Jobs at Member Institutions & APLU

Vice President for Communications and Marketing

About This Role:

Kansas State University invites nominations and applications for the position of vice president for communications and marketing.

This is a pivotal and exciting time at Kansas State University with a new president, a bold economic prosperity plan, the development of a new university strategic plan, a record year for research awards, a record fundraising year, the opening of the National Bio and Agro-defense facility and the strongest state budget supporting higher education in a decade.

This is an exceptional opportunity to join an inspiring R1 institution as its next strategic visionary to enhance the institution’s communications, brand vision and public relations campaigns, both nationally and internationally. Reporting to the vice president for executive affairs, university engagement and partnerships, and chief of staff, the next vice president for communications and marketing, or VPCM, is an accomplished communications professional of unquestioned integrity, sound judgment and considerable energy with a commitment to collaborative work and empowerment, a passion for higher education and the ability to embrace, support and communicate K-State’s vision to lead the next generation of land-grant universities, internally and externally.

The VPCM is responsible for the leadership, development, integration and implementation of institutional branding, marketing and public relations that communicate about and advance the strategic direction and positioning of the university and its leadership. The successful candidate brings strong and proven strategic leadership skills, experience with crisis management, the ability to lead organizational change in a complex environment and experience aligning talent and coordinating across the institution with non-centralized communicators. Highly developed writing and communication skills are essential tools in communicating with multiple constituent groups.

Leading the Division of Communications and Marketing, the next VPCM serves as the chief communications officer for Kansas State University and leads a centralized strategic communications team that provides reputation management, crisis communications and proactive public relations efforts. Moreover, the VPCM will drive the internal communications at the institutional level while setting the overall strategy for institutional responses, representing university leadership through public communications and providing counsel to the university president, provost, cabinet and deans. Serving on the crisis management team, the VPCM will respond to crises that develop during the year.

For full position details, please view our https://www.k-state.edu/president/about/searches/2023-Vice-President-Communications-and-Marketing-Executive-Profile.pdf .

For more information about Kansas State University, please view our https://www.k-state.edu/hcs/careers/executive-profile/ .

Why Join Us:

Kansas State University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, paid time off – vacation, sick, and holidays. To learn more about benefits at Kansas State University, please visit: https://www.k-state.edu/hcs/benefits

Learn more about the Manhattan community at https://madeformanhattan.org/

We Support Diversity and Inclusion:

Kansas State University embraces diversity and inclusion. The university actively seeks individuals who foster a collegial environment and cooperative interactions with coworkers, students, and others. The University is dedicated to promoting the https://www.k-state.edu/about/community.html

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

Required competencies/qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required.

• 7-10 years of some or all of the following communications, marketing, public relations and brand building experience to include:

• Proven record of success in an administrative position with responsibility for guiding strategy; fiscal planning and management; supervising, motivating and developing employees; and fostering diversity, belonging and teamwork to create collaborative working relationships across culturally diverse groups.

• Demonstrated success as a strategic and creative planner, master collaborator and relationship builder with strong interpersonal skills.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills with a demonstrated ability to articulate matters of complexity and nuance to multiple and varied groups of stakeholders.

• Proven success developing and implementing branding and marketing strategies to enhance institutional reputation and/or grow enrollment for a large, culturally diverse organization.

• Experience in crisis management and response to include reputation management.

• Excellent organizational, problem-solving and decision-making skills.

• Knowledge of best practices, emerging issues, trends and opportunities in university/higher education communications.

• Understanding of the scope and strategic impact of technology used in marketing and social media branding and promotion with experience strategically deploying marketing and communication tools to disseminate messages across difference platforms and to diverse audience.

Preferred competencies/qualifications:

• Master’s or professional degree in marketing, communications, higher education, public relations, law or related discipline.

• Proven ability to initiate, lead and facilitate change, successfully engaging with others to achieve results.

• Proven ability to adapt and execute strategy in a complex and evolving space and be comfortable with the ambiguity that accompanies a large public university.

• Higher education administrative leadership experience with similar responsibilities to this position.

• An understanding and respect for shared governance in higher education.

• A deep understanding of and passion for the role of public higher education and firm grasp of the opportunities and advantages of a land-grant university with R1 status.

• Private industry experience in news media, public relations, communications or marketing.

Other Requirements:

• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States at the time of employment

How to Apply:

WittKieffer is assisting Kansas State University with this search. All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited.

Applications should include, as separate documents, a resume and letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s https://candidateportal.wittkieffer.com/login?returnUrl=%2Fdescription%3FjobID%3D24571.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Melissa Fincher and Jenna Brumleve at mailto:KStateVPCommMktg@wittkieffer.com .

Screening of Applications Begins:

For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by Wednesday, April 12, 2023.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.

Background Screening Statement:

In connection with your application for employment, Kansas State University will procure a Background Screen on you as part of the process of considering your candidacy as an employee.

Advertised: 02 Mar 2023

Application Closes: Open until filled

To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/3961864

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