Job Description
About Berkeley At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff. As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic, and social value. We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan. At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley. Departmental Overview UC Berkeley Strategic Communications leads institutional communications and brand management for the most prominent public university in the world. Our team tells UC Berkeley's story through news and media relations, marketing and brand management, social media, video, executive communications and internal communications, working in partnership with communicators across campus to amplify Berkeley's collective impact. Position Summary The video director leads video strategy and production for UC Berkeley's Strategic Communications office. The director develops original video concepts, series and campaigns; oversees a video producer, contractors and student workers; and manages all aspects of production from planning through delivery. The director shapes video content for multiple audiences and platforms, including social media, web and internal communications. This hybrid position leads video strategy and production for Strategic Communications. The video director is an experienced video professional capable of planning, shooting and editing videos independently or in conjunction with the expert communicators in the office. Projects may include introducing and explaining a world-changing research breakthrough to audiences in the media and on social media, documenting the day when a faculty member finds out they won a Nobel Prize or creating short documentaries about compelling students, staff or faculty. The video director will also develop stand-alone video campaigns or series that further the communications goals of the office. The video director must work collaboratively across Strategic Communications - with writers, copy editors, graphic designers, and marketing communications, social media and brand management professionals under, at times, ambiguous circumstances. In that ambiguity, they must identify how video is a tool to further the team's goals and then execute on that vision, keenly shaping the final product for its intended audience. The director must also have a strong ability to navigate and communicate complex issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, ability and other intersectional topics. The video director must work effectively with a variety of campus leaders, faculty, and other stakeholders, ensuring efficient use of their time for video shoots and potential review/approvals of content. The video director must demonstrate a full understanding of industry standards and the accessibility best practices, as well as a fluency with using metrics and analytics to measure success and map out a content strategy. This position will manage a video producer and a team of student workers and reports to the executive director of news and media relations, with a dotted line to the executive director of marketing and communications. Weekend and evening work may be required on occasion. Application Review Date The First Review Date for this job is: May 20, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date. Responsibilities Conceptualizing, planning, shooting and editing videos that effectively illustrate the communications priorities of UC Berkeley. This includes developing repeatable formats for various channels as well as: Researching subjects and pre-interviewing Interviewing Script creation or co-creation Identifying, vetting, contacting and coord