Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, university-wide communications and marketing strategy aligned with institutional priorities and the strategic plan.
• Serve as the University’s chief communications strategist and senior advisor to the President, Vice President & Chief of Staff, and Executive Cabinet.
• Lead institutional branding and positioning initiatives that strengthen visibility, reputation, and competitive standing in a crowded higher-education market.
• Establish annual communications goals, measurable outcomes, and key performance indicators; report results to executive leadership.
• Provide communications counsel during executive and Cabinet-level decision-making.
• Public relations, media relations, and executive communications
• Digital communications, social media, and website content strategy
• Graphic design, photography, videography, and publications
• Brand management, advertising, and institutional advancement support
• Serve as the University’s primary media relations executive and an authorized institutional spokesperson.
• Develop proactive media strategies that increase positive regional and national exposure and earned media.
• Cultivate relationships with local, state, and national media outlets and key reporters.
• Prepare and stage executive leadership for media interviews, press conferences, and public appearances.
• Manage institutional messaging during sensitive, high-profile, or reputationally significant issues.
• Lead development, maintenance, and implementation of the University’s Crisis Communications Plan.
• Serve as communications lead during emergencies and critical incidents, ensuring timely, accurate, and coordinated messaging.
• Coordinate response messaging with Public Safety, Human Resources, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and Executive Leadership.
• Provide high-level communications support for the President and Executive Cabinet.
• Oversee presidential speeches, talking points, op-eds, presentations, correspondence, and institutional announcements.
• Ensure executive messaging consistently reflects institutional priorities, voice, and strategic goals.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, Strategic Communications, or a closely related field.
• Experience: Seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in communications, marketing, public relations, or strategic communications.
• Supervisory: Minimum of five (5) years of supervisory and management experience.
• Scope: Demonstrated success leading integrated communications strategies within higher education, government, nonprofit, or similarly complex organizations.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Communications, Public Administration, Higher Education, Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience within higher education, preferably at an HBCU or public institution.
• Demonstrated experience advising executive or presidential leadership.
• Proven experience leading crisis communications in a public-facing environment.