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](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 *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.

Location: Lexington, Kentucky, US

Posted Date: 8/18/2025