit a sample of public relations, internal communications and/or crisis communications writing that you wrote. This could include, but is not limited to, press releases, community messages, talking points, media statements, and/or communications plans.



Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

MS Windows/Teams/OneDrive/SharePoint, Asana or similar work management software



Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?
Yes


Preferred Education/Experience

Deadline to Apply
08/21/2025


Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.


As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we strongly encourage veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and all minorities to consider our employment opportunities.


Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.