Head of Communications & Marketing, The Harry Ransom Center

Austin, TX (On-site)

Salary Not AvailableSenior Level5+ years expFull time

Posted 2 months ago

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Job Summary

Own and coordinate the Ransom Center's integrated communications and marketing, shaping media relations, brand governance, and audience growth to advance exhibitions, membership, and philanthropy.

  • Media strategy and press outreach: secure coverage, manage inquiries, and align with university public affairs.
  • Brand and content leadership: oversee branding, magazine/editorial production, website updates, and cross-department collaboration.
  • Audience growth and partnerships: drive membership development, sponsor relations, and community engagement through campaigns and collateral.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Plans and implements internal and external communications for the Ransom Center. Coordinates and executes the Center’s media strategy, including promoting news coverage of major announcements, cultivating media relations, and coordinating the Center’s response to media inquiries. Ensures these activities are aligned with the University’s public affairs strategy.
  • Manages the development and implementation of all marketing strategies for the Ransom Center, in print and online, in support of exhibitions, membership, and programs, and demonstrates effectiveness against clearly articulated and measurable goals. Manages all advertising for the Ransom Center, including media planning and placement and creating copy for print, digital, and broadcast media. Manages budget for marketing and advertising initiatives.
  • Manages the editorial coordination, design, production, and completion of the biannual Ransom Center Magazine, the Center’s annual report, and other collateral materials, ensuring consistent communication about the Ransom Center. Works closely with all departments within the Ransom Center and externally with designers, printers, external contributors, and vendors.
  • Manages institutional branding for the Ransom Center, ensuring consistency in communications and design, and developing a strong, clear visual identity.
  • With the assistance of the webmaster and in collaboration with Ransom Center stakeholders manages the Center's website ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of online content.
  • Under the guidance of the Director and in collaboration with the Director of Development establishes goals and develops strategies to increase membership and philanthropic support for the Ransom Center including membership recruitment and development of marketing collateral in support of the capital campaign.
  • Serves on the Ransom Center’s leadership team and provides regular updates to the Center's senior leadership on the effectiveness of the Center's communications and marketing initiatives.
  • With the assistance of the Manager of Communications and Marketing manages the Center’s social media presence and monitors the public image of the Ransom Center.
  • Cultivates community partnerships and sponsorships that enhance the Ransom Center's role within the wider Austin community, including media sponsors, cultural peers, and local tourism. Responsible for overseeing the Ransom Center's constituent database, including individual and organizational contacts.
  • Other related functions as assigned.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's Degree in marketing, business, or communications with a demonstrated commitment to the humanities.
  • Five years of experience in public affairs and promoting media coverage.
  • Five years of experience in a marketing or communications position, including experience developing a marketing campaign, managing a brand, using marketing and email platforms, working in traditional and digital advertising, working with web design and video production, managing staff and budgets.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Fluency with digital and social media platforms.
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills.
  • Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred

  • Experience working in a library, museum, other cultural institution, or non-profit.
The University of Texas at Austin logo

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United States. Founded in 1883, the University has grown from a single building, eight teachers, two departments and 221 students to a 350-acre main campus with 21,000 faculty and staff, 16 colleges and schools and more than 50,000 students.

Founded in 2014
Austin, Texas, USA
26K employees (1,078 in marketing)

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
12.9M
Monthly Google Ads Budget
$987.3K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
45.4%
Direct
46.7%
Referral
6.7%
Social
0.5%
Paid
0.6%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~26.1K

Marketing Team

Marketing Team Size
738 (3% of company)
Median Career Experience
13 years
Median Tenure
4.2 years
Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
5

Funding

Total Funding
$189.6M
Last Raise
$3.3M
Grant, 2 years ago

Funding History

  • Jul 2024
    Grant • $3.3M
  • Jun 2023
    Grant • $18M
  • Jul 2022
    Grant • $100K

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