Director of Communications and Marketing, Office for Inclusion and Diversity

Job Description

The Office for Inclusion and Diversity (OID) is a catalyst for capacity-building across the institution, promoting sustainable institutional transformation and accountability; representational diversity; an inclusive, welcoming, affirming, accessible, and safe campus climate; and the integration of issues of equity and identity into the academic mission. Upholding InclusiveVT, the institutional and individual commitment to the Virginia Tech motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), the office seeks to create a more just and inclusive community that welcomes, encourages, and supports individuals who desire to contribute to and benefit from the institution's missions of learning, discovery, and engagement.
Reporting jointly to the Assistant Provost for Administration and Chief of Staff within the Office for Inclusion and Diversity and the Senior Director for Units within Communications and Marketing, the Director of Communications and Marketing will lead the development, planning, execution, and evaluation of a comprehensive, strategic communications and marketing program for the office, and align those activities with university-wide communications, marketing, and branding initiatives. In a broad sense, the Director's primary responsibility will be to tell the story of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Virginia Tech, including the work of OID, in a manner that captures the vibrancy of the many programs that advance DEI across the institution. We are looking for someone who is a committed and incisive advocate for the office's missions and programs.
To achieve fulfillment of university priorities and Office for Inclusion and Diversity priorities, the Director will collaborate with the office's leadership team, including the Vice President; leaders in the office's many programs; Communications and Marketing colleagues from across campus; and Advancement division colleagues (including communications, alumni engagement, and development staff); and faculty, staff, and students. The Director will lead a comprehensive, strategic communications and marketing plan that is consistent with the office's unique needs, brand marketing, and messaging, as well as the vice president's communications and marketing needs, while also working within the university's larger communications and marketing framework and working with communications and marketing colleagues to achieve shared goals. The Director will directly supervise the office's communications and marketing team, which is comprised of two full-time professionals, a graphics design professional, and additional students.
The Director will lead the communications and marketing team to increase the visibility of the office and its programs and the values of DEI nationally, regionally, and across campus in a variety of ways, including message alignment, written and visual content creation for university and office digital and print platforms, marketing, external media relations, elevating the office's visibility and more. The Director will have a strong record of progressive experience in today's communications and marketing fields, including the development and implementation of a strategic, comprehensive communications and marketing program; evidence of strong communications, interpersonal, presentation, and marketing skills; and proficiency in using word processing, image processing, content management systems, and social media tools. The ideal candidate will also have experience leading a team of professional communicators; a strong understanding of visual storytelling, graphic design and branding principles, and the use of the Internet as a medium of communication; and the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
The position is based at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Required Qualifications

* Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism, or related field.
* Professional experience working in communications, marketing, or related field.
* Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, strategic communications and marketing program.
* Demonstrated ability to define goals and objectives, identify target audiences, and measure progress toward communications and marketing goals.
* Demonstrated strong communications, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
* Demonstrated familiarity with a range of principles including messaging, writing, editing, graphic design, visual communications, branding, marketing, advertising, electronic communications, and social media.
* Demonstrated ability to be self-motivated and capable of working in a complex, matrixed management environment.

Preferred Qualifications

* Advanced degree in communications, journalism, or related field.
* Demonstrated experience in conveying the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in storytelling directed toward general and segmented audiences.
* Experience preferred in supervising communications and marketing professionals.
* Experience in executing marketing initiatives and the analysis and application of market research.
* Experience working with business/industry, alumni engagement, or development initiatives preferred.
* Demonstrated budgetary supervision experience preferred.
* Work experience in a higher education or nonprofit environment.
* Strong skills using technology in the workplace, familiarity with content management systems and email platforms; social media competencies.
* Significant prior experience writing and producing publications and developing and placing stories with external media.

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

$80,000 to $85,000

Review Date

October 14, 2023

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight , a , a college, , and . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous and . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.