ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, Institutional Advancement

PURPOSE:  Provide institutional leadership to all aspects of university communication, marketing, branding, crisis communications, and public relations. Responsible to create a comprehensive communication, marketing, and public relations strategy that serves Enrollment, Advancement, and faculty recruiting efforts, serving as an internal creative agency. Provide graphic design support to Athletic programs. Ensure that the University’s mission is met through communication and marketing efforts that align with best practices, are deployed with excellence, intentionality, and consistency. Work closely with campus stakeholders to promote strong communications that protect and improve the Northwestern brand.

Essential job responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Create, build, launch, and manage a dynamic team of creative talent.

• Provide strategic leadership for campus-wide communication plans and effective marketing strategies for Enrollment and Advancement; host monthly strategy event with Vice Presidents and program Deans to review priorities and upcoming marketing needs for emerging opportunities.

• Employ an agency model to serve non-enrollment campus needs, operating a negative budget and responsible to bill appropriately for services rendered.

• Provide oversight so that quality online, video, photographic, print, and other communication pieces are produced and curated with excellence in a timely fashion.

• Develop, protect, and own brand standards and promote best use of the University brand image and style. Work with departments campus-wide to ensure that UNW publications, signage, ads, web pages, and other communication materials (internal and external) are as consistent as possible and/or necessary and are the best representation of the University.

• Direct public relations staff to increase visibility of Northwestern through positive relationships with media; generate good-will and earned media coverage which advances UNW’s mission.

• Oversee UNW’s web presence so that it is relevant, effective, updated, and mission centric.

• Assist with Retention Office and Institutional Technology to employ an internal communication plans that best informs UNW’s internal audiences of students, faculty, and staff.

• Provide leadership and oversight to UNW’s social media endeavors in collaboration with the digital media staff.

• Serve as primary spokesperson for the University.

• Serve as senior editor of The Pilot.

• Serve as Government Relations officer.

• Serve on the Crisis Communication Team and assist with updating the crisis communication plan.

• Provide direct support to the President’s Office during a crisis communication event.

• Provide budgetary oversight for marketing and communications department.

• Assist the President’s Office as requested.

• Abide by all University policies.

• Because our community is a significant part of our mission and the development of our students, all employees act as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ by actively partnering with the University to disciple students in growing intellectually and spiritually, and with Northwestern Media to lead people to Christ and nurture believers to mature in their faith.