James Madison University
Director of Presidential Communications and Engagement
🇺🇸 Harrisonburg, VA
🕑 Full-Time
💰 TBD
💻 Communications
🗓️ October 22nd, 2025
Edtech.com's Summary
James Madison University is hiring a Director of Presidential Communications and Engagement. The role involves leading the development and execution of presidential communications, supporting guest relations and events, and serving as a strategic partner to advance presidential priorities through collaboration across university units and external stakeholders.
Highlights
- Lead creation and management of presidential speeches, letters, and campus-wide communications.
- Maintain consistent and authentic voice for the President aligned with university values.
- Collaborate with University Communications for messaging and media coordination.
- Manage guest relations and event support for presidential functions, including athletics and commencement.
- Direct the Presidential Engagement Fellows program and chair the university awards committee.
- Serve as liaison to local government and community, representing senior leadership.
- Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field required; Master’s preferred.
- Experience in executive communications, public relations, or strategic engagement essential; higher education experience preferred.
- Strong written communication skills for high-level, sensitive content development.
- Highly organized with skills to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders in a leadership role.
Director of Presidential Communications and Engagement Full Description
Working Title:Director of Presidential Communications and Engagement
State Role Title: N/A
Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)
Position Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime
College/Division: Office of the President Unit
Department:100184 - President's Office
Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience
Is this a JMU only position? No
Is this a grant-funded position? No
Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No
Beginning Review Date: 11/05/2025
About JMU:
Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.
Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.
Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.
JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.
JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.
Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.
Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.
JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.
JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.
General Information:
The Office of the President is seeking a dynamic and strategic communicator to serve as Director of Presidential Communications and Engagement. This leadership role is central to shaping and delivering the President’s voice and also supporting units within the Office of the President across campus and beyond, ensuring thoughtful, timely, and impactful engagement with all university constituents.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the mission and visibility of the university at the highest level. The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor, a creative strategist, and a collaborative partner in advancing presidential priorities.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the mission and visibility of the university at the highest level. The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor, a creative strategist, and a collaborative partner in advancing presidential priorities.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead the development and execution of presidential communications, including speeches, letters, and campus-wide emails.
- Develop and maintain the President’s voice and tone across all communications, ensuring consistency, authenticity, and alignment with institutional values and presidential priorities.
- Collaborate with University Communications to coordinate messaging, media responses, and institutional announcements.
- Support guest relations for the Office of the President, including hospitality and follow-up for football, basketball, and other presidential events and engagements.
- Assist with on-site coordination of presidential guests in the football and basketball suites. Attend games regularly as a representative of the Office of the President.
- Support communications related to Commencement in partnership with University Events.
- Direct the Presidential Engagement Fellows program, fostering meaningful student involvement and leadership, and lead the recruitment and hiring of the cohort.
- Chair the university awards committee for key awards given by the University/Office of the President.
- Serve as a key liaison to local government officials and the local community, including representing the Chief of Staff and President on internal and external commissions and committees.
- Collaborate closely with units within the Office of the President to support, connect, and advance the strategic initiatives of those units as they align with presidential priorities.
- Facilitate collaborations across divisions to support and advance the President’s strategic initiatives through strong teamwork and shared purpose.
- Develop and maintain the President’s voice and tone across all communications, ensuring consistency, authenticity, and alignment with institutional values and presidential priorities.
- Collaborate with University Communications to coordinate messaging, media responses, and institutional announcements.
- Support guest relations for the Office of the President, including hospitality and follow-up for football, basketball, and other presidential events and engagements.
- Assist with on-site coordination of presidential guests in the football and basketball suites. Attend games regularly as a representative of the Office of the President.
- Support communications related to Commencement in partnership with University Events.
- Direct the Presidential Engagement Fellows program, fostering meaningful student involvement and leadership, and lead the recruitment and hiring of the cohort.
- Chair the university awards committee for key awards given by the University/Office of the President.
- Serve as a key liaison to local government officials and the local community, including representing the Chief of Staff and President on internal and external commissions and committees.
- Collaborate closely with units within the Office of the President to support, connect, and advance the strategic initiatives of those units as they align with presidential priorities.
- Facilitate collaborations across divisions to support and advance the President’s strategic initiatives through strong teamwork and shared purpose.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field is required; Master’s degree is preferred.
- Proven experience in executive communications, public relations, or strategic engagement.
- Experience working in higher education or a similarly complex organization is preferred.
- Exceptional written communication skills, with demonstrated experience crafting high-level, sensitive correspondence, speeches, presentations, and strategic documents.
- Proven ability to develop and execute executive-level communication strategies that support institutional priorities and reflect presidential vision.
- Skilled in managing sensitive communications with discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment, serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.
- Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills across internal and external stakeholders, including alumni, donors, and government officials.
- Adept at leveraging digital platforms and understanding event protocol to enhance executive messaging and ceremonial communications.
- Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced, high-profile environment, including flexible availability for events and activities.
- Proven experience in executive communications, public relations, or strategic engagement.
- Experience working in higher education or a similarly complex organization is preferred.
- Exceptional written communication skills, with demonstrated experience crafting high-level, sensitive correspondence, speeches, presentations, and strategic documents.
- Proven ability to develop and execute executive-level communication strategies that support institutional priorities and reflect presidential vision.
- Skilled in managing sensitive communications with discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment, serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.
- Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills across internal and external stakeholders, including alumni, donors, and government officials.
- Adept at leveraging digital platforms and understanding event protocol to enhance executive messaging and ceremonial communications.
- Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced, high-profile environment, including flexible availability for events and activities.
Additional Posting Information:
JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.
Conditions of Employment:
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.
E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.
E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.
EEO Statement:
James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.
We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.
Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.
We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.
Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.
Reasonable Accommodation:
If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.
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