Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Marketing & Communications

Responsibilities

• Leadership & Team Management (continuously overlaid across all duties) - Provide strategic leadership for UW Bothell's integrated marketing and communications team, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities. - Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing team of 11 professionals responsible for marketing, communications, storytelling, digital engagement, creative services and advancement communications. - Foster a collaborative, innovative and inclusive team culture that encourages creativity, accountability and continuous learning. - Establish priorities, workflows, resources and partnerships that enable effective execution and organizational impact. - Build strong relationships across UW Bothell and the University of Washington system to drive alignment and collaboration. - Serve as a trusted advisor to Bothell’s leadership on marketing, communications, reputation management and organizational change. - Foster a culture of creativity, experimentation, and continuous improvement. - Foster collaboration across Development, Alumni & Stakeholder Engagement, Events and Marketing & Communications to deliver a cohesive constituent experience.
• Institutional Marketing, Brand Strategy & Reputation (35%) - Lead the development and execution of integrated marketing and brand strategies that advance awareness, engagement, enrollment and philanthropic support. - Elevate and communicate UW Bothell's distinctive identity while strengthening alignment with the broader University of Washington brand. - Drive initiatives that enhance the university's visibility, reputation and impact at the regional, state and national levels. - Partner with academic and administrative leaders to ensure consistent messaging, effective brand stewardship and audience-centered marketing strategies. - Identify opportunities to strengthen institutional reputation through strategic communications, storytelling and public engagement. - Use data, research and audience insights to inform strategy, measure effectiveness and optimize results. - Contribute to university-wide planning efforts and provide strategic marketing counsel that advances institutional priorities.
• Strategic Communications, Content & Storytelling (30%) - Lead integrated communications strategies that engage key audiences and advance UW Bothell's institutional priorities. - Drive innovative, audience-centered communications informed by data, analytics and user insights. - Ensure consistent and coordinated messaging across platforms, audiences and institutional priorities. - Provide strategic oversight for media relations, public relations, crisis communications and issues management. - Partner with the Chancellor and senior leaders on executive communications and institutional messaging.
• Advancement & Campaign Communications (20%) - Partner with Advancement leaders to develop communications strategies that support fundraising, alumni engagement and campaign priorities. - Align marketing and communications strategies to advance fundraising efforts and institutional goals and strengthen constituent engagement. - Oversee the development of campaign messaging, donor communications, stewardship materials and related content. - Leverage storytelling to communicate impact, inspire engagement and strengthen philanthropic support.
• Digital Strategy, Innovation & Governance (10%) - Lead UW Bothell's digital communications strategy across web, social media, email, and emerging platforms. - Provide strategic oversight for web governance, digital experience, content standards and quality assurance. - Evaluate emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to enhance marketing and communications effectiveness. - Champion responsible, ethical and mission-aligned adoption of innovative technologies. - Leverage data, audience insights and performance metrics to inform strategy, improve engagement and support decision-making.
• Campus & Tri-Campus Partnerships (5%) - Build and strengthen strategic partnerships across UW Bothell, the University of Washington tri-campus community and external stakeholders. - Identify opportunities to enhance effectiveness through strategic partnerships, shared resources and coordinated initiatives. - Represent UW Bothell in University-wide and professional forums, helping advance the institution's visibility and influence.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree AND a minimum of eight years of leadership experience in marketing, communications, branding, advancement, public relations, or a related field.

Preferred

• - Preferred Qualifications - Proven success leading multidisciplinary marketing and communications teams within complex, highly collaborative organizations. - Deep expertise in strategic marketing, brand positioning, reputation management and audience engagement. - Strong executive presence and experience serving as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on communications strategy, messaging, reputation, and organizational change. - Demonstrated success leading teams through change, navigating ambiguity and making sound decisions in evolving environments. - Exceptional relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across organizational boundaries and bring diverse stakeholders together around shared goals. - The ability to translate complex ideas into compelling, audience-centered narratives and identify creative, innovative ways to share stories and build connections. - An understanding of how brand, storytelling, reputation and engagement contribute to fundraising, philanthropy and long-term institutional success. - Familiarity with digital communications strategy, emerging technologies, web governance, analytics and AI-enabled tools. - Experience using data, analytics and audience insights to inform strategy, measure effectiveness, and drive continuous improvement. - Experience in higher education, public institutions, or other mission-driven organizations is preferred.

Benefits

• Benefits Other Compensation: For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/