Director of Communications , Othering & Belonging Institute

Job

Location:

Main Campus – Berkeley

Employment Type:

Full Time

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities.

Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

The Othering and Belonging Institute ("the Institute") at UC Berkeley brings together researchers, stakeholders, policymakers, and communicators to identify and challenge the barriers to an inclusive, just, and sustainable society and to create transformative change. The Institute is a vibrant hub of researchers, community leaders, policymakers, artists, and communicators that advances research, policy, and work related to marginalized communities. We engage in innovative narrative, communications, and cultural strategies that attempt to re-frame the public discourse around marginality and inclusion and respond to issues that require immediate and long‑term action.

Our work is informed by understanding how structures and systems work to create or exacerbate othering and exclusion.

The Othering and Belonging Institute's work is focused on making belonging without othering a global norm by 2040. This position will design and implement a comprehensive three‑year strategic communications plan to help advance this "big bet" of the Institute. The Communications Director is a key leadership role responsible for infusing the Institute's body of work into public debate and discussions by advancing strategic narratives developed by the Institute and its partners and networks through a wide variety of communications channels including events.

The Communications Director is responsible for stewarding and amplifying the Institute's identity and voice, elevating its work, and overseeing strategic dissemination of its narratives, research, and convenings. The Communication Director's purview extends beyond the traditional scope of messaging and media work towards shaping public discourse and narrative change using fundamental Institute frameworks and concepts. The role is supported by a robust team of six.

The Communications Director works with OBI's various research, narrative, convening and network teams to translate scholarship and ideas and disseminate them to targeted and priority audiences and partners, such as policy makers, advocacy organizations, community organizations, the press, and other stakeholders. The Communications Director ensures the quality and helps determine the strategic use of a wide variety of mediums such as digital media, social media, legacy media, and through events such as policy briefings and OBI's flagship biennial conference.

In 2026 a priority for this position will be to oversee communications efforts for the 2026 O B Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Communications Director frames the Institute's vision, mission and work for internal and external audiences, identifies and communicates key findings from our research and trends in the social justice field, and interprets and applies lessons from our message testing, survey results and public opinion to communications output for greater impact.

The First Review Date for this job is: 03/09/2026.

Strategy:

• In deep collaboration with OBI staff and partners, design and oversee the execution of a three-year communications strategy to reach identified strategic audiences.
• Components of the strategy should include, but not be limited to, an updated SWOT Assessment (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), data and measurement, tailored dissemination strategies for target audiences, and growth goals.

Targeted Audience Building:

• Lead on audience identification, cultivation, and growth to elevate the Institute's visibility and reach.
• Identify and…