Senior Principal, Development Marketing and Communications

Essential Job FunctionsStrategic Advisory and Portfolio Planning Sets integrated philanthropic communications strategy supporting Development and the institutions highest-priority philanthropic objectives, transformational gifts and major campaigns within priorities established by institutional and Development leadership.Serves as the principal Marketing and Communications adviser to the chief development officer and Development leaders; independently translates approved philanthropic and fundraising priorities into communications objectives, audience strategies, message architecture, channel plans, governance and implementation requirements.Establishes annual and multiyear communications strategies, portfolio roadmaps and editorial calendars aligned with enterprise priorities, institutional narratives, campaign phases and available Marketing and Communications capacity.Creates decision frameworks that integrate philanthropic priorities, audience needs, donor relationships, confidentiality, recognition obligations, public transparency, institutional voice and reputational considerations across channels.Determines communications portfolio priorities, sequencing, resource requirements and delivery approaches within approved institutional and fundraising priorities; recommends communications investments and capacity allocations as conditions, opportunities or risks change.Leads communications strategy and message architecture for major philanthropic campaigns and initiatives within fundraising strategy established by Development and institutional leadership.Anticipates emerging communications needs and evaluates donor, stakeholder, media, legal, brand and reputational implications; determines the appropriate response, consultation and escalation pathway.Determines which needs can be addressed directly and which require specialized Marketing and Communications expertise, executive review, legal counsel, University communications coordination or external capacity.Creates new communications approaches, standards and solutions for unprecedented Development communications challenges and exercises complete latitude for institutional communications decisions within the approved portfolio, institutional policy and delegated authority.Integrated Development Communications and Content Architects and directs integrated institutional communications initiatives for donor, prospective-donor and public audiences across web, email, social media, presentations, publications, media and other institutional channels.Leads development of institutional cases for support, campaign message platforms and public-facing fundraising materials that translate complex clinical, scientific, research and education priorities into accurate and compelling philanthropic narratives aligned with mission, strategy and intended impact.Personally produces selected high-value communications and provides final editorial direction for high-risk institutional materials, including transformational gift announcements, donor-recognition content, impact stories, broad stewardship communications and executive materials.Establishes editorial strategy and directs production of donor newsletters, magazines, impact reports and stewardship publications for broad audiences, integrating content, design, photography, video, digital and executive contributions.Identifies and advances enterprise-level stories that demonstrate outcomes enabled by philanthropy and determines how those stories should be adapted across institutional channels and audiences.Partners with Development External Relations on annual giving and multi-audience fundraising initiatives, providing communications strategy, institutional messaging, creative direction and access to specialized services while Development retains authority for solicitation and ask-specific language.Develops or directs executive speeches, presentations and talking points with a broad Development purpose and coordinates with executive communic tions colleagues on sensitive, high-visibility or institution-wide matters.Defines objectives, audiences, scope, decision rights, timelines, roles, quality standards and deliverables for large or complex initiatives; resolves cross-functional barriers and holds assigned contributors accountable for timely, integrated delivery.Balances multiyear strategic commitments with emerging opportunities and urgent requests, makes tradeoffs among audience value, timing, capacity and institutional risk, and communicates decisions and consequences to senior stakeholders.Development Partnership and Scope Coordination Serves as the lead Marketing and Communications partner to the chief development officer, Development leaders, gift officers, Development writers, Development External Relations and other advancement colleagues.Builds trusted advisory relationships and maintains expert understanding of philanthropic priorities, campaign plans, donor audiences, operating cycles, communications risk and interdependencies across Development and Marketing and Communications.Interprets and applies the shared division of responsibilities: Development leads communications intended to cultivate, solicit or steward a specific donor or opportunity; the principal leads communications intended to reach broader audiences through institutional communications channels.Establishes shared workflows, governance and review processes with Development and Marketing and Communications leadership, including ownership, decision rights, approval requirements, quality standards, escalation thresholds and issue-resolution protocols.Ensures Development validates philanthropic priorities, funding information, donor facts, gift terms, recognition requirements and solicitation content while Marketing and Communications maintains institutional messaging, brand, editorial quality, public positioning and channel standards.Protects donor confidentiality and determines review, timing and release requirements for gift announcements, donor recognition and other sensitive or high-profile communications in coordination with authorized partners.Coordinates with Development External Relations on event-related communications; Development External Relations retains ownership of invitations, programs and attendee communications, while the principal leads broader institutional messaging and executive materials and coordinates specialized creative services as agreed.Identifies matters requiring executive, legal, privacy, University communications or other institutional review; frames the issue, presents options and consequences, and facilitates timely resolution without transferring routine portfolio decisions upward.MarComm Integration and Project Leadership Serves as the primary strategic and operating connection between Development and the core Marketing and Communications organization.Activates and provides functional direction to specialists in media relations, strategic content, internal communications, executive communications, brand, social media, digital engagement, design, photography, video, web development and marketing automation based on initiative complexity and risk, while respecting the functional authority of specialized Marketing and Communications leaders.Creates strategic and creative briefs, establishes integration points and quality expectations, provides Development context, resolves conflicting inputs and integrates specialist contributions into cohesive campaigns and communications products.Provides functional leadership throughout cross-disciplinary delivery, makes communications scope and sequencing decisions, reviews work, requires revisions to meet agreed standards and resolves delivery issues in partnership with specialized Marketing and Communications leaders and functional managers.Integrates Development content and campaigns with institutional editorial calendars, brand initiatives, media opportunities, executive communications and digital p