Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications

DIVISION: Institutional Advancement

SUPERVISOR’S TITLE: Vice President for Institutional Advancement

DEPARTMENT: Communications and Marketing

Basic Functions

The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications, reports to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement, and has responsibility for strategic communications, research-based messaging, marketing, and branding activity for Benedict College. The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications represents and promotes the College, increasing its visibility and supporting the institution’s mission, vision, and goals. The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications leads the development and implementation of the College’s strategic marketing plan and upholds the brand vision for the institution with an intentional focus on initiatives and campaigns designed to attract the best students, motivate alumni and donors, and recruit high quality faculty and staff. The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications works in collaboration with the Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications, the graphic design team, and the Benedict College Print Shop. The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications oversees strategic marketing content development, media buys, partnerships, and related initiatives. The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications provides strategic marketing direction and coordinates marketing and communications initiatives produced by other divisions, departments, academic and administrative units across the campus.

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PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITY

• Provides leadership for the College’s strategic and integrated marketing and communications functions.
• Develop and oversee the division’s communication strategic plan, aligning it with the College’s overall goals, plans, aspirations, and objectives.
• Formulate and implement communication policies, ensuring compliance with organizational guidelines and industry standards.
• Stay informed about emerging trends and best practices in communications and marketing to continuously improve policies and approaches.
• Manage project budgets, resources, and operations effectively, ensuring optimal utilization of funds and achieving cost-effectiveness.
• Foster increased coordination between schools, divisions, and departments across the campus to ensure consistent messaging and branding across all communications and marketing efforts.
• Collaborate with all divisions and College stakeholders to align strategies and initiatives for a unified institutional image.
• In coordination with the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and the Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing, oversee the development and maintenance of the College’s brand identity, ensuring a strong, cohesive brand presence that resonates with all target audiences.
• Manage crisis communication strategies to protect and enhance the College’s reputation during challenging times.
• Lead media relations efforts, building and maintaining positive relationships with relevant media outlets to amplify the College’s visibility and positive coverage.
• Serve as Benedict’s brand manager, with the responsibility of positioning Benedict College in the market, determining target audiences, and maintaining the desired reputation.
• Serve as the College’s spokesperson as needed and ensure a consistent and unified communication approach.
• Implement data-driven decision-making processes, leveraging analytics to measure the effectiveness of communication and marketing initiatives.
• Use insights to make informed adjustments and improvements to strategies, maximizing impact and return on investment.
• Communicate Benedict’s position and policies on a variety of issues to specific media and to various College constituencies.
• Ensure continuity by writing stories and scripts, initiating special publications, writing articles for publications, and performing other related hands-on functions.
• Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as required.
• Contributes to the overall success of the College by performing all other duties as assigned.
  
  

Required Knowledge Skills And Abilities

• Demonstrated leaderships skills are required. Exceptional skills in communications, marketing, and interpersonal relations are required. The ability to develop and implement strategic communications and research-based marketing plans is required. Expertise in making presentations and negotiating with the media is required.
• Job Dimensions– Knowledge of work, planning and organizing, self-reliance, attention to detail, initiative, stress tolerance, technical/professional self-development, analysis/judgment, commitment to the college, teamwork, dependability, communications.
• Attendance– Individuals in this position are expected to be available during the peak business hours of the college, including weekends, and may occasionally be asked to vary their schedule to meet department requirements.
  
  

Minimum Training And Experience

• A bachelor’s degree with a major in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, business administration, or a related field is required. A master’s degree and/or a professional certification in marketing or public relations is preferred.
• At least five years of experience in marketing and/or communications in one or more of the following settings: education, not-for-profit, government, business and/or industry, is required. A record of success in progressively responsible positions is required. At least three years of management experience is required, as is experience on one or more of these areas: strategic marketing and communications, public relations, media relations, news and information, video production, photography, publications, or athletics communications.