Boston University Advancement

Boston University Advancement is at a pivotal moment, guided by new leadership and a clear strategic framework for growth and impact. Our work centers on three core priorities: securing $500 million in philanthropy annually; deepening relationships with a strategically defined segment of alumni and donors; and strengthening the organizational foundation while launching focused priority areas across the University.

Advancement is evolving into a highly collaborative, matrixed model that integrates new University leadership, regional engagement, and the distinctive strengths of BU’s schools and colleges. With more than 250 advancement professionals, the organization is building the capacity, partnerships, and culture required to deliver sustained philanthropic momentum and institutional impact.

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Director, Executive Communications

The Director of Executive Communications, positioned within Advancement Marketing & Communications and reporting to the Managing Director, Strategic Communications, is a strategic voice amplifier and institutional storyteller who translates President Melissa Gilliam's transformative vision into compelling remarks and messaging platforms that inspire philanthropic engagement and advance Boston University's place as a global leader in discovery, education, and human connection.

Working at the nexus of Advancement strategy and institutional impact, the Director of Executive Communications crafts presidential remarks for signature Advancement-led events, from intimate donor engagements to major regional and national forums, and develops authoritative messaging platforms that articulate the university's strategic vision, fundraising priorities, and compelling reasons for philanthropic support. The Director of Executive Communications designs all remarks and messaging to inspire support, deepen donor commitment, and advance key campaign objectives.

The Director of Executive Communications operates within the context of the president's North Star vision: a guiding principle of convergence that unites discipline, communities, and global realities to solve the world's greatest challenges. The president envisions BU as a global destination for discovery, education, and human connection, where visionary thinkers collaborate across fields to create breakthrough solutions. The Director of Executive Communications ensures this North Star vision animates all Advancement communications and messaging, positioning BU's philanthropic mission as essential to this larger purpose and mobilizing resources that make breakthrough impact possible.

This role is central to the Advancement Marketing & Communications unit's evolution into a strategic communications powerhouse, moving beyond tactical execution to serve as a trusted advisor to University leadership. The Director of Executive Communications coordinates closely with the Office of the President and BU External Affairs to ensure messaging consistency, amplify the president's leadership voice across Advancement stakeholder communities, and position Advancement initiatives as integral to BU's broader institutional narrative.

The impact of this role is measured not merely in words delivered, but in donor commitment deepened, alumni passion reignited, and the University's strategic vision brought vividly to life.

This position requires occasional travel to events, regional offices, and alumni engagement activities. The role may require evening and weekend work during event periods.

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Position Responsibilities

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Speech and Remarks Development for Advancement-Led Events (30%)

• Craft and refine presidential remarks for high-stakes Advancement-led events—fundraising galas, major donor briefings, regional leadership forums, and other signature gatherings—that resonate with diverse audiences and mobilize philanthropic action.
• Attend events and public appearances to study and capture the President's distinctive voice, cadence, humor, intellectual priorities, and leadership presence to authentically reflect her vision and communication preferences in written remarks designed for Advancement audiences.
• Adapt messaging tone and content for sophisticated, diverse audiences, major donors, alumni leaders, faculty, students, and external partners, while maintaining the President's distinctive voice and advancing core Advancement strategic priorities and fundraising objectives.
• Collaborate with Advancement event teams, institutional partners, and the Office of the President to understand event context, philanthropic objectives, and audience expectations; serve as a strategic advisor on messaging impact and donor engagement.
• Manage complex speech development timelines and multiple concurrent projects while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, consistency, and strategic impact.

Messaging Platform and Strategic Content Development (30%)

• Author and evolve evergreen messaging platforms that articulate the President's North Star vision of convergence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global impact alongside Advancement's strategic fundraising priorities, creating coherent, resonant themes and key messages that inspire philanthropic support and guide all Advancement initiatives.
• Develop authoritative messaging frameworks and speaker briefing books for Advancement leaders, deans, and campaign chairs that ensure consistent, sophisticated articulation of BU's mission, impactful work, and a compelling case for giving.
• Build strategic content architecture that connects individual Advancement campaigns, fundraising initiatives, and events to institutional priorities while demonstrating how philanthropic support directly enables breakthrough research, student achievement, and lasting impact.
• Ensure all messaging reflects the excellence and impact of BU's 17 schools and colleges, institutes, and centers and demonstrates how their work advances academic excellence, student success, and the convergence of disciplines essential to solving global challenges.
• Develop distinctive messaging that amplifies Advancement's signature forums and events, positioning them as powerful opportunities to inspire philanthropic partnership with the President's vision.

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Cross-Institutional Coordination and Messaging Alignment (15%)

• Partner strategically with the Office of the President to align Advancement messaging with institutional communications and the President's broader leadership narrative around the North Star vision.
• Coordinate with BU External Affairs and BU Communications to ensure consistency and coherence in how the University articulates its mission and vision across internal and external channels.
• Collaborate with peer communications leadership to position Advancement storytelling as an integrated part of the broader institutional voice.
• Work cross-functionally with Advancement units - Alumni Relations, Digital Engagement, Principal, International Giving & Foundations, Development & Campaigns, Schools & Colleges, Strategic Events, and Annual Giving- to understand campaign objectives, priority themes, fundraising priorities, and audience segments, and drive messaging adoption across teams.
• Engage with BU schools and colleges, institutes, and centers to identify and amplify breakthrough research, faculty expertise, and student outcomes that exemplify convergence, collaboration, and global impact; strengthen Advancement messaging and deepen donor engagement.

Strategic Knowledge and Market Insights (15%)

• Stay current with research, data, and trends regarding alumni and donor preferences, motivations, and engagement patterns; refer to existing research and insights to inform and sharpen messaging development and fundraising strategy.
• Track external trends, competitive landscape, and emerging opportunities to ensure BU's Advancement messaging remains distinctive, timely, and resonant with target audiences.
• Keep abreast of university strategic initiatives, campaign priorities, and institutional developments to ensure messaging accuracy and strategic relevance to the President's vision and Advancement goals.

Editorial Excellence and Messaging Consistency (10%)

• Maintain the highest editorial standards across all Advancement-focused content, ensuring clarity, persuasive impact, precision, and alignment with BU's brand voice and institutional values.
• Author and refine messaging guidelines and templates that ensure consistency and strategic coherence in how speakers, leaders, and Advancement teams communicate about university priorities, fundraising objectives, and the North Star vision.
• Ensure all remarks and messaging materials are strategically aligned with Advancement's philanthropic mission, campaign objectives, and fundraising priorities.

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Required Skills

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Journalism, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 6+ years of professional speechwriting, strategic communications, or content leadership experience with demonstrated impact at the executive level.
• Demonstrated expertise in writing for senior executives, particularly in university, non-profit, or mission-driven organizational contexts.
• Strong research and interviewing skills; proven ability to translate complex academic, institutional, and strategic information into clear, persuasive narratives.
• Excellent strategic project management and the ability to manage multiple concurrent, high-stakes projects with competing deadlines.
• Ability to adapt tone, voice, and messaging across varied high-profile audiences while maintaining strategic coherence.
• Experience in higher education, fundraising, or alumni engagement preferred.
• Deep working knowledge of current events, policy, and trends relevant to higher education and non-profits

Additional Qualifications

• Experience in journalism, news writing, or editorial work that demonstrates strong research, interviewing, and news judgment skills.
• Experience writing for university or college leadership at the president/provost level.
• Familiarity with experiential event production or high-stakes event communication.
• Deep understanding of donor motivations, philanthropic trends, and major gift engagement.
• Demonstrated experience developing strategic messaging platforms or brand messaging frameworks.
• Knowledge of higher education fundraising, campaign management, and advancement strategy.
• Exposure to communications analytics and measuring the impact of communications efforts.

But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:

• Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect , because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion , and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
• Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
• Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
• Continuous growth and improvement , both as individuals and as a team.
• Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.

To apply and learn more about Advancement at Boston University and other job opportunities, please stop by the Advancement Talent website: https://www.bu.edu/advancement-talent/.

We recognize that no candidate brings every experience or qualification to a role. If you're excited about this opportunity and believe your skills and experiences could contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply, even if your background doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed. We value diverse perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking, and we're committed to building a team where everyone can thrive.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural, protective, or culturally significant hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you require reasonable accommodation in order to complete the employment application process, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 617-358-1796.

Required Experience

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Journalism, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 6+ years of professional speechwriting, strategic communications, or content leadership experience with demonstrated impact at the executive level.
• Demonstrated expertise in writing for senior executives, particularly in university, non-profit, or mission-driven organizational contexts.
• Strong research and interviewing skills; proven ability to translate complex academic, institutional, and strategic information into clear, persuasive narratives.
• Excellent strategic project management and the ability to manage multiple concurrent, high-stakes projects with competing deadlines.
• Ability to adapt tone, voice, and messaging across varied high-profile audiences while maintaining strategic coherence.
• Experience in higher education, fundraising, or alumni engagement preferred.
• Deep working knowledge of current events, policy, and trends relevant to higher education and non-profits

Additional Qualifications

• Experience in journalism, news writing, or editorial work that demonstrates strong research, interviewing, and news judgment skills.
• Experience writing for university or college leadership at the president/provost level.
• Familiarity with experiential event production or high-stakes event communication.
• Deep understanding of donor motivations, philanthropic trends, and major gift engagement.
• Demonstrated experience developing strategic messaging platforms or brand messaging frameworks.
• Knowledge of higher education fundraising, campaign management, and advancement strategy.
• Exposure to communications analytics and measuring the impact of communications efforts.

But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:

• Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect , because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion , and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
• Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
• Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
• Continuous growth and improvement , both as individuals and as a team.
• Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.

To apply and learn more about Advancement at Boston University and other job opportunities, please stop by the Advancement Talent website: https://www.bu.edu/advancement-talent/.

We recognize that no candidate brings every experience or qualification to a role. If you're excited about this opportunity and believe your skills and experiences could contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply, even if your background doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed. We value diverse perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking, and we're committed to building a team where everyone can thrive.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural, protective, or culturally significant hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you require reasonable accommodation in order to complete the employment application process, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 617-358-1796.