Posting Details
| Benefits of Working at UNCW |
Want to become a soaring
UNCW Seahawk and work at one of the best universities on the East Coast? Want to put your toes in the sand after a day of work? The University of North Carolina Wilmington offers a wonderfully vibrant university community along with a beautiful location just miles from the beach.
Employees of
UNCW are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other programs, resources, policies, and practices that help to support a work/life balance. Our programs have been designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit your needs and the needs of your family. Full time employees are eligible for dental, vision and health insurance plans. Health insurance benefit plans eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Full time employees are also eligible for the tuition waiver program which covers the cost of tuition and fees for up to three (3) undergraduate or graduate courses per academic year at
UNCW or any other university within the
UNC System. In addition,
UNCW covers the cost of tuition and fees for one
UNCW course each summer session.
As a full time employee,
UNCW also offers a free membership to the Campus Recreation Center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, meditation and yoga sessions, voluntary supplemental insurance coverages, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays, 24 hours of paid community service leave time, paid vacation and sick leave accrual and family medical leave after 12 months of continuous service.
We also offer an abundance of training and development programs through our
Dare to Learn Academy, and the
employee assistance program, many of which are offered free of charge. |
| Hiring Range |
$77,000 - $85,000 |
| Working Title |
Director of Advancement Communications |
| External Link to Posting |
https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/38908 |
| Vacancy Number |
E1508 |
| Position Number |
1597 |
| Location of Workplace |
Main UNCW Campus |
| Home Department |
University Advancement - 50000 |
| Division |
University Advancement - 50000 Division |
| Brief Summary of Work for this Position |
UNCW is seeking a dynamic, imaginative, and strategic Director of Advancement Communications to foster meaningful engagement among alumni, parents, students, employees, and friends of the university. This position is the architect behind compelling narratives that capture attention, cut through the noise, and inspire Seahawk pride. The Director is responsible for shaping communications across digital and traditional channels, turning ideas into cohesive strategies that inspire the Seahawk community to engage in meaningful ways and invest philanthropically. The ideal candidate will be an effective storyteller with a strong knowledge of both digital and traditional media and a creative problemsolver who can channel an abundance of ideas into actionable plans. This position requires strong relationship building, diplomacy, and collaboration.
Responsibilities include:
- Transforming initiatives into meaningful, integrated content strategies that advance the mission of UNCW and the goals of University Advancement
- Collaborating with teams to craft campaigns that stand out with clarity, creativity, and emotional resonance
- Showcasing donor impact and motivating constituents to deepen their relationship with UNCW through communications, event attendance, volunteerism and giving
- Building strong, trusted relationships within the division and across campus
- Leading a small team of communication specialists and interns
- Fostering a culture of innovation, professionalism, and collegiality
|
| Minimum Education and Experience Requirements |
- Bachelors degree in communications or related field
- More than 5 years of experience across the full spectrum of marketing and communications channels, including social media (paid and organic), web strategy, email marketing, written storytelling and speech writing, graphic design and videography
- Several years of progressive experience guiding strategic communications
- Previous experience developing and leading small teams
|
| Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience |
- Professional experience in nonprofit organizations or higher education
- Experience using Blackbaud Raiser's Edge/NXT
- Experience with Asana
- A self-starter who will immersive themselves in UNCW's campus community and beyond to uncover and tell stories
- Ability to implement project management tools to keep internal departments aligned and on-task
- An understanding of development best practices related to communications, engagement, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
- Ability to analyze and interpret complex data and use it to drive decision making and advocate for resources
- Excellent interpersonal skills including diplomacy, discretion and influence
- Mission-driven professional energized by the work of higher education
- Ability to lead with calm, clarity, and intentions, who can succeed in high-pressure moments
- A partner, mentor, listener, and facilitator who uplifts teams and fosters a growth-minded environment
|
| Required Certifications or Licensures |
N/A |
| Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit |
The Division for University Advancement is responsible for the following primary goals:
- Coordinate a campus-wide, comprehensive effort to raise philanthropic funds that support the strategic plan and mission of the university.
- Manage an inclusive alumni engagement program designed to serve and engage over 100,000 alumni as ambassadors, advocates and donors.
- Strengthen and expand UNCW's donor pipeline through effective discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies.
- Ensure that external boards (UNCW Foundation Board, Board of Visitors, Student Aid Association Board, Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Friends of UNCW) are effective in their mission of supporting UNCW.
The division's fundraising efforts are enhanced by effective partnerships with the campus community as well as external constituents including alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, volunteers and friends. Development areas include annual giving, leadership annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, corporate and foundation engagement and planned giving, as well as alumni engagement. Prospect development, events and board management, stewardship, communications and advancement services are support services for the fundraising activities of the division. |
| College/School Information |
|
| University Information |
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability,
UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking.
A public institution with nearly 18,000 students,
UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-
BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation's only bachelor's degree program focused on coastal engineering.
The university's efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned
UNCW the elevated designation of "Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity" institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969. |
| EEO Statement |
UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents - except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. |
| Eligibility for Employment |
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks.
UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. |
| Number of Openings |
Single Incumbent |
| Special Notes to Applicants |
PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application, including the 'Work History' section before you apply for this position. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered. |
| Months Per Year |
12 Months |
| FTE |
1.0 FTE (40 hours per week) |
| Type of Position |
Permanent |
| Anticipated Ending Date if Time-Limited Positions |
|
| Job Posting Date |
03/26/2026 |
| Posting Close Date |
04/26/2026 |
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