Assistant/Associate Vice President Reputation Strategy - 529401

The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL

About The Position

The Assistant/Associate Vice President for Reputation Strategy is responsible for protecting, strengthening, and advancing the institution’s image and reputation. Provides strategic oversight of issues management, crisis communications, and reputational risk. Collaborates with leaders across the Division of Strategic Communications to shape narratives that support institutional priorities, values, and long-term strategy. Partners closely with the VP for Strategic Communications, senior leaders within Strategic Communications and executive leadership to anticipate challenges, guide decision-making, and ensure coordinated, timely, and effective communications in high-stakes environments.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, strategic communications, or related field and fifteen (15) years of progressive senior-level experience in strategic communications, reputation management, crisis communications, or issues management within a complex organization; OR master's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, strategic communications, or related field and thirteen (13) years of progressive senior-level experience in strategic communications, reputation management, crisis communications, or issues management within a complex organization.
  • Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership in high-pressure, high-visibility, high-impact situations.
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage sensitive, Confidential matters with sound judgment and discretion.
  • Previous management or supervisory experience.
  • Exceptional strategic thinking, writing, and verbal communication skills.
  • Strategic judgment and decision-making.
  • Crisis leadership and calm under pressure.
  • Executive presence and credibility.
  • Political and organizational acumen.
  • Collaboration and influence across complex organizations.
  • Successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources.

Nice To Haves

  • Advanced degree in communications, public administration, higher education leadership, or a related field.
  • Experience in higher education, healthcare, government, or another highly regulated, mission-driven environment.
  • Deep familiarity with media relations, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement in crisis contexts.

Responsibilities

  • Protecting, strengthening, and advancing the institution’s image and reputation.
  • Providing strategic oversight of issues management, crisis communications, and reputational risk.
  • Collaborating with leaders across the Division of Strategic Communications to shape narratives that support institutional priorities, values, and long-term strategy.
  • Partnering closely with the VP for Strategic Communications, senior leaders within Strategic Communications and executive leadership to anticipate challenges, guide decision-making, and ensure coordinated, timely, and effective communications in high-stakes environments.
  • Supervising the public relations strategist dedicated to issues management.
  • Supervising the communications specialist dedicated to open records.
  • Working closely with other members of the strategic leadership team within Strategic Communications.
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