Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Texas A&M University System•Corpus Christi, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Marketing and Communications, under the direction of the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, serves as the university’s chief marketing and communications strategist and provides senior-level leadership and strategic oversight for the university's integrated marketing, communications, digital, and web services functions. The AVP is responsible for developing and executing a cohesive institutional brand strategy that enhances visibility, supports enrollment, protects and elevates reputation, and advances the university's mission. This position directly supervises the Executive Director of Marketing, Director of Communications, and Director of Web Services, fostering collaboration across these areas to deliver impactful, data-driven, and brand-consistent communications.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, or a closely related field
Eight (8) or more years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, or a related field, including at least three (3) years in a senior leadership or management role
Master’s degree and six (6) or more years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, or a related field, including at least three (3) years in a senior leadership or management role.
Doctoral degree and four (4) or more years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, or a related field, including experience in a senior leadership or management role, including at least three (3) years in a senior leadership or management role.
Demonstrated experience supervising and developing professional staff across multiple functional areas.
Strong knowledge of digital marketing, SEO, analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics), CRM systems, and social media strategy.
Demonstrated experience managing budgets and vendor relationships.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft and deliver clear, compelling messaging across various audiences and channels.
Strong analytical skills and ability to use data to drive strategic decision-making.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and lead in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in marketing, communications, business administration, or a closely related field.
Experience in higher education marketing and communications.
Experience with crisis communications planning and execution.
Experience leading large-scale brand refresh or campaign development.
Familiarity with web and data governance, privacy and accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1, Section 508, FERPA, TCPA), and content management systems (e.g., Cascade).
Experience with AI tools in marketing and communications.
Experience working in an integrated institutional advancement environment, including engagement with enrollment management, alumni relations, and development.
Demonstrated track record of building and sustaining institutional brand identity in a complex, multi-audience organization.

Responsibilities

Provide senior-level strategic leadership for all marketing and communications functions, aligning departmental goals with the university's strategic plan, enrollment objectives, and institutional advancement priorities.
Develop, implement, and continuously evaluate a comprehensive, integrated marketing and communications strategy that promotes the university's brand, reputation, and competitive position.
Supervise, mentor, and evaluate the Executive Director of Marketing, Director of Communications, and Director of Web Services, fostering a high-performing, collaborative team culture.
Serve as the primary marketing and communications advisor to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and university leadership, providing counsel on brand, messaging, and public engagement strategies.
Lead cross-functional planning efforts that integrate marketing, communications, web, and digital channels into cohesive campaigns supporting enrollment, retention, fundraising, and research visibility.
Establish and monitor departmental metrics and annual workplans; use data and analytics to evaluate campaign effectiveness and guide continuous improvement.
Represent Marketing and Communications in university-wide committees, cabinet-level discussions, and external partnerships, serving as a strategic voice for institutional branding and communications.
Manage the department's overall budget, personnel resources, and vendor relationships, ensuring effective and efficient use of resources aligned with strategic priorities.
Serve as the primary liaison between Marketing and Communications and academic colleges, administrative units, the President's Cabinet, and other campus stakeholders, fostering collaborative partnerships that align departmental work with university-wide priorities and initiatives.
Establish and maintain clear service models, communication workflows, and partnership agreements that define how Marketing and Communications supports and engages with units across campus.
Provide executive oversight and strategic direction for university-wide brand management, ensuring consistent application of brand standards across all platforms, channels, and constituent audiences.
Guide the development, maintenance, and evolution of the university's visual identity, brand guidelines, and style standards in collaboration with the Executive Director of Marketing.
Oversee enrollment marketing strategy, including coordination with the Division of Enrollment Management to align campaigns with recruitment and retention goals.
Direct university-wide advertising strategy, including media planning, placement, and evaluation for institutional and enrollment-focused campaigns.
Provide strategic oversight for CRM platforms and marketing automation tools used to support student outreach, recruitment communication pipelines, and engagement tracking.
Oversee trademark, licensing, and intellectual property initiatives, ensuring consistent and compliant use of university marks across all internal and external applications.
Champion the integration of data-driven decision-making into marketing planning, including audience segmentation, digital behavior analysis, and campaign performance evaluation.
Provide executive oversight of the university's strategic communications program, including media relations, internal communications, editorial standards, and institutional messaging.
Support and advise the Director of Communications in developing and executing comprehensive communication strategies that advance the university's reputation and serve various internal and external audiences.
Serve as a senior communications advisor to university leadership on high-profile, sensitive, or complex communications matters, including issues management and proactive reputation strategies.
Oversee the production of institutional communications, including official publications, leadership messaging, and key stakeholder communications.
Provide strategic direction for social media, video content, and digital storytelling initiatives to ensure alignment with brand strategy and institutional goals.
Ensure all communications efforts align with brand guidelines, AP style standards, and the university's strategic messaging priorities.
Collaborate with academic colleges, administrative units, and the President's Cabinet to identify opportunities for strategic communications that elevate the university's profile.
Collaborate with community partners and external constituents to align messaging and public positioning.
Serve as a senior communications leader during institutional emergencies, crises, or reputational incidents.
Support the Director of Communications as the operational lead on crisis communications, ensuring timely, accurate, and coordinated messaging across all channels.
Advise the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, President’s Cabinet, and Incident Command on public messaging strategies during crises, balancing transparency, institutional values, and legal considerations.
Ensure the university's crisis communication plan is current, comprehensive, and regularly tested, including templates for likely scenarios and protocols for multi-channel dissemination.
Coordinate with University Police Department, the TAMU System Office of General Counsel, and university leadership to align communications with response actions and legal requirements.
Provide after-hours and weekend availability as necessary in response to time-sensitive incidents, emergencies, or reputational issues.
Provide senior-level oversight and strategic direction for the university's web strategy, including vision, priorities, governance, and long-range planning, ensuring alignment with institutional branding, recruitment goals, and communications strategies.
Support and advise the Director of Web Services in developing and executing a comprehensive web strategy that enhances user experience, accessibility, and content effectiveness.
Ensure integration of web, digital marketing, and SEO strategies with broader marketing and communications plans, fostering a unified digital experience for all constituent audiences.
Oversee compliance with accessibility standards (WCAG/ADA, Section 508), data security policies, and applicable regulatory requirements across digital platforms.
Guide the evaluation and adoption of emerging web technologies, platforms, and digital trends to maintain the university's competitive digital presence.
Drive innovation in digital engagement, including personalization strategies, AI-enabled tools, and conversion optimization across digital platforms.
Partner with Information Technology and other campus stakeholders to ensure digital infrastructure supports the university's marketing, communications, and enrollment goals.
Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing governance of campus-wide texting guidelines and mass messaging platforms, establishing consistent use standards, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations (e.g., TCPA), and coordinating with units across campus that utilize text-based communications.
Oversee the strategic use of web analytics, conversion tracking, and performance metrics to guide a cohesive marketing, communication, and website strategy.
Serve on university-wide committees, task forces, or working groups as assigned by the Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
Represent the university at external events, conferences, or professional associations as appropriate.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Medical $0 - $30 per month for Employee Only coverage after university contribution ($920 value). Up to 83% of premium covered by the university: Employee and Spouse Employee and Children Employee and Family coverage
Dental & Vision
Life Insurance, Accidental D&D, Long Term Disability, Flexible Spending Account and Day Care Spending Account
On-campus wellness opportunities
Work Life Solutions: Counseling, Work Life Assistance, Financial Resources, and Legal Resources
Tuition Benefits: Public Loan Forgiveness
Book scholarships 100% tuition coverage for up to 18 credit hours per fiscal year (other rules may apply).
Retirement Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or Optional Retirement Plan (ORP)
Voluntary Tax Deferred Account/Deferred Compensation Plan
Time Off: 8+ hours of vacation paid time off every month.
8 hours of sick leave time off every month.
8 hours of paid time off for Birthday leave.
12-15 paid holidays each year.