Director of Philanthropic Communications

Title: Director of Philanthropic Communications

Employee Classification: Dir Division Communications

Campus: University of North Texas

Division: UNT-Advancement

Sub Division-Department: UNT-Advancement

Department: UNT-Advancement
- Gen-170000

Job Location: Denton

Salary: $81,792 - 83,652

FTE: 1.000000

Retirement Eligibility: TRS Eligible

The Division of University Advancement strives to transform lives and unlock potential through the power of philanthropy and engagement by awakening and stewarding pride and loyalty for the University of North Texas. Established in 1890, the University of North Texas is a place where students transform their lives through education and opportunity. With more than 46,000 students from across the state, nation, and world, UNT offers 240 academic programs - many nationally and internationally recognized.

A Tier One research university and designated a Hispanic- and Minority-Serving Institution, UNT has a legacy of excellence in education, music, the arts, business and social sciences, with growing strengths in science and engineering. Last year, students earned nearly 13,000 degrees and joined UNT's network of 480,000 alumni, fueling progress and innovation.

The University of North Texas Division of University Advancement seeks a strategic, detail oriented, and donor-centered communicator and leader to serve as Director of Philanthropic Communications. Under the direction of the Executive Director & Chief Communications Strategist for Advancement, this position develops and manages content that supports major gift fundraising, donor stewardship, and philanthropic storytelling. The Director works in close collaboration with development officers, college/unit partners, and colleagues across Advancement to create high-impact donor proposal templates, announcements, and stories that reflect UNT's mission and the power of philanthropy.

This includes leading the execution of the Advancement Gift Communications Plan, coordinating messaging and donor approvals for major gift announcements, and producing compelling materials that demonstrate donor impact. The Director also contributes to division-wide projects such as the Philanthropy Annual Report, donor-focused newsletters, and presidential donor communications. As part of the Advancement Communications team, the Director ensures that all philanthropic content aligns with UNT's voice, brand, and strategic priorities - and supports meaningful engagement with alumni, donors, and friends of the university.

In addition to leading all major gift communications, the Director will supervise two senior communications strategists, ensuring strategic alignment and consistent messaging across annual giving, donor relations, and alumni engagement - strengthening the division's voice and amplifying the impact of UNT's philanthropic storytelling.

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Business Administration, Public Relations, or a related field, and six years of progressively responsible professional experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

• Knowledge of communications field.
• Ability to coordinate and supervise the work of others. to work under pressure, meet deadlines, conduct multiple tasks, and establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to build and sustain strategic relationships.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to conceptualize, write, edit and oversee the creation of strategic, accurate and concise content for internal and external audiences.
• Ability to plan, organize, and direct complex, multi-unit projects and workflows.

• Experience in higher education advancement, development communications, or nonprofit fundraising.
• Familiarity with CASE standards for donor recognition and stewardship.
• Experience working with fundraising databases, project management tools, or content management systems.

• Strategic Leadership and Oversight:
  Establish and oversee philanthropic communications strategy, editorial standards, and messaging frameworks used across Advancement and partner units. Provide clear editorial direction and final content guidance for donor-facing materials, ensuring consistency in tone, accuracy, and impact. Supervise and mentor two full-time senior communications strategists, supporting professional development, performance management, and strategic alignment across teams. Contribute to oversight and coordination of division-wide communications initiatives to ensure philanthropic messaging is aligned and cohesive.
• Major Gift Communications:
  Serve as the primary communications partner to the development team for high-level donor engagement and solicitations. Write and produce compelling campaign collateral, proposals, and donor-facing materials that reflect institutional priorities and philanthropic impact. Lead…