Vice President of External Relations - Massasoit Community College

Massasoit Community College is seeking a dynamic and visionary leader to serve as The Vice President for External Relations who will provide strategic leadership focusing on outward-facing areas of college operations to include institutional advancement, public relations, marketing, grant development and legislative relations. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to enhance the college's visibility, secure financial support, and foster strong relationships with the community and key stakeholders. Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Direct reports to the Vice President for External Relations include the Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, the Executive Director of Grants, and the Director of Advancement.

Essential Functions:

Fundraising and Advancement

• Lead the development and execution of comprehensive fundraising strategies, including annual campaigns, major gifts, planned giving, and corporate partnerships.
• Build and maintain relationships with alumni, donors, and corporate partners to secure financial support for the college's initiatives and priorities.
• Oversee donor cultivation, stewardship, and recognition programs, ensuring effective engagement and communication with all stakeholders.
• Plan and execute fundraising events, capital campaigns, and other initiatives to meet and exceed financial goals.

Marketing and Public Relations

• Develop and implement an integrated marketing and branding strategy to enhance the college's visibility, reputation, and engagement with target audiences.
• Oversee public relations efforts, including media outreach, social media management, and digital communications, ensuring consistent and positive messaging.
• Collaborate with academic departments and administrative units to promote institutional achievements, student-centered stories, local/regional economic development opportunities, and college programs including credit, not-for-credit, and adult education programs.
• Serve as the primary spokesperson for the college, working closely with the President on external communications and crisis management.

Grants Department

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the college's grants department, ensuring alignment with the strategic plan's institutional goals and community needs.
• Oversee the identification of grant-funded opportunities and the preparation and submission of grant proposals to foundations, government entities, and other funding sources.
• Work with program directors to ensure that proposals align with the organization's goals and objectives.
• Monitor the implementation of grant-funded programs and ensure compliance with grantor requirements.

Legislative Relations: Institutional Collaboration and Representation

• Serve as a key advisor to the President on matters related to legislative relations.
• Build and maintain relationships with legislative bodies to ensure the college is represented in key policy discussions, securing necessary funding, resources, and support for academic and operational initiatives.
• Align institutional messaging with current policy debates and position the college as a thought leader in higher education.
• Foster a proactive approach in coordinating meetings between legislators, the President, and senior leadership to support the college's legislative agenda.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead and manage a professional team in the areas of advancement, marketing, public relations, grants, and legislative relations.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability within the team, encouraging professional growth and high performance.
• Set clear goals and metrics for the team, regularly evaluating progress and making necessary adjustments to achieve institutional objectives.
• Collaborate with other members of the Executive Leadership Team to ensure alignment between the college's strategic goals and advancement and marketing efforts.

Additional Duties

• Represent the college at external events, donor meetings, industry gatherings, and community engagements, promoting the institution's mission and accomplishments.
• Collaborate with internal departments to align marketing and fundraising strategies with academic programs. enrollment management, and institutional priorities.

Required:

• Bachelor's degree *and* seven (7) years of work-related experience *OR* master's degree *and* three (3) years of work-related experience.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience in higher education, state or regional legislative affairs or nonprofit management.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in marketing, communications, business administration, or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of proven success in fundraising, marketing, public relations, and managing external relationships, with a demonstrated ability to secure major gifts and lead capital campaigns.
• Experience in overseeing or managing a grants department is highly preferred.

Position Status: Full-time benefited Non-Unit Professional

Hours: 37.5 hours per week Monday - Friday

Salary: $153,295.00 - $199,283 is commensurate with experience and education.

Worksite: Assignments will include all Massasoit sites and additional locations as necessary.

Deadline to Apply: August 31, 2025

Application Instructions:

A cover letter, resume and a list of three professional references are required, please apply online.