About the position
The Vice President for Marketing and Communications is a strategic leadership role responsible for developing and executing comprehensive marketing and communication strategies to strengthen and enhance the university's brand, drive growth and institutional visibility, and achieve the university's top priorities. Reporting jointly to the President and Senior Vice President for Advancement, the Vice President for Marketing and Communications is the chief marketing and communications officer who serves as a strategic advisor on the university's comprehensive marketing and communications plans. The Vice President is a member of the President's Cabinet and a key member of the Advancement executive leadership team and collaborates closely with advancement leaders to ensure strong alignment and integration of the advancement model, comprising of development, engagement, and marketing and communications. In addition to overseeing university communication strategies, this role will also focus on marketing initiatives, leveraging data-driven insights and innovative approaches to maximize institutional positioning, brand management, and reputation management. Through direct or delegated reporting lines, the Vice President oversees a broad team of marketing and communication professionals including: all college- and unit-based communications; media relations; primary and secondary university and college- and unit-based platforms; university-level marketing and advertising; advancement communications, including those targeted at major gift prospects, corporations, foundations, and principal gift prospects; The Virginia Tech Magazine; Photo and video production; design services; university-level websites and social media platforms; commercial and promotional licensing of branded merchandise; and the NPR member public radio station, WVTF and Radio IQ, which has signals that cover all of the Commonwealth of Virginia. This role aligns campus marketing and communications efforts, plans, and staff through dual reporting lines shared by the units and central Marketing and Communications, which includes the lead communicators across all university leadership areas. A member of the university's leadership team, this position partners closely with the President and Senior Vice President for Advancement and fosters relationships with the University's Board of Visitors to ensure strategies to meet internal and external marketing needs. As a senior leader on campus, the Vice President is expected to be visible and involved in various campus events and activities and advance a spirit of transparency and visibility internally and externally.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute comprehensive marketing and communication strategies.
- Strengthen and enhance the university's brand.
- Drive growth and institutional visibility.
- Serve as a strategic advisor on marketing and communications plans.
- Oversee a broad team of marketing and communication professionals.
- Align campus marketing and communications efforts.
- Collaborate closely with advancement leaders.
- Manage university-level marketing and advertising.
- Foster relationships with the University's Board of Visitors.
- Be visible and involved in campus events and activities.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
- Extensive and progressive marketing and communications experience.
- Proven track record of success in developing and executing effective marketing strategies.
- Experience in developing brand platforms and strategies.
- Extensive experience in digital, social media, and content marketing.
- Strong analytical skills and experience using data to drive decisions.
- Proven ability to lead and manage a high-performing team.
- Experience in addressing the public through various media.
- Understanding of contemporary journalism ethics.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
- Fiscal acumen with experience managing significant budgets.
- Experience with CRM and marketing automation platforms.
- Strong understanding of brand management principles.
Nice-to-haves
- Master's degree in marketing, higher education, public administration, or related field.
- Experience in marketing and communications within higher education.
- Experience with marketing analytics platforms.
- Experience with video production and editing.
- Experience in developing and executing global marketing campaigns.
- Experience in or oversight of educational and/or professional media organizations.
- Broad understanding of nonprofit and higher education fundraising.
