Institute for Contemporary Art Director of Communications and Public Engagement

Virginia Commonwealth University•Richmond, VA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) invites applications for the position of Director of Communications and Public Engagement. The ICA is a non-collecting institution that showcases a changing slate of exhibitions, performances, and programs. With a mission to listen, create, and make art public, the ICA is a place to explore new ideas, providing an open forum for dialogue and collaboration across the region and the world. Opened in 2018 in the LEED Gold-certified, Steven Holl-designed Markel Center, the ICA is a part of VCU’s School of the Arts, linking the campus and the city of Richmond to an international network of contemporary artists and organizations, and encouraging working partnerships with VCU departments, faculty, students, and the broader community. ICA admission is free and open to all. The ICA’s artistic program includes exhibitions, film screenings, talks and discussions, outdoor activations, publications and performances and serves a broad public. In 2020, in partnership with VPM, the VPM+ICA Community Media Center was launched, which presents the annual Levels Up Academy podcasting forum, and the Resonate podcast festival. The Director of Communications and Public Engagement will design and execute an integrated strategic marketing and communications plan for the ICA with focus on enhancing the ICA’s mission and brand through digital engagement, storytelling editorial strategies and public relations; expanding awareness of the ICA’s local, regional and international reputation; and engaging audiences and publics in ways that embody the ICA’s mission to listen, create, and make art public. The Director of Communications and Public Engagement will work in close collaboration with other senior staff at the ICA, across VCU and with external consultants. They will lead and appropriately staff the communications team (Digital Strategist and Editor) in addition to project-specific graphic designers and part-time graduate student interns. Reporting directly to the ICA’s Executive Director, the Director of Communications and Public Engagement is a member of the ICA’s managing staff. In addition, the Director of Communications and Public Engagement has a dotted supervisory line to the VCUarts Director of Communications and Marketing.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree plus three to five years of professional-level experience in marketing and communications, including experience of leading an agency or in-house creative team (or a combination of professional training, experience, and education equivalent to a Bachelor's degree)
Demonstrated experience with various communications and content channels and platforms, successfully leading, developing, and implementing communications, marketing and digital strategy across organizations, ideally within the cultural sector
Possess a strong business acumen and excellent leadership skills, and be able to demonstrate strategic thinking and planning over multi-year periods working on a variety of projects across multiple platforms
Be passionate about contemporary art and culture
Demonstrated experience working within and across teams, and working collaboratively to execute the vision of creatives
Possesses exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including writing, editing, and proofreading
Be well organized, highly motivated, and able to work and lead in a fast-paced and digital environment
Must be self-motivated, strategic, creative, entrepreneurial, and detail-oriented
Be able to problem-solve using sound judgment and professional discretion
Have demonstrated strong work ethic and time management skills
Be an adaptive leader
Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU

Nice To Haves

Five or more years of leading an agency or in-house creative team in the museum or arts industry
Graduate-level degree in a related field
A track record of innovative use of online platforms and digital technologies to drive engagement and interaction with audiences, spanning web, mobile, social media, and onsite interactive media
Experience developing digital products on the basis of user-centered research and of using data analytics to inform decisions

Responsibilities

Design and execute an integrated strategic marketing and communications plan for the ICA with focus on enhancing the ICA’s mission and brand through digital engagement, storytelling editorial strategies and public relations
Expand awareness of the ICA’s local, regional and international reputation
Engage audiences and publics in ways that embody the ICA’s mission to listen, create, and make art public
Work in close collaboration with other senior staff at the ICA, across VCU and with external consultants
Lead and appropriately staff the communications team (Digital Strategist and Editor) in addition to project-specific graphic designers and part-time graduate student interns
Develop strategies that showcase the institute’s brand narrative
Devise, implement and maintain the overall marketing, communications and storytelling strategies of the ICA
Hone effective communication techniques for reaching and motivating the ICA’s audiences to drive visitorship, program attendance, and giving
Support the Digital Strategist in prioritizing innovative and effective digital engagement and storytelling content aligned with the mission and strategic goals of the ICA
Lead and coordinate the production process for various media and platforms, working with in-house and external freelance IT specialists, programmers, designers, and developers to execute projects
Establishing systems and procedures that map departmental priorities onto project-related tasks aligned with the ICA institutional priorities
Work with department heads to develop content for the ICA’s website and related digital products and initiatives
Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of internal and external information; obtain feedback from the public and internal personnel through surveys, public opinion studies, and/or focus group meetings
Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with VCU and VCUarts communications teams, and other VCU faculty and staff, community leaders, donors, and representatives of communications media and governmental organizations
Analyze situations accurately, adopt an effective course of action, and maintain sound decision-making in all situations; exercise authority of the position with diplomacy, honesty, integrity, humor, and tact
Provide motivation, professional development support, and daily project management for the Communications Team, comprising the Creative Director, Designers, Social Strategist, Interns, freelance writers, etc.