Senior Associate Vice President, University Marketing and Communications

Job Summary

Reporting to the Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff, the Senior Associate Vice President for University Marketing and Communications is responsible for advancing and managing a broad-based integrated marketing and communications program to promote and uphold the reputation of San José State University and ensure transparency with our various stakeholders. The SAVP serves as lead adviser to the President, vice presidents, and deans of schools and colleges in formulating and implementing effective marketing strategies, messages, and communication vehicles.

Overseeing and coordinating all aspects of marketing and communications, the SAVP will work to assert the transformational impact of San José State University. To this end, the SAVP will work closely with the President, cabinet, and deans in setting overarching strategic priorities and devising marketing, communications, and public relations programs that support university-wide objectives. To this end, the SAVP will conduct a comprehensive review of current marketing, communications, and public affairs efforts and create a centralized and unified department that is strategic, innovative, flexible, and responsive to the university's many constituencies. Lastly, the SAVP will align marketing and communications work currently housed outside the department with the work of central University Marketing and Communications.

Immediate priorities include building an enrollment marketing unit to support the university’s enrollment efforts and expand to fully online options; aligning Athletics marketing and media relations with central marketing and communications; leading a brand study resulting in a refreshed brand identity and accompanying brand pillars; strengthening the public, media relations, and crisis communications unit.

This is a position in the CSU - Management Personnel Plan (MPP), and serves at the pleasure of the President. This position will require adherence to University compliance training such as: Conflict of Interest and Ethics, AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Prevention, Information Security, and Injury and Illness Prevention Program. The person hired for this position may be required to complete an outside employment disclosure statement in accordance with Title V of the California Code of Regulations.

Key Responsibilities

• Cultivates Innovation: Marketing and communications executive leader who will develop a unified brand and shared message to be communicated effectively across a wide and varied audience.
• Is Authentic: Creating and cultivating trust between university partners, as well as stakeholders, across the university.
• Builds Relationships: Bolster internal and local community relationships, while growing the footprint of SJSU to a globally recognized transformative higher education institution.
• Optimizes Diverse Talent: Shape and build out a top tier Strategic Marketing and Communications team that is ready to tackle the evolving needs of a diverse population to successfully access higher education.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• A keen understanding and appreciation for the history, achievements, contributions, mission, and vision of SJSU and the ability to effectively articulate each to diverse audiences, both internal and external.
• Substantial executive experience envisioning, developing, and implementing a successful and comprehensive marketing, communications, and public affairs program across a highly complex institution with multiple constituencies and a wide variety of audiences, ideally but not necessarily in higher education.
• Demonstrated experience in conceiving and implementing a substantive and cohesive vision for marketing and communications based on an institution’s strategic goals and reflective of its history; successfully targeting and influencing key audiences; and recognizing the need to adapt and adjust as appropriate and necessary.
• Superior strategic skills with a strong grasp of industry best practices and a holistic understanding of all aspects of communications, positioning, and messaging, including a solid understanding of public higher education.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and significant experience in communicating effectively with underrepresented, historically disenfranchised, and traditionally underserved communities with cultural competency and sensitivity.
• Substantial experience evaluating the strengths of existing marketing, communications, and public affairs programs and identifying opportunities for improvement and growth.
• Broad experience in strategic communications and marketing; communications planning; digital ( social, video, website, photography) and print media; visual communications; media and public relations; perception management; internal communications; and crisis management, as well as proven effectiveness engaging local, national, and international media.
• Significant experience in developing and implementing enrollment marketing for university’s online degree programs; in-depth experience in conducting a comprehensive brand study; and solid understanding and experience coordinating Athletics and campus marketing and media relations efforts.
• Significant experience in developing and leading quantifiable marketing campaigns and efforts and demonstrated ability in assessing these efforts utilizing a variety of metrics and key performance indicators.
• Solid experience working with various digital marketing automation (e.g. Marketo, Hubspot, Pardot), project management (e.g. Asana, Monday.com, Basecamp), and content management systems (e.g. Omni Update, Drupal) tools.
• Solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by traditional and emerging media, from newspapers to social networks, and how best to convey information in ways that engage and involve a variety of constituents.
• Superior communication skills and the ability to connect with a variety of audiences; clear and effective written and oral presentation. Experience, ability, and inclination to be an effective spokesperson for the university.
• Experience working in an environment serving many internal clients and external constituents, often with shared responsibility for communications. Ability to build relationships and collaborate across the institution, serving as a resource to others and obtaining their input.
• Ability and experience to work with the university president, senior administration, deans, faculty, staff, students, CSU system administration as well as other CSU campuses and counterparts.
• A collaborative and collegial approach that demonstrates an eagerness and ability to engage a diverse client base and build strong professional relationships. A convener who is able to synthesize many ideas and produce work products that address a wide variety of goals and objectives.
• Strong personal integrity and work ethic, as well as a sense of perspective critical to communications and leadership.
• Record of creative and entrepreneurial management; the ability to build, lead, mentor, and motivate staff; and the ability to encourage change and growth in both people and programs. A strong commitment to personal and professional development, and the ability to build a robust, diverse, autonomous, and collaborative team.

Leadership

• Oversee and lead a comprehensive communications and marketing team. Build, lead, mentor, and motivate staff, and encourage change and growth in both people and programs.
• Manage, work effectively with, delegate to, and provide direction and leadership for a team under stringent deadline requirements and competing demands.
• Plan and implement organizational and divisional administrative and financial strategies and goals, including budget management, operational efficiency, and optimal use of resources.

Strategy

• Work closely with the President, cabinet, and deans in setting overarching strategic priorities and devising marketing, communications, and public relations programs that support university-wide objectives.
• Conduct a comprehensive review of current marketing, communications, and public affairs efforts and create a centralized and unified department that is strategic, innovative, flexible, and responsive to the university's many constituencies.
• Lastly, the SAVP will align marketing and communications work currently housed outside the department with the work of central University Marketing and Communications.

Marketing

• Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy focused on enrollment and prospective students, and build and establish a dedicated marketing team focused on expanding to fully online options.
• Align Athletics and campus marketing and media relations, and establish effective marketing strategies in support of campus marketing needs and efforts.
• Lead a brand study to develop a brand voice, positioning statement, and brand pillars to guide efforts.

Public Relations and Crisis Management

• Develop a public relations strategy and team that is proactive, engaged in building relationships with local, regional, national and international media and community stakeholders, and responsive to current issues affecting the campus.
• Establish a foundation that is reflective of campus history, informed by best practices, and identifies key opportunities and methods to engage.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of twelve years of experience.
• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in marketing, communications, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master’s degree; Experience working in higher education or with higher education institutions
• Fifteen years of experience.
• E xperience in the development and implementation of enrollment marketing for a university’s online degree program
• E xperience coordinating and managing a university’s Athletics marketing and digital media initiatives
• In-depth knowledge and experience conducting a comprehensive internal/external brand study for implementation.
• Solid experience working with various digital marketing automation (e.g. Marketo, Hubspot, Pardot), project management (e.g. Asana, Monday.com, Basecamp), and content management systems (e.g. Omni Update, Drupal) tools.

Compensation

Classification: Admin IV
Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary .

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest

This position is open until filled.

Contact Information

Refer all inquiries to:

Mary Lou Youngblood
Pronouns she/her/hers
Senior Executive Recruiter, Talent Acquisition
Human Resources
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, California
Cell 805-459-4278
mayoungb@calpoly.edu

Tracy Royal
Executive Recruiter
Talent Acquisition
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Cell 805-459-4104
troyal@calpoly.edu

Additional Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will issue a contingent offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was offered the position on a contingent basis.

The standard background check includes: criminal check, employment and education verification. Depending on the position, a motor vehicle and/or credit check may be required. All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate Background. Some positions may also require fingerprinting. SJSU will pay all costs associated with this procedure. Evidence of required degree(s) or certification(s) will be required at time of hire.

SJSU IS NOT A SPONSORING AGENCY FOR STAFF OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. (e.g. H1-B VISAS)

All San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.



Equal Employment Statement

San José State University (SJSU) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion or lack thereof, sex, sexual orientation, transgender, or protected veteran status consistent with applicable federal and state laws. This policy applies to all SJSU students, faculty and staff programs and activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus).



Advertised: May 12, 2021 (9:00 AM) Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: