Associate Vice President Brand Experience

Indian River State College•Fort Pierce, FL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Indian River State College is seeking a bold marketing leader to shape how our brand is experienced, understood, and trusted—on campus, online, and throughout the communities we serve. Under general administrative supervision, the Associate Vice President of Brand Experience serves as the College’s senior leader for marketing, communications, and events, and as the chief steward of the institution’s brand. This role sets and executes the College-wide marketing, communications, and events roadmap that drives visibility, supports enrollment, and strengthens institutional reputation across both physical and digital environments. As the lead marketing voice for the College and its direct support organizations, you will guide a high-performing, multidisciplinary team, oversee a comprehensive media budget, and apply data-informed approaches—including emerging technologies and AI—to deliver measurable results. This role is ideal for a confident, modern marketing executive who brings fresh thinking to higher education and understands how brand experience influences trust, access, and student success. About Us Indian River State College is a leading public institution located on Florida’s Treasure Coast, serving students across multiple campuses in four counties. We are dedicated to academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement, offering associate and bachelor’s degrees, workforce training, and continuing education programs. At The River, we believe every student’s and employee’s story matters. We value the different perspectives, experiences, and talents that come together on our campuses, creating a learning environment and workplace that’s supportive, inclusive, and inspiring. With flexible options online, on campus, and hybrid, we design learning experiences that meet students where they are and prepare them for real-world success. Programs like the Promise Program open doors by providing eligible students with tuition-free access, ensuring every learner has the opportunity to thrive. Why Join the River When you join Indian River State College, you become part of a forward-thinking and supportive community where your work truly matters. Your role is more than a job; it’s an opportunity to shape the future, uplift students, and be part of a mission-driven college that is changing lives every day. JOB SUMMARY: under general administrative supervision to drive the institution’s brand visibility and propel strategic visibility across both physical and digital domains. As the Chief Marketing Strategist for the College and its direct support organizations, you will establish and execute the overarching marketing, communications, and events roadmap. This position entails leading a high-performing hybrid team and overseeing a comprehensive media budget. You will employ innovative, data-driven strategies, emerging technologies, and continuous testing to enhance enrollment outcomes and fortify the brand’s reputation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field.
Minimum of seven (7) years of marketing/brand experience, with at least three (3) years in a senior leadership role.
Proven ability to manage large, diverse teams (14+) across multiple locations and departments.
Technical Savvy: Expertise within marketing workflows and familiarity with the latest marketing technologies.
Mindset: A decisive, confident leader who thinks "outside of higher ed" to bring modern, innovative marketing practices to the institution.
Communication: Exceptional diplomatic and interpersonal skills for interaction with College administrators, the Board of Trustees, and the public.

Responsibilities

Define and drive the strategic vision for marketing, communications, and event initiatives across all four campuses and all College direct support organizations.
Foster a high-performing team culture grounded in candor, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration.
In cooperation with the College AI team, lead the marketing and communications AI strategy, guiding the evaluation, testing, and adoption of AI tools to enhance efficiency and creative impact.
Maintain full P&L ownership for the Brand Experience division, ensuring fiscal accountability and measurable return on investment.
Balance competing institutional priorities by establishing clear decision-making criteria to allocate resources to initiatives with the greatest strategic impact
Provide executive oversight for all creative output, ensuring that design for on-campus physical experiences, paid media campaigns, and organic social content aligns with brand standards and institutional goals.
Ensure overall responsibility for the success of creative assets by using hypothesis-driven testing frameworks to assess design effectiveness and brand impact.
Maintain a cohesive brand narrative across all touchpoints, from digital ads to the physical campus environment.
Lead a multi-disciplinary team of 14+ professionals, including the Marketing Manager, Developers, Creative Manager, Creative Strategists, Events Director and staff, Public Information Officer (PIO), PR Coordinator, and student workers.
Oversee a hybrid workforce model, ensuring productivity and high engagement while maintaining the flexibility of a hybrid schedule.
Manage agency partners with a focus on results-driven enrollment marketing, holding external vendors accountable for ROI and performance.
Manage the full-cycle college media budget, a six-figure investment per year in media spend across paid, earned, and owned channels.
Set Marketing Strategy for all College direct support organizations.
Direct the Foundation's specialized marketing budget, ensuring precision and high-touch quality in all donor-facing collateral and campaigns.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to execute significant events, including commencement and high-level donor outreach.
Completes all other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.