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Inside Higher Ed · 1 day ago

Associate Vice President, Strategic Communications

Easton, PA

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

10+ years exp

Lafayette College is seeking a forward-thinking and experienced leader to become the new Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications. The AVP will set strategic direction for communications, lead public affairs and media relations, and collaborate with various leaders across the institution while supervising a team of directors.

Digital MediaEducationHigher EducationJournalismRecruiting

Responsibilities

Provide leadership for critical areas of communications at Lafayette, including internal communications, issues management, and public relations

Partner with the VP in shaping and implementing outreach strategies and initiatives, and engaging, informing, and connecting stakeholders while advancing Lafayette in tandem with institutional goals and in the context of the College strategic plan

Lead a team of directors with a focus on content strategy, publications, academic communications, and public affairs. Oversee workload, schedules, process updates, and review and approval of all final output. Conduct annual performance appraisals and facilitate mentorship of staff

Guide the development and implementation of strategies and activities that enhance Lafayette's visibility, promote and protect its brand and reputation among external and internal constituents, and ensure strategic alignment among all external and internal communications deployed across multiple platforms and channels

Manage the creation of timely, relevant, and robust content designed to engage and inform internal and external stakeholders of key initiatives, news, and events across the College

Collaborate with and provide support for College communicators external to the central team to maintain a cohesive brand identity and address campus-specific projects and needs

Lead the development and execution of strategic and comprehensive communications plans for College-wide initiatives. Conceive, plan, initiate, and steward the effective implementation of campaigns and activities that increase awareness and visibility of the College's academic, scholarly, and service initiatives and showcase its outstanding faculty, staff, students, and alumni

Develop and oversee a proactive media relations strategy to enhance the College's visibility through strategic content development and storytelling. Collaborate with faculty, staff, and campus partners to shape and deliver newsworthy and compelling content aligned with College priorities. Determine need and manage relationships with external vendors to pursue meaningful media coverage

Implement a strategic approach to media monitoring, analytics, and logistics to track coverage, evaluate sentiment, and inform future public relations strategies

Partner closely with Communications and Marketing leadership to raise awareness of the College, promote its reputation, and inspire prospective students, alumni, and donors

Act as strategic thought partner, and provide support and counsel to the VP regarding crisis communications. Contribute to reputation management through the development of rapid responses and statements during high-profile and sensitive issues management. Manage the execution of proactive and reactive strategies to address crises and emerging issues. Serve on the College's crisis management team, deputizing for the VP as necessary

Leverage existing resources and appropriately manage the strategic communications operating budget, including onboarding and managing freelancers

Provide executive presentation and writing support to the VP and select senior leads as needed

Serve on other College committees, councils, and/or task forces as appropriate

Qualification

Strategic communicationsPublic relationsMedia relationsCrisis communicationsBudget managementLeadershipProfessionalismTactDiplomacyTeam collaborationAdaptability

Required

Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree strongly preferred, in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, business administration, or a related discipline, and minimum 10 years of experience with at least eight years in a supervisory role

Proven experience in a senior communications role, preferably within a higher education setting, with a focus on strategy, public relations, and issues management

Leadership style that fosters a positive work environment and empowers team members to deliver high-impact communications solutions

Collaborative, team-oriented approach with a demonstrated commitment to inclusion and belonging

Highest levels of professionalism and integrity, and ability to handle sensitive matters with tact and diplomacy

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities and short-term initiatives while maintaining a focus on long-term objectives

Successful record of leading and managing teams, providing day-to-day oversight and guidance to ensure operational effectiveness

Experience managing operating budgets and effectively stewarding resources for vendor and freelance partnerships

Ability to build and maintain positive, transparent working relationships with colleagues across the campus community

Familiarity with trends in higher education and communications, with ability to translate that knowledge to effective strategies and best practices to advance engagement across the College

Commitment to embracing opportunities for change to propel the unit and College into the future