Associate Vice President

The University of Lynchburg, a private regional university, located in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia is seeking a full time employee to join the Marketing and Communication Department team. 

The associate vice president for marketing and communications is the University’s chief marketing and communications officer. Reporting to the vice president for enrollment, marketing, and communications, the AVP provides strategic leadership, tactical expertise, and technical direction in advancing the institution’s external marketing, branding, and communications efforts to deliver creative, compelling, and high-impact messaging that will raise the profile of the University of Lynchburg. 

Specific Job Duties: 

Key priorities for this new position will be to manage the complex interplay of marketing and recruiting strategies; support the president and advancement initiatives; oversee marketing initiatives and plans to increase market share; build and expand the Lynchburg brand; and develop a forward-thinking, integrated communications and marketing plan that includes innovative technology, the best use of data, and exceptional communication to build awareness of Lynchburg’s mission to attract more students and engaged constituents.

The ideal candidate must be a strategic thinker and bring forward new, innovative, and creative ideas, while also embracing data with an ability to translate it into action. This individual must be able to understand Lynchburg’s many audiences and use that knowledge to review and provide feedback on creative campaigns, growth tactics, and the full student lifecycle journey. This position will play a key role in supporting the president as a speechwriter and spokesperson. Experience in crisis communication and media relations is a must.  

Critical to success will be the associate vice president’s ability to grasp, embrace, and greatly extend the mission of Lynchburg as an institution that is dedicated to the community it serves — from prospective students to alumni to community partners. The ability to understand and attract a diverse, high-achieving student population, including traditional, transfer, international, and adult learners, and to engage alumni, donors, and community members from varying backgrounds and experiences is critically important. The successful candidate will be an integral member of an administrative team that values collaboration, inclusivity, and transparency.

This individual leads a staff of approximately 15 talented in-person, remote, and hybrid professionals who craft compelling institutional messages for print, video, web, social media, and public relations that highlight and promote the hallmarks of the University and the educational experience it provides. This person also serves as an advocate for the marketing staff and partners with schools, departments, programs, advancement, athletics, and other stakeholders to advance the University of Lynchburg brand. 

The ideal candidate will have substantial experience developing and implementing multifaceted communications efforts that position and elevate the perception of an organization with multiple audiences, preferably in a higher-education context. This person will have keen strategic and planning skills, a thorough understanding of traditional and emerging media, including artificial intelligence technologies, and a comprehensive understanding of the communications process, from creative conception to fulfillment. Demonstrable leadership and managerial skills are key, as are a collaborative and collegial nature, and a high degree of emotional intelligence, intercultural competence, and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The successful candidate will be intellectually curious and committed to active engagement in the campus and local communities. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Provide leadership for and strategic oversight of all marketing and communications.

• Develop the vision and provide strategic direction to implement forward-thinking and proactive marketing and communication strategies, branding, media relations, engagement, target marketing, marketing technology, marketing trends, and experiential marketing in support of Lynchburg’s strategic plan. 

• Cultivate relationships with national, state, and local media to develop a distinct market position for Lynchburg, enhancing the visibility, brand, and reputation of the institution.

• Lead brand strategy and oversee execution of a data-driven, fully integrated marketing and communications plan.

• Partner across the institution to ensure the marketing and communications function is supporting and executing strategic goals of the institution and its respective operating units (i.e. enrollment, advancement, athletics, academic affairs, student development, and president’s office).

• Provide leadership in resource management and budgetary decisions and allocation to shape and drive progress and achievement of University-wide goals.

• Align University resources to achieve strategic objectives through marketing and communications strategies.

• Oversee efforts to segment, target, and engage diverse audiences through data-driven market insights. 

• Lead the development and use of qualitative and quantitative market insights to inform strategies for engagement and growth among Lynchburg’s target markets and audiences.

• Lead emergency and crisis communications and manage the media following any serious events that impact the University community.

• Serve as a public relations advisor and speechwriter to the president. 

• Measure and report on return-on-investment of marketing initiatives and public relations efforts.

• Maintain expertise in emerging technologies, including AI technologies and marketing tools, to showcase Lynchburg as a leader in education and service.

Benefits: (If applicable - for FT and RPT only) 

Generous paid vacation, personal days, paid sick time and family leave, comprehensive insurance (medical, dental, vision, etc.) and retirement plans, flexible spending account, tuition remission, life and long - term disability insurance, and more. 

Learn more about employment benefits at the University of Lynchburg. 

Required Qualifications: 

• A bachelor’s degree is required, master’s degree preferred, ideally with a focus in marketing/communications, integrated and/or strategic marketing/communications in a higher education setting.

• 7+ years leading marketing and/or branding teams in a complex, dynamic organization.

• Mastery of integrated marketing strategies and tactics across all channels.

• Demonstrated experience developing and executing a marketing strategy.

• Exceptional conceptual ability, with the leadership and interpersonal skills needed to implement ideas.

• Significant entrepreneurial orientation as demonstrated through innovativeness, proactiveness, measured risk-taking, and results in orientation.

• Excellent oral and verbal communication skills with substantial experience writing for diverse audiences.

• Proficient in using a variety of digital tools, including Google Docs, Google Calendar, Slack or another messaging app, and project management software.

• Ability to work effectively with multiple internal and agency partners.

• Proven leadership/supervisory experience.

• Demonstrated ability to grow talent, leveraging the unique skills and experiences of a team.

• Excellent budget management skills to ensure positive stewardship of marketing funding.

• Proven ability to multitask, delegate, and adapt quickly to changing priorities.

University's website: 

https://www.lynchburg.edu/

We seek candidates who are committed to the University of Lynchburg’s efforts to create an environment that fosters a student-centered environment, develops the breadth of knowledge associated with liberal education, respects and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion, values and celebrates diverse faith traditions, and sustains close working relationships among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners.

Candidates must successfully pass a background check that is satisfactory to the University.

Submit a cover letter, résumé, and three professional references, to:

Human Resources Jobs Page

The University of Lynchburg is committed to diversity within its community and welcomes applications from persons of color, women, Indigenous/aboriginal people of North America, persons with disabilities, the LGBTQIA+ community, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the University of Lynchburg community.

The University of Lynchburg is an equal opportunity employer.