Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Virginia Tech•Blacksburg, VA

17h

About The Position

The vice president for marketing and communications is a strategic leadership role responsible for developing and executing comprehensive marketing and communications strategies to strengthen the university’s brand, drive growth and visibility, and support institutional priorities and those of Advancement and other college and unit partners. Reporting directly to the university president, with a dotted-line relationship to the senior vice president for advancement, the vice president serves on the President’s leadership cabinet, advises university leaders, collaborates with Advancement leadership, and provides front-line support to university and advancement leaders. The vice president represents the university publicly and in the media, leads crisis communications planning and response, oversees institutional brand and reputation management, and develops comprehensive marketing and communications initiatives informed by data and innovative approaches. The role partners with the president, the senior vice president for advancement, and others to foster relationships and oversee work with the University’s Board of Visitors. The vice president is expected to be visible and involved in campus life and to advance transparency and visibility internally and externally. The role directly oversees a central team of marketing, creative, and communications professionals supporting paid and owned direct marketing; earned media; internal and external news and communications; email platforms; university websites; social and new media; design, writing, and web development; brand development and training; branded merchandise licensing; marketing automation; Virginia Tech Magazine and a planned interactive digital magazine; internal communications; crisis communications and strategic messaging; and Advancement communications. The vice president also oversees WVTF and Radio IQ, Virginia Tech’s NPR member public radio station, and provides direction and leadership to marketing and communications professionals across colleges and units through formal and informal partnerships.

Requirements

A master’s degree in marketing, communications, journalism, business administration, higher education, public administration, or a related field; alternatively, a bachelor’s degree combined with significant professional experience equivalent to advanced education.
Extensive and progressively responsible leadership experience in marketing, communications, public affairs, brand strategy, or related disciplines.
Demonstrated success developing and implementing integrated marketing and communications strategies that advance institutional priorities and measurable outcomes.
Significant experience in brand development, audience engagement, reputation management, and strategic storytelling.
Expertise in digital communications strategy, social media, content strategy, artificial intelligence applications, and emerging marketing and communications technologies.
Understanding of global marketing and communications trends, issues, and strategies in complex organizations serving diverse audiences and markets.
Ability to use data, research, analytics, audience segmentation strategies, and marketing technologies to inform decisions, personalize engagement, and evaluate effectiveness.
Demonstrated success leading, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams.
Experience advising senior executives, elevating leader visibility and thought leadership, and navigating complex, high-profile communications challenges.
Strong understanding of media relations, journalism standards, and the contemporary communications environment.
Experience advising leadership and managing communications during crises.
Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
Experience managing significant budgets, resources, and organizational priorities.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing major public research universities.
Experience supporting fundraising, advancement, alumni engagement, or constituent relations initiatives.
Experience promoting and supporting research excellence.
Understanding of government relations and working with local, state, and national officials and agencies.
Experience in higher education or other complex mission-driven organizations.
Experience overseeing or partnering with media organizations, public broadcasting, journalism, or related enterprises.
Demonstrated success leading large-scale reputation, branding, or institutional visibility initiatives, ideally with a global reach.
Experience leveraging marketing technologies, CRM platforms, and advanced analytics capabilities.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute comprehensive marketing and communications strategies that strengthen the university’s brand, support institutional priorities, and advance growth and visibility.
Serve as a strategic advisor to the president and university leadership and as a member of the President’s leadership cabinet.
Collaborate with Advancement leadership and provide front-line support and contact for university and advancement leaders.
Represent the university publicly and in the media as its spokesperson.
Lead crisis communications planning and response, and advise leadership during crisis situations.
Oversee institutional brand development, reputation management, and comprehensive marketing and communications planning.
Use data-driven insights and innovative approaches to strengthen institutional positioning, promote the brand, and elevate the university’s reputation.
Partner with university leaders to foster relationships and oversee work with the University’s Board of Visitors.
Maintain a visible presence at campus events and activities and advance transparency and visibility internally and externally.
Directly oversee central marketing, creative, and communications teams and their university-level functions, including marketing channels, media engagement, digital platforms, web, social media, creative services, brand application, licensing, marketing automation, publications, internal communications, and Advancement communications.
Oversee NPR member public radio station WVTF and Radio IQ.
Provide overall direction and leadership to college- and unit-based marketing and communications professionals through formal and informal partnerships.
Manage significant budgets, resources, and organizational priorities.