Communications Manager

This is a term leave coverage for 18 months starting August 2026.

Job Summary

UBC Sauder School of Business is one of the world’s leading business faculties. The school consistently ranks among the top 100 in the world and is recognized internationally for excellence in research and learning, an outstanding faculty and unmatched global partnerships. A collaborative and respectful culture within which all members of our community can thrive is a key principle in our strategic plan, and one that underpins our educational mission.

We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at the Vancouver Campus is situated within the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam. We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at the UBC Robson Square is situated on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.

The Communications Manager is a part of the Marketing and Communications team at the UBC Sauder School of Business. The Communications Manager develops, manages and executes communications strategy and tactics for the UBC Sauder portfolio with a goal of enhancing the image and reputation of the school at the local, provincial and international level, and supporting UBC Sauder’s strategic plan and organizational priorities.

Work Performed

Communications Strategy

• Develops and manages strategic communications plans for the UBC Sauder portfolio, incorporating owned, earned, paid and social media tactics.
• Develops and executes a yearly editorial calendar for various channels of content, including written, video and audio. This includes evergreen content, media relations, campaign profiles in support of marketing priorities, academic research and content related to news of the day.
• Adjusts editorial calendar to accommodate news of the day or other unexpected content.

Media Relations

• Develops media relations plans for the UBC Sauder portfolio to elevate and enhance the reputation of the school, its faculty, students, alumni, and donors on a local, national and international level.
• Engages with a wide breadth of stakeholders, including senior associate deans, faculty and UBC Sauder senior leadership team to build and maintain strong relationships internally, to stay current and to learn the priorities of different groups.
• Proactively identifies opportunities to profile the expertise and unique aspects of the university to enhance brand reputation in local, national and international media. Develops strategic approach to take advantage of these opportunities and to execute to completion.
• Ensures all media outreach ladd up to the UBC Sauder strategic plan and organizational priorities, helping to provide profile to the plan, and UBC Sauder’s core values and principles.
• Develops and/or oversees the development of media materials, including media releases, pitches, Q&As, media advisories, photography and videos.
• Uses editorial judgement to triage incoming media requests and to advance story development in line with institutional priorities.
• Responds to and redirects, as appropriate, enquiries from the media and the public.
• Works with faculty, the executive team, students, alumni and donors to secure media interviews. Provides coaching to prepare spokespeople to speak with the media, and to help develop key messages, as needed.
• Edits submitted content, ensuring it aligns with organizational strategic priorities and the UBC Sauder strategic plan.
• Identifies key media relevant to portfolio. Initiates, develops, and maintains positive relationships with identified media.
• Keeps apprised of current events, policy, business news and competitor’s media coverage to inform media strategy and identify opportunities.
• Works with the Associate Director of Communications and Media relations to source vendors for media training, develop the training program, and identify key faculty and staff who would benefit from formal training to best maximize media opportunities to the benefit of the school.
• Manages, reports and analyzes key KPIs for media relations.
• Liaises with UBC Public Affairs to coordinate media activity as required.

Editorial Content

• Editor of the School News section of the UBC Sauder website.
• Responsible for developing editorial strategy, and creating editorial content and/or assigning members of the Communications team/freelancers to develop content with the Editor’s oversight.
• Works with a wide breadth of stakeholders at UBC Sauder to identify and source editorial content ideas.
• Ensures all editorial content ladders up to the UBC Sauder strategic plan and organizational priorities, helping to provide profile to the plan and UBC Sauder’s core values and principles.
• Collaborates with the marketing team on the integration of cont