Vice President for Strategic Brand Communications

Reporting to the Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, the Vice President for Strategic Brand Communications provides strategic leadership and direction for the University’s brand, marketing, and communications efforts.

The Vice President plays a key role in shaping the University’s brand positioning, messaging, and market presence, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and long-term growth objectives.

Working closely with senior leadership and campus partners, the Vice President guides institutional communications and brand strategy, supporting enrollment growth, philanthropic engagement, and overall institutional visibility.

Representative Duties

Institutional Brand Strategy and Positioning

• Lead the development and stewardship of the University’s brand strategy, including positioning, messaging frameworks, and brand architecture.
• Define and articulate the University’s distinctive value proposition within the higher education landscape.
• Develop and steward core brand attributes that define how the University is perceived and differentiated.
• Ensure consistent brand expression across academic programs, institutional initiatives, and communications channels.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators related to brand strength, market visibility, and institutional reputation, and ensure alignment with enrollment and advancement outcomes.

Executive Leadership and Institutional Communications

• Serve as a senior leader within the University’s strategy and growth functions, contributing to institutional strategy, priorities, and decision-making.
• Partner with senior leadership to advise on institutional positioning, public narrative, and reputational strategy.
• Lead institutional communications planning to support the University’s strategic priorities and growth objectives.

Strategic Communications and Institutional Narrative

• Lead strategic communications initiatives that highlight academic excellence, faculty scholarship, student success, and community impact.
• Translate complex institutional initiatives into clear and compelling narratives for internal and external audiences.
• Partner with senior leadership to communicate institutional priorities through coordinated communications strategies.

Reputation and Public Visibility

• Represent the University’s brand and communications strategy in external engagements, including media, partnerships, and high-profile institutional initiatives.
• Strengthen regional and national reputation through strategic storytelling, media engagement, and thought leadership.
• Elevate the visibility of faculty expertise, research achievements, and student outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to position the University prominently in conversations related to higher education, innovation, and community impact.

Integrated Branding and Communications Initiatives

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for institutional marketing functions, including enrollment marketing, ensuring alignment with brand strategy, audience segmentation, and demand generation efforts.
• Collaborate closely with graduate and undergraduate Admissions teams and University Advancement and Partnerships to align institutional messaging and guide the development of integrated campaigns that support demand generation, enrollment growth, and philanthropic initiatives.
• Coordinate messaging across digital platforms, media outreach, publications, events, and institutional campaigns.
• Ensure strategic alignment of communications efforts across academic and administrative units to maintain a cohesive voice.

Brand Governance and Institutional Alignment

• Serve as the key leader guiding institutional brand strategy, messaging, and communications strategy across all University functions.
• Oversee the establishment and maintenance of university-wide brand standards and messaging frameworks to ensure consistency across all communications and external engagements.
• Provide strategic guidance to academic units and administrative offices regarding brand alignment and communications planning.
• Foster collaboration among communications, marketing, enrollment, and advancement teams to ensure coordinated messaging.
• Ensure alignment of brand and communications strategy with enrollment and advancement initiatives, providing guidance to support integrated institutional growth efforts.

Leadership and Operational Oversight

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for branding and communications functions, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Provide strategic oversight of executive communications, including messaging for the President and senior leadership.
• Oversee marketing and communications teams, including functions supporting enrollment marketing, digital marketing, and campaign execution.
• Lead and develop high-performing communications teams, including setting direction, mentoring staff, and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the development and execution of communications plans and messaging strategies supporting institutional initiatives and leadership priorities.
• Coordinate communications planning and implementation across campus units to ensure alignment with brand strategy.

Issues Management and Crisis Communications

• Lead the University’s communications response during issues and crises in coordination with senior leadership.
• ·Develop and maintain crisis communications strategies and protocols to protect and strengthen institutional reputation.
• Provide guidance and training to campus leaders on issues management and crisis communications best practices.
• Partner with public safety, legal counsel, and executive leadership on sensitive or high-profile matters.

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, preferably in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, business administration, or a related field.

At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic communications, branding, marketing, journalism, public relations, or related fields. Experience may be gained within higher education or other sectors with comparable responsibilities for brand development, strategic communications, reputation management, or organizational visibility initiatives.

At least ten (10) years of leadership experience in a management role within a complex organization, including responsibility for strategic initiatives, staff supervision, and management of budgets and resources.

Demonstrated experience developing and implementing institutional communications or branding strategies that strengthen organizational visibility, reputation, and stakeholder engagement.