Associate Director of Advancement Communications (Interim)

Pomona College•Claremont, CA

5d•$75,000 - $88,000

About The Position

ABOUT POMONA COLLEGE: Located near Los Angeles, California, Pomona College is widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges. Established in 1887, Pomona College is known for small classes, a challenging curriculum, close relationships between students and faculty, and a range of student research and leadership opportunities. Pomona is a member of The Claremont Colleges. JOB PURPOSE: Reporting to the Senior Director of Audience Strategy (Sr. Director), the Associate Director of Advancement Communications will collaborate with the Sr. Director and other colleagues to create and implement complex, integrated multichannel advancement communications that elevate and advance Pomona College’s campaign initiatives, alumni and family engagement, annual giving, donor stewardship, and gift planning efforts. The Associate Director will be a flexible and experienced professional who understands the unique challenges and opportunities in communicating with a higher-education community and has relevant experience planning and implementing multichannel communications that take advantage of the power of print, web, broadcast communications, social media and video. Part of a talented and multi-function team, the Associate Director will contribute to the creative vision for a communications program that inspires Pomona donors, alumni and families and generates support for the College’s priorities. In collaboration with team members, the Associate Director will manage the development and production of print, digital and multimedia communications projects. The Associate Director’s work will bolster communications efforts across all channels, strengthening the Pomona brand, elevating the College’s strategic priorities and reinforcing a culture of philanthropy across the Sagehen community. The Advancement Communications Team is a group of creative thinkers who care deeply about impactful communications, inspiring storytelling, and advancing the mission of Pomona College. The office culture is fast-paced, collaborative, respectful and professional, with some humor and a lot of creative brainstorming. Team members take great pride in the tremendous opportunity and responsibility of advancing and resourcing the College’s mission.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, business administration, a liberal arts field, or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
A valid driver’s license is required or equivalent means of reliable transportation to off-site meetings and events.
A minimum of five (5) years of communications experience, preferably in higher education, advancement or development, in a position that includes a trajectory of increased responsibility; strong communication and marketing skills; significant writing and editing responsibilities; and a strong portfolio of multichannel communications projects.
Excellent visual, written and oral communication skills required.
Excellent professional judgment, and the ability to communicate with tact and sensitivity with a broad range of constituencies including donors, faculty and staff.
Highly creative and organized, with demonstrated project management experience and a proven ability to balance multiple concurrent priorities, meet deadlines and work effectively in a complex institution.
Respect the values of a liberal arts education and reflect the core values of the Pomona College Office of Advancement, which emphasize relationship-building, collaboration, individual initiative and accountability, and professional growth and development.
Demonstrated ability to effectively create and tell a story through text, video, photos and graphic design.
Strong, informative and persuasive writing and editing skills and experience developing dynamic and multifaceted communications that drive audiences to take action.
An understanding of advancement/development best practices related to communications, engagement, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
Ability to analyze and interpret complex data to enhance communication strategies and deliverables.
Strong organizational and time management skills with a keen eye to detail and ability to independently complete work that is timely, accurate and professional.
Experience with social media platforms, websites and emerging media.
Ability to proactively organize, lead, execute, and manage multiple timelines for numerous projects to meet deadlines.
A professional presence, strong interpersonal skills and collaborative approach to developing high-quality communications deliverables.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.) is a plus.
Experience using fundraising databases (Salesforce) or other customer relationship database systems preferred but not required.
Experience in media relations is a plus.

Responsibilities

Plan, lead and implement print communications projects collaborating with colleagues within the department and division and working with external vendors as assigned.
Collaborate with Sr. Director and other team members to plan, lead and continually improve multichannel communications efforts through data-informed strategy, creative planning and industry best practices.
The Associate Director will create project plans for multichannel communications, managing schedules, workload, production, distribution arrangements and other details to ensure timely progress and successful completion of deliverables.
Apply alumni and family research metrics to the development of communication strategies.
Contribute to social media campaigns and video projects that enhance visibility, broaden reach, and drive engagement with the College.
Contribute to the development of content and messaging for Advancement communications to promote Advancement’s and Pomona’s strategic goals.
Work collaboratively with team leadership to effectively utilize team members’ skills, contributions, and time.
Plan, document, and execute process improvements, soliciting and incorporating feedback from stakeholders on key deliverables.
Steward relationships with Advancement colleagues, campus partners, constituents and story subjects.
Perform special projects and other duties as assigned.