The Director of Research Advancement Communications serves a dual role, leading the Department of Immunology’s efforts in Strategic Communications and Research Development Funding. This role is critical to increasing the department's visibility, fostering impactful relationships with funders, and supporting faculty in securing competitive funding and prestigious awards. The Director will partner closely with faculty, staff, external stakeholders to build a cohesive strategy that elevates the department’s mission, research accomplishments, and educational initiatives. Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Communications Engagement

Lead department-wide communications by developing and sharing impactful information about research breakthroughs and faculty achievements across multiple platforms, including press releases, news features, print/e-newsletters and social media.Take a lead role in curating and updating content on the Departmental Website and also establishing a strong social media presence for the department (LinkedIn, Bluesky, etc.).Establish a departmental quarterly newsletter, facilitated by a committee that includes faculty, trainee and staff representatives. Lead an effort to nominate Immunology Faculty for prestigious awards, facilitated by a committee of faculty leaders.Cultivate and enhance the department’s brand internally and externally, ensuring consistent messaging to strengthen its reputation as a leader in Immunology research and education.Facilitate meetings between foundation and corporate program officers with faculty to foster engagement with internal and external stakeholders.Partner closely with the University of Pittsburgh’s Corporate and Foundation Relations Health Sciences team to craft strategies that deepen donor relationships and drive funding initiatives.

Design infographics, charts, and other visuals to simplify complex information.

2. Research Development Funding

Research and identify funding sources, analyzing corporate and foundation priorities to align with departmental goals and mission.Partner with faculty, staff, and leadership to develop and implement strategies for approaching funders, leveraging immunology expertise to create compelling cases for support.Coordinate proposal development for competitive funding opportunities, ensuring compliance with submission guidelines and refining submissions to meet funders’ criteria for the most competitive outcome.Write and review major stewardship reports to maintain long-term partnerships, supporting continuous engagement and recognition from corporate and foundation funders.Transform complex scientific data and engage audiences with visual aids tailored to different levels of expertise.Support faculty in developing paths to prestigious awards by coordinating nominations and fostering an environment that promotes excellence.Design and develop high-quality visual presentations for internal and external stakeholders.

Establishes and leads the marketing and communication strategy for the department while executing plans, goals, and strategic objectives of the University. Leads effective internal and external communication plans, oversees completion of marketing and communications projects and strategy, and performs budgetary functions. Creates influential and non-traditional marketing and branding strategies supported by data-driven decisions that are in alignment with the University's strategy, branding, and standards. Guides escalated operational issues and fosters internal and external relationships to increase the University's influence in higher education.

Establishes and leads the marketing and communication strategy for the department while executing plans, goals, and strategic objectives of the University. Leads effective internal and external communication plans, oversees completion of marketing and communications projects and strategy, and performs budgetary functions. Creates influential and non-traditional marketing and branding strategies supported by data-driven decisions that are in alignment with the University's strategy, branding, and standards. Guides escalated operational issues and fosters internal and external relationships to increase the University's influence in higher education.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications Engagement.Research Development Funding.

This position offers an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to make a meaningful impact by supporting faculty who drive breakthrough discoveries in Immunology and beyond. Through this role, you will contribute to advancing innovative therapies, addressing challenging health conditions, and improving patient outcomes.

Qualifications:

BA required in Basic Science, Medicine, or related health sciences fields. PhD is strongly preferred. Experience with Immunology highly desirable but not required.Minimum of 7 years of experience in communications, scientific writing, or research development, ideally within an academic or research setting.Expertise in public relations, research communications, and grant proposal development, with a deep understanding of the academic funding landscape.Exceptional writing, editing, and presentation skills, capable of engaging diverse audiences.Proficiency in design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and presentation tools (PowerPoint, Keynote, Canva).Superior project management skills and ability to prioritize multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.Strong initiative and creativity, and able to excel while working independently.Enthusiasm and ability to meet strict deadlines, even in a remote or hybrid environment with the highest confidentiality, discretion, and diplomacy standards.