Assistant Vice President, Communications

Trinity is a highly selective, independent, nonsectarian liberal arts institution located in the capital city of Hartford, Connecticut. The college maintains a rigorous academic profile complemented by a vibrant co-curricular program. With more than 2,100 full-time undergraduate students, representing forty-three states and ninety-one countries, we consider our location in a culturally and socioeconomically diverse capital city to be among Trinity’s most distinctive assets; and we cultivate strong connections with our surrounding neighbors and with institutions and organizations throughout Hartford and the region. As a preeminent liberal arts college in an urban setting, Trinity College prepares students to be bold, independent thinkers who lead transformative lives.

The Office of Communications and Marketing is responsible for telling the stories of Trinity College with a rich and authentic voice that fortifies Trinity’s brand. Our approach requires an endless passion for creating effective, innovative, and compelling content to support the priorities of the institution, elevate its public profile and reputation, and engage our community in the life and academic mission of the College.

Trinity College seeks a talented and creative communications professional to become its next assistant vice president of communications. Reporting to the

vice president of strategic marketing and communications, the successful candidate will join as a senior manager who continually inspires a collaborative, creative, and strategic team. This highly talented professional will bring demonstrated experience in managing the creative team responsible for Trinity’s integrated messaging and multichannel content planning, media relations, branding, digital communications, leadership communications, crisis communications, and constituent engagement. This person will be a collaborative and nimble leader who can further the division’s strategic priorities efficiently and effectively.

Responsibilities:
1. Exceptional Leadership. With an eye to creating a center of excellence, acts as a senior leader for the Office of Communications and Marketing and trusted advisor to the vice president. Supports the vice president by managing the department and its day-to-day operations, including general budget. Seeks efficiencies and opportunities for departmental growth, including creating benchmarks for success. Exercises solid and sound professional judgement.

2. Trusted Campus Advisor. Builds campus partnerships with a high degree of integrity, equanimity, diplomacy, and consensus-building as an active listener and observer. Communicates openly with superior skills in stewarding large projects across a complex system. Guides communications planning with campus partners in student success and admissions, advancement, events, dean of faculty’s office, community relations, athletics, facilities, the president’s office, library and IT, and other administrative areas. Builds and maintains solid working relationships with faculty to promote their work and a model liberal arts education.

3. Experienced Team Manager. Manages a staff with a high degree of emotional intelligence to coach, correct, mentor, and develop talent effectively.

4. Strong Creative Producer. Must have a proven track record of producing and executing effective strategic communications and marketing plans. Excellent writing skills required. Enforces the brand of the College for consistency in creative direction and messaging across external and internal communications.

5. Response Communicator. Media relations experience desired. Serves on the communications response team and the College’s Emergency Management Team when called to produce time-sensitive communications regarding emergent issues, crisis response, and reputational management. Must act with a high degree of accuracy, decorum, and discretion, writing and vetting messages swiftly.

6. Strategic Digital Thinker. Understands how to shape and execute strategies that build a unified approach in strategic marketing and integrated branding. Must be an analytical thinker who uses data and analytics to measure, drive, and evolve effective strategies. Has a strong understanding of digital trends and strategy, including social media, generative search and AI, and analytics.

7. Excellent Colleague. Understands the importance of community and building productive relationships.

8. Other duties as necessary and assigned by the vice president.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS