Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications

VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

 

UNIVERSITY OVERVIEW

Temple University was founded in 1884 as a night school for working-class Philadelphians aspiring to the American dream. As Philadelphia’s only four-year public university, Temple is now one of the top 50 largest universities in America with campuses in Philadelphia, Rome, and Tokyo. The University offers more than 600 degree and certificate programs, and it is among America’s largest educators in the combined fields of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, and podiatry. In recent years, Temple students became Rhodes, Goldwater, Knight-Hennessy, Gates Cambridge, and Marshall Scholars.

TEMPLE COMMUNITY

Temple University employs over 6,000 full-time employees, 2,200 of whom are faculty. As the fifth largest private employer in Philadelphia. Temple generates about $4.6 billion in economic impact within the City of Philadelphia, supporting about 23,000 jobs and generating about $53 million in local taxes. Temple’s economic impact within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is $5.6 billion, including about 71,000 jobs and about $107 million in state taxes. There are more than 350,000 Temple University alumni living in 50 states and more than 140 counties. About 150,000 alumni live in southeastern Pennsylvania. 

ROLE SUMMARY

The Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications (VPSMC) will be responsible for setting the overall strategic and creative direction of the university’s branding, marketing, and communications efforts. Consistent with the university’s mission and strategic priorities, the Vice President initiates, develops, and maintains strategies that enhance the university’s competitiveness by strengthening its brand, reputation, and visibility while overseeing the development of marketing and communications campaigns that advance the university’s goals and objectives. The VPSMC will develop, maintain, and leverage strong, collaborative relationships with administrative and academic units throughout the university including the Provost’s Office, schools and colleges, Enrollment Management, Institutional Advancement, Intercollegiate Athletics, Government/ Community Relations, Finance and Human Resources. The Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications is responsible for ensuring the continuity of institutional brand consistency and image.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Create and execute an integrated marketing and communications strategy addressing all university stakeholders and employing all appropriate channels/methods.
  • Measure and assess the effectiveness of branding and marketing initiatives and campaigns and implement improvements and adjustments as necessary.
  • Monitor all university communications channels to ensure consistency and coherence in the presentation of the brand.
  • Create, execute, and manage a digital marketing strategy that includes web, mobile, social media, and other digital media in a manner that enhances the university’s brand.
  • Lead the university’s crisis communications preparedness and response in the event of a crisis.
  • Oversee internal communications, as well as executive communications for the university officers as appropriate.
  • Directing and supporting enrollment marketing in support of enrollment goals and in alignment with university brand.
  • As needed, act as the university’s spokesperson, managing relationships and interactions with local and national media.
  • Develop and execute initiatives that result in strategic media placements at the local and national level.
  • Directly supervise the units and staff responsible for strategic communications, marketing research, public and media relations, digital communications, publications, photography, video, marketing, advertising, media buying, crisis communications, and internal communications.
  • Advise the President and other key administrators regarding effective communications strategies on matters of importance to the university.

CORE SKILLS

  • Demonstrated experience of directly related and progressively responsible marketing and communications leadership in higher education or adjacent industries.
  • Demonstrated leadership experience with the proven ability to develop and lead a team by defining performance metrics.
  • Track record of managing through influence and working successfully within a complex transformative organization to create an effective, efficient culture. 
  • Ability to recruit, train, develop, and manage a team that is engaged in the mission to improve the impact that marketing can have on the business.
  • Experience initiating, developing, and maintaining strategies to enhance Temple’s competitiveness by overseeing the development of marketing and communications campaigns that will advance the university’s goals and objectives.
  • Experience developing an integrated digital marketing strategy to enhance the vision of the brand.
  • Experience leading crisis communications preparedness and response.

To discuss further in confidence, offer referrals, or apply please respond via email to: TempleVPSMC@divsearch.com

Temple University values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by law.