Director, Integrated Communications

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

. Lead and manage the Integrated Communications team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and executional excellence.

Posted 4/8/2026full-timeNashville • Tennessee • 🇺🇸 United StatesLeadWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead and manage the Integrated Communications team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and executional excellence.
Integrate internal communications, research storytelling, routine crisis and issues communications, and operational executive messaging into a cohesive operating model.
Oversee intake, prioritization, and workflow processes to ensure campus communications needs are met with speed, quality, and consistency.
Establish clear standards for editorial quality, voice, tone, and message discipline across communications outputs.
Provide coaching, feedback, and professional development for direct reports.
Serve as a strategic and operational communications partner to administrative units across the university.
Build and maintain trusted working relationships with leaders and operational teams to proactively identify communications needs and opportunities.
Advise campus stakeholders on message framing, audience segmentation, timing, channel strategy, and implementation planning.
Lead and coordinate complex, cross-functional communications initiatives that require alignment across academic and administrative units.
Ensure communications across schools and central units are coordinated and consistent with messaging standards.
Develop and maintain message frameworks, narrative priorities, and editorial standards that guide communications across the university.
Lead development of annual and quarterly integrated communications plans aligned with institutional priorities and enterprise initiatives.
Define prioritization frameworks to manage competing communications requests and ensure resources are allocated to the highest-impact initiatives.
Anticipate potential reputational, operational, or stakeholder sensitivities and proactively incorporate mitigation planning into communications strategies.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience is required
Minimum of 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communications, marketing, institutional engagement, or a related field
Demonstrated experience developing integrated communications strategies and managing cross-functional initiatives
Demonstrated ability to lead in fast-paced, complex, and at times ambiguous environments while maintaining quality, composure, and team cohesion
Strong facilitation and partnership skills, with experience participating in cross-unit forums or working groups
Ability to apply sound judgment and systems thinking to manage competing priorities and translate complex information into clear, actionable messaging

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Paid time off
Professional development opportunities

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

strategic communicationsintegrated communications strategiesmessage framingaudience segmentationchannel strategyeditorial standardscommunications planningworkflow processesnarrative prioritiescrisis communications

Soft Skills

collaborationaccountabilityexecutional excellencecoachingfeedbackprofessional developmenttrusted working relationshipsfacilitationpartnership skillssound judgment

Certifications

Bachelor’s degree