External Relations at the University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the role of Executive Director of Communications for UVA Health Development. The University of Virginia has a strong and reputable advancement community, boasting effective, results-oriented, and resourceful professionals. Our community comprises a robust central advancement organization, 12 University schools, and more than 25 University-related programs. We offer a wide variety of career opportunities, as well as an outstanding environment for professional growth and development.

Position Summary

The Executive Director of Communications (ED) will lead the strategic communications vision for UVA Health Development, the fundraising team for the University of Virginia’s health system (Schools of Medicine and Nursing, University Medical Center, and community hospitals). This dynamic, creative, and collaborative leader will shape how UVA Health tells its story in the next campaign to inspire philanthropy and deepen engagement with supporters locally, across Virginia, and beyond.

Following the successful completion of a $1 billion fundraising campaign in June 2025, UVA Health’s development team is setting its sights on even higher levels of performance. The ED will guide the next chapter of UVA Health Development communications—building on strong momentum and leading a talented, established communications team to elevate the visibility and impact of UVA Health’s mission.

The ED will serve as a creative visionary, developing compelling storytelling that highlights UVA Health’s excellence in patient care, research, education, and community engagement, while expanding philanthropic audiences across the University of Virginia community and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. This leader will also be a key strategic partner, collaborating closely with the External Relations communications team and UVA Health Marketing and Communications to showcase UVA Health’s impact and inspire increased philanthropic investment.

The Executive Director of Communications will report to the Senior Associate Vice President for UVA Health Development.

Responsibilities

Strategic Communications Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive UVA Health Development communications strategy that advances philanthropic priorities and supports future campaign readiness.
• Lead the next evolution of the UVA Health Development storytelling platform, elevating narratives that demonstrate the transformative impact of philanthropy.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the Senior Associate Vice President on campaign communications strategy.

• Other duties as assigned.

Storytelling and Content Strategy

• Oversee the creation of compelling, human-focused stories that amplify the impact of UVA Health’s clinical care, biomedical research, nursing and medical education, and community health initiatives.
• Guide editorial strategy, brand voice, and narrative frameworks that resonate with philanthropic audiences.
• Showcase consistent messaging and creative excellence across donor communications, campaign materials, publications, digital channels, and multimedia storytelling.
• Ensure that donor communications clearly show the power of philanthropy to transform patients’ lives and accelerate research breakthroughs at UVA Health.

Audience Growth and Engagement

• Deepen engagement with philanthropic audiences and expand the reach of health philanthropy messaging across the University of Virginia community and the Commonwealth.
• Develop strategies to reach new donor audiences, strengthen connections with existing supporters, and elevate our reputation with all audiences.
• Leverage analytics, digital platforms, and innovative storytelling and distribution approaches to grow audience reach and engagement.

Team Leadership

• Lead and mentor a high-performing communications team within UVA Health Development.
• Foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, and strategic thinking, empowering team members to innovate and produce best-in-class communications.
• Model productive collaborations with External Relations, UVA Health Marketing and Communications, and other partners.
• Establish clear priorities and performance goals for the team.

The ideal candidate would possess:

• Experience supporting comprehensive fundraising campaigns.
• Familiarity with communications in academic medical centers or health systems.
• Knowledge of emerging trends in the communications field.
• Experience collaborating across complex organizations with multiple stakeholders, especially in a healthcare or academic setting.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 8+ years of progressively responsible strategic communications experience, ideally within higher education, academic medicine, healthcare, or nonprofit advancement.
• Proven ability to build and grow audiences through compelling content and holistic communications strategies.
• Experience managing and mentoring communications professionals in a collaborative team environment.
• Exceptional writing, editorial, and storytelling skills.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills
• Proficiency in digital communications tools, content management systems, and analytics platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting comprehensive fundraising campaigns.
• Familiarity with communications in academic medical centers or health systems.
• Knowledge of emerging trends in the communications field.
• Experience collaborating across complex organizations with multiple stakeholders, especially in a healthcare or academic setting.

Salary Range

• The anticipated hiring range is $150K-180K / year, commensurate with education and experience.

Position Type & Work Location

• This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.

• This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.
• UVA External Relations offers a flexible and hybrid workplace. All team members must have access to and maintain a secure home office environment with high-speed internet service and be able to work collaboratively with others using a variety of technologies and tools. Depending on the type of position and work performed, or as deemed by the manager, some positions may be required to work intermittently in our shared office space located in Charlottesville, Virginia. This hybrid position can be worked remotely, although frequent in-person work in our office building, on UVA Grounds, or at event venues is required. The successful candidate will live within driving distance of Charlottesville, Virginia.

About UVA and the Community

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

Additional Requirements

• Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

• This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

How to Apply

This is an exempt level, benefited position. Please apply online, by searching for requisition number R0083169. Complete an application with the following documents:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. You can submit multiple documents into this one field or combine them into one PDF. Applications without all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed by UVA’s third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.

Contact

• For additional information about the position, please contact Sandi Hall, Senior Associate Director for Staff Success, at eym5wh@virginia.edu.

• For questions about the application process, please contact Daniel Strong, Senior Recruiter at das6zb@virginia.edu

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Click here to read more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Bachelor's degree required.

Experience: 8+ years relevant professional experience, to include 3+ years of formal managerial experience required.

Licensure: None.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Job Profile

J1256 - Communications Management 3

Career Stream and Level

Management-M3

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.