Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications

The newly revised position of AVP leads a centralized strategic communications team that provides reputation management, proactive public relations efforts and crisis communications. Additionally, the AVP will drive intentional internal communications at the institutional level while setting the overall strategy for institutional responses, representing university leadership through public communications and providing counsel to the president and senior leadership team. The AVP is an accomplished communications professional of unquestioned integrity, sound judgment and considerable energy with a commitment to collaborative work and empowerment, a passion for higher education, the arts, and the ability to embrace, support and communicate MassArt's vision to pave the way for the next generation of artists, designers and educators. The successful candidate brings strong and proven strategic leadership skills, the ability to anticipate and nimbly respond to emerging opportunities or issues, experience with crisis management, the ability to lead organizational change and experience aligning talent and coordinating across the institution with non-centralized communicators. Highly developed writing and communication skills are essential tools in communicating with multiple constituent groups.

Reporting to the President, the AVP Marketing and Communication will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic marketing and communications strategy for Massachusetts College of Arts and Design. They will oversee brand stewardship, digital marketing planning and project management, measurement and analytics and all other aspects of the marketing and communications functions that highlight MassArt's unique role as a public independent institution. The AVP works in collaboration with the college leadership and a range of institutional stakeholders and departments.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Office of the President

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Exempt and non-exempt Marketing and Communication staff, students and interns as assigned

SALARY RANGE: $150,000 - $170,000 Commensurate with experience
Position is governed by the Non-Unit Professional Policies Handbook

Major Areas of Responsibility:

• Develop, nurture, and lead an effective structure for marketing integration and optimization across the college, including the development of college-wide marketing priorities and deep collaboration with and counsel to the campus communicator community to leverage, integrate and promote engagement with institutional marketing priorities, alignment of messaging and tactics, and efficient and effective operations.
• Work in partnership with colleagues across the College to promote the institution, providing strategic guidance and support to MAAM to raise its profile and position, and tell the many stories of MassArt to internal and external audiences, and oversee the College's owned media, media relations, and social media.
• Support the President in her role as the leading voice for the College, serving as a strategic leader and partner on messaging and positioning. Ensure that the President is well briefed and that her time spent in communications-related activities is highly productive. Similarly guide and support trustees, senior staff, faculty, and other community members in their roles as MassArt representatives.
• Actively build relationships across the College community with key stakeholders, including
• administrators, faculty, staff and alumni. Engage with external constituents, including governmental leaders, potential students, alumni, and community members.
• Collaborates and works closely with the Director of Government and Corporate Relations to ensure that all government and community relations activities further MassArt's mission and serve to deepen ties with the city, state and federal partners; civic, corporate, and arts and cultural organizations across the Commonwealth.
• Lead reputation management for the College, anticipating and preparing for issues and events with the potential for reputational impact.
• Lead a dynamic team of communications professionals with a variety of responsibilities that promote and protect the MassArt brand, furthering a culture based on collaboration, strategy, efficiency, and respect for each other.
• Collaborate with College leadership to develop communication and positioning initiatives that will promote MassArt's unique role and mission
• Guide colleagues in admissions, advancement, and human resources to develop messaging and communication strategies in order to attract and engage current and prospective students, families, donors, alumni and employees.
• Develop meaningful statistical models and/or customized analytics to support informed decisions and conduct regular analysis of the value and effectiveness of marketing and communications efforts, strategies and efforts in service of the goals and objectives of the College.
• Oversee and/or direct the activities of outside contractors including budget control.

Requirements:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Bachelor's degree (advanced degree highly preferred) with seven or more years' experience at a senior level in marketing and communications in higher education, public sector or not-for-profit organizations

Experience: Demonstrated experience developing, executing, and implementing a successful comprehensive marketing and communications program across an enterprise. Demonstrated ability to lead organizational transformation, provide strategic vision and be a strategic advisor. Possess the leadership and management skills to foster a cohesive team in a positive work environment. Broad knowledge of traditional and current marketing and communication disciplines and practices, as well as public relations, content development, digital marketing and design. Excellent editorial/writing skills and the ability to serve as an effective tactical resource, strategic thinker and goal oriented professional.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Superior strategic skills with a strong grasp of industry best practices and a holistic understanding of all aspects of marketing, communications, positioning, and messaging, ideally in higher education.
• Excellent management skills, including leading and mentoring. Ability to influence and engage supervisees, senior leadership, and staff across the organization.
• Ability to effectively engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, using strong interpersonal skills, persuasive presentation, and public speaking skills.
• Ability to build consensus, manage relationships across a diverse group of internal and external constituents, and decisively problem-solve across a multifaceted, fast-moving organization.
• Demonstrated ability in developing marketing and communications strategies across a wide range of platforms and audiences that have led to significant brand/cause visibility.
• Skilled at proactively building relationships with media, and in successfully positioning subject matter with the media to achieve high impact and working effectively with external consultants and partners engaged by the college to support this important workExcellent writing and editing skills with proven ability to translate complex concepts into succinct, clear, accessible language for multiple audiences.
• Significant experience and effectiveness in managing crisis communications.
• Substantial experience evaluating the strengths of existing communications and identifying
• opportunities for improvement. Extensive knowledge of marketing principles and industry trends, including in analytics and assessment; ability to build a culture of data-informed decision making and planning.
• Experience in higher education is desired but not required.
• Leadership style that is steadying, supportive, and collaborative, that inspires confidence and trust.
• Creativity, flexibility, tenacity, optimism, high energy level, and sense of humor

Additional Information:

Please note MassArt does not provide:

• Employment-based visa sponsorship or non-student exchange visitor visa sponsorship.
• Reimbursement for travel.

Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check relative to prior criminal convictions and pending cases, as well as Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) checks relative to prior sexual offenses committed as an adult or juvenile will be conducted on the final candidate prior to an offer of employment. MassArt requires specific written authorization to conduct background checks. Failure to provide such authorization shall preclude your application from receiving further consideration.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to have received the COVID-19 vaccination or an approved exemption as of your start date. Details relating to demonstrating compliance with this requirement will be provided during the onboarding process.

MassArt provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, genetic information, pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, or membership in any other legally protected class. MassArt complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the college operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment

Application Instructions:

Resume/Cover Letter