Director of Communications

Who We Are

UW Credit Union is a $6 billion member-owned financial cooperative serving 390000 members across Wisconsin. Our mission is to improve the financial well-being of our members and this Director ensures that mission is heard felt and believed by every employee who carries it forward and every member who depends on it.

Our communications shape culture inspire employee advocacy and build change capability across the enterprise. We integrate data and AI into how we work. And we do it with a values-driven highly engaged team that genuinely likes working together.

Why Join Us:

• Learn new skills.Theres meaningful work to do in building strategic communications plans building partnerships with leaders and evolving the function.

• Work with people you respect.Our team is smart savvy and enthusiastic. Communications sits at the leadership table here. Were a culture amplifier and shaper for the organization not an order-taking function.

• Live your life.Hybrid work (at least 3 days in office up to 2 remote). Reasonable hours. A culture that doesnt burn people out.

Who You Are

Youre a strategic communications leader with a track record of building high-performing internal communications functions leading enterprise change and advising senior leaders.

You understand that internal communications the kind that shapes culture enables change and connects employees to mission is some of the hardest and most consequential communications work there is.

You come to the table with a point of view a recommendation and the strategic context to back it up. You ask the right questions. You push back when something needs to be challenged and you do it with evidence and good judgment.

Youre humble enough to know what you dont know smart enough to figure it out quickly and hungry enough to drive constant improvement. Youve worked in environments that pull toward tactical and youve learned how to hold the strategic line without being rigid about it. You know the difference between being responsive and being reactive. And youve built enough organizational trust that people are eager to collaborate with you.

Thisjobisrightforyouif:

• You can move between enterprise strategy and editorial quality without losing altitude on either

• Youre comfortable serving as a strategic advisor to C-suite executives and senior leadership and they seek you out for it

• You want tohelpshapecompanyculture

• Youre excited about building AI-ready communications capabilities and experimenting with whats next

• You want your work to mean something fairness in banking community impact member financial wellbeing

Whatdifferentiatessomeonegreat atthisjobfromsomeonejustokay:Great Directors at this job have a growth mindset and collaborate with senior leadership to create the best solutions. They work to get the context and strategy right and let the messaging flow from there. They build credibility by showing up prepared askinggreatquestions and delivering work that moves people not just informs them. They make the people around them executives peers and direct reports better communicators.

What the Job Is

This roleleads enterprise-wide communications strategy with a primary focus on employee engagement and organizational culture and a secondary focus on member communications that sustain trust transparency and member advocacy. This role reports to the CMO and leads a team that includes a manager and an individual contributor direct report.This is not a maintenance role. Its a build role. And the CMO is an active partner in that work.

The Five Most Important Responsibilities

1. Lead internal communications that build culture and drive engagement.Design and execute an enterprise internal communications strategy that connects employees to UWCUs mission direction and values. This includes bringing UWCUs employee value proposition to life in ways employees recognize and feelwhilepartnering with HR and People leadership on engagementstrategiesand culture initiatives.
2. Own enterprise change communications.When UWCU transforms new technology new structure new strategy youco-createthe communications architecturewithexecutive sponsors and other change management expertsbefore the changebegins. You understand readiness sequencing and the difference between informing people and actually bringing them along.
3. Steward the member relationship through communications.Lead external communications that deepen member trust and advocacy the annual report quarterly newsletter financial results disruption notifications product and experience change communications and member testimonial content. Its the difference between members who trust us and ones whoadvocate on our behalf.
4. Build communications capability across the organization.Coachand adviseexecutivesand leaders. The goal is a morealignedcapable organization because this team is in it.
5. Leadreputation managementandcrisis communications.Own the organizations presence across platforms that AI systems use as sources ensuringourcorporate narrative is consistently represented in theevolvinginformation landscape.Manage relationships with PR firms and external communications consultants.Develop and maintain crisis communications plans integratingwith cross-functional response teams.

Other Key Responsibilities

Measurement & AnalyticsBuild a measurement framework that connects communications work to real outcomes employee engagement member sentiment and advocacy. Report regularly to the CMO and executive team in a way thats useful for decision-making.

AI & Digital FluencyDemonstrate working fluency in AI-powered communications tools. Lead the teams adoption of AI solutions that improve content quality and workflow efficiency. Establish governance guardrails for AI-generated content.Monitor how UWCU is represented in generative AI responses and actively manage content that shapes those outputs.

Team Leadership & Production ManagementLead and develop a high-performing Communications team. Direct relationships with production partners including videographers and printers. Manage the Communications budget with accountability for resource decisions and return on investment.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Communications Public Relations Marketing Journalism or a related field

• 10years of progressive communications experience with 5 years instrategicleadership

• Proven track recordin corporatecommunicationsstrategy thatmeasurable improved employee engagement and organizational alignment

• Exceptional communication presentation and stakeholder management skills

• Exceptional editorial skills

• Demonstrated experience leading communications through enterprise-wide organizational change

• Strong command of communications measurement and executive-level reporting

• Experience managing production partners and external communications consultants

• Financial services fintech or highly regulated industry experience strongly preferred

• Demonstrated fluency in AI-powered communications tools and content governance

Join one of Wisconsins premier financial institutions a National Top Workplace and multi-year recipient of Madison Magazines Best Places to Work Wisconsin State Journals Top Workplaces and Milwaukee Journal Sentinels Top Workplaces to receive:

• Ample amount of time off
• Relocation assistance available
• 2 weeks paid caregiver leave
• 2.5 weeks paid new child parental leave
• 2 days paid volunteer time
• Hybrid work environment
• 10 paid holidays (including your birthday!)
• 401k company match of up to 5% plus approximately 4% discretionary match
• 457 deferred-compensation plan
• Variable bonus reward
• Competitive Medical Dental and Vision plans including domestic partner eligibility
• Employee Assistance Program
• And more!

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply directly through the job posting. For additional information or questions regarding the opportunity please contact Ashley Curless Talent Acquisition Manager at

All employees must possess valid work authorization to work for UWCU on the date of hire. UWCU does not provide immigration sponsorship or support for employment authorization to include but not limited to sponsorship or support for H-1B F-1 OPT TN or other visa category.