2018 Vice President of MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS. position information

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "2018 Vice President of MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS. position information"

Elaine Bruce
5 years ago
Views:

1 2018 Vice President of MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS position information

The Vice President for Marketing and Communications is a member of the senior leadership team, reporting directly to the President.

Offering a strong, pragmatic liberal arts curriculum enhanced by equally robust professional programs, the University enrolls students in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Sigmund Weis School

Susquehanna offers more than 95 majors and minors, plus pre-professional programs and an interdisciplinary honors program.

2 the opportunity Susquehanna University is seeking an innovative and strategic leader to advance its brand and develop an ambitious program of internal and external communication that demonstrates the value Susquehanna adds to the lives of its students, alumni and the world. The Vice President for Marketing and Communications is a member of the senior leadership team, reporting directly to the President. Susquehanna University is nationally known as a comprehensive, selective, independent residential university enrolling 2,250 students. Offering a strong, pragmatic liberal arts curriculum enhanced by equally robust professional programs, the University enrolls students in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Sigmund Weis School of Business. Degrees offered include the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Science. Susquehanna offers more than 95 majors and minors, plus pre-professional programs and an interdisciplinary honors program. All students have the opportunity for a global experience as part of their undergraduate education. The campus is located in Selinsgrove, Pa., approximately 50 miles north of Harrisburg in the scenic Susquehanna River Valley. Susquehanna University s distinction includes academic excellence, a warm and welcoming campus community, and a powerful track record of career services, job placement and alumni success. The Vice President for Marketing and Communications will be a key partner in achieving the strategic priorities of the University, including supporting student recruitment and enrollment goals, the fundraising campaign, alumni engagement goals, and advancing the academic reputation of the University and its distinctive academic programs and departments. This person must have a strong marketing background and sensibility, able to create a disciplined program for identifying and promoting programs and opportunities that will drive prestige, brand distinction, enrollment demand, and alumni and donor engagement and investment. The successful candidate will have a strong ability to function effectively in a dynamic work environment. This individual will have the ability to move forward decisively and promptly on projects while at the same time gaining the needed support, buy-in, consensus and perspectives that will lead to widespread stakeholder support of those projects. This position will require a mature, unflappable, accessible and proactive individual who is both a team player and a team builder. The successful candidate will be committed to Susquehanna s core values, mission, strategic direction and strategies. Recruitment will continue until the position is filled. Information about how to nominate someone or to apply for this opportunity may be found near the end of this document in the section titled Procedure for Candidacy. OPPORTUNITIES & EXPECTATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP Susquehanna University is at an important juncture in its history with a new president, Jonathan Green D.M.A., with an opportunity for fresh energy and strategic direction, including a strong emphasis on greater visibility and reputation-building. This comes at a time when higher education in general, and liberal arts schools in particular, have experienced challenges in public trust regarding value and cost as well as strain on historic financial models. Susquehanna has an opportunity to sharpen its brand distinction and bolster its strategic communications efforts in three major areas: overall institutional reputation, recruitment and enrollment, and alumni and donor relations (a current major fundraising campaign has been announced by the university). In addition, the university recognizes the need for careful management of crises and issues as well as effective internal communications with current students, faculty and staff.»

In particular, the new Vice President of Marketing and Communications will be asked to: DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITY-WIDE STRATEGIC MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN The vice president will

building, enrollment, revenue per student, and fundraising (including the campaign and growth in the annual alumni giving percentage).

3 In particular, the new Vice President of Marketing and Communications will be asked to: DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITY-WIDE STRATEGIC MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN The vice president will develop an annual, integrated strategic marketing plan that strengthens the brand and ties directly to university goals such as: greater visibility and awareness, academic reputation, relationship building, enrollment, revenue per student, and fundraising (including the campaign and growth in the annual alumni giving percentage). This plan should include: Goals and objectives, clearly outlined and connected to the university s strategic priorities Target audiences prioritized (such as prospective students; current students, faculty and staff; donors and prospective donors; alumni, parents, opinion makers, media) Key messages that further refine brand differentiation (with proof points and examples) Strategies and tactics to achieve goals (including digital, social media, media relations, paid advertising in traditional and social media, print, presidential communications, special events) Editorial calendar and content strategy for story/content development Metrics for measuring success STRENGTHEN THE SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY BRAND Susquehanna has to continue to work hard at sharpening its brand messaging to appeal to prospective students, alumni and friends. It has been over a decade since the university engaged in any formal brand development. Over the last several years the university has done a good job to sharpen brand presentation for the prospective student audience, and that work can be built upon to create a solid platform moving forward, one that can be adapted for all target audiences. Some elements include: Positioning and crisp messaging: The vice president will help create a clear positioning message to create the university s narrative about what makes the Susquehanna experience distinctive. This then will be the foundation for all the ways in which the brand will be presented across stakeholder groups. The university s key positioning elements are teaching and academic excellence, curriculum focused on outcomes, warm campus culture, job placement success, global orientation, service as a deeply held value, and a supportive alumni network. This new leader will be able to build sharp, memorable, top-level messaging that will allow individual units, programs and initiatives to build their own brand positions with concrete examples and narratives. expecting things handed to us, and graduates who go toe-to-toe with others even in the Ivies. One alum described the value of SU in terms of opportunities per capita, and thought that the experiences she was afforded while a student put her in a more competitive position than those with whom she was competing for a job. All of these ideas can be knit together into an appealing brand personality that sets Susquehanna apart. That will need to be done on the university website, social media and print. Presentation and consistency: The vice president will need to create and ensure that the messaging and personality is packaged in a dynamic and consistent way. The university will be able to tell its story through words, pictures, video, advertising and other expressions in a way that is memorable, inspiring, and evokes an emotional response. It also provides a framework for key messages and proof points across target audiences to come up with a campaign tagline. This will then lead to create a more coherent, coordinated and bigger-picture approach to development and alumni communications in conjunction with the new Vice President of Advancement. ENHANCE INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND REFRESH ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE It will be imperative that the new vice president realign to help build a team prepared to support the university s future communications. The team is strong but a new leader will need to evaluate the writing and the storytelling of the university, the multimedia production, the enrollment marketing and the development and alumni communications. Internal communications play an important role not only in sharing information but also in elevating morale, highlighting best practices, and better arming the campus community to be ambassadors for the institution. The office will have the opportunity to tell the good news and the distinctive story of the university; then the community can share that story in all its touch points beyond campus. The vice president will introduce a monthly campus newsletter either in print or digital form to build a useful internal vehicle to foster greater information-sharing. This would be an excellent channel for some of the storytelling about academic programs, teaching, the outcomes-oriented curriculum, career services and global efforts. Personality: Susquehanna is in a highly competitive, saturated regional market with more than 50 private colleges and universities in Pennsylvania alone. The vice president will help the university to hone a distinct personality that is appealing and memorable. Students and alumni described the university as scrappy, punching above our weight, hardworking without

position summary The Vice President for Marketing and Communications will be responsible for: eveloping and executing a strategic marketing and communications plan that promotes a consistent,

Serving as a member of the senior leadership team and as a strategic advisor and collaborative partner to the President, Board of Trustees, other Vice Presidents, Deans, and faculty and

4 position summary The Vice President for Marketing and Communications will be responsible for: eveloping and executing a strategic marketing and communications plan that promotes a consistent, compelling brand and message that is culturally sensitive and welcoming to prospective and current students and their parents, alumni, faculty and staff, employers, funders and civic partners. Serving as a member of the senior leadership team and as a strategic advisor and collaborative partner to the President, Board of Trustees, other Vice Presidents, Deans, and faculty and administrative leaders. L everaging considerable expertise in marketing planning and execution. Leading a team of in-house staff and external consultants to implement the marketing and communications program across a variety of channels (e.g., print, presentations, video, visual and digital media, media relations, community relations, special events, and the web). Overseeing and executing high-quality marketing communications, either directly or in close partnership with relevant administrative and academic units, that support:» B rand strength, distinction, personality and awareness» A dmission recruitment and materials for prospective students and their families Messaging and materials that inspire and motivate donors and funding partners Storytelling in all forms that conveys the distinctive contributions and lifelong value of Susquehanna University in the lives of its constituents An active media relations program that cultivates relationships with traditional and nontraditional media, pitches stories proactively and responds to media requests Creative and multimedia content that conveys cross-cutting institutional narratives as well as the priority activities of individual units Digital and print materials and storytelling that convey the impact of Susquehanna scholarship, research, and the activities of academic programs Production of periodicals and digital newsletters, including those reaching campus constituents as well as alumni, donors and parents An ambitious digital communications program including websites, social media, digital advertising and analytics Speechwriting and messaging for the President and other senior leaders nticipating and mitigating adverse or potentially negative issues that may impact the University s reputation; maintaining issues management and crisis communications plans; and providing counsel to senior leaders in the event of a crisis. eveloping an internal communications program that builds pride in Susquehanna as well as trust and confidence in organizational decision-making. pplying market research and data-driven analyses to understand the competitive landscape, design effective marketing interventions, and recommending when additional research may be needed. Developing and regularly reporting on a set of metrics for measuring the effectiveness of Susquehanna s marketing and communications program. O verseeing the day-to-day activities of the marketing and communications function including budgeting, planning and staff development.»

The University is well-known for its beautiful 325-acre campus and Georgian architecture. Two of the more than 80 buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.

5 ABOUT SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY The University was founded in 1858 and from its opening offered a classical liberal arts curriculum. We pioneered coeducation with the admission of women in 1873, and were renamed as a university in We have offered degree programs in the liberal arts, business and music since The University is well-known for its beautiful 325-acre campus and Georgian architecture. Two of the more than 80 buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. REQUIREMENTS B achelor s degree, preferably from a small, private liberal arts college or university. Master s preferred. t least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in public relations and marketing, preferably in higher education. An understanding of student recruitment, fundraising and community relations is important. Experience in planning, budgeting, evaluating, and managing projects and staff is required. Exceptional judgment and interpersonal, listening, facilitating, organizing, verbal and writing skills are essential. Demonstrated experience in communicating with a variety of audiences, (i.e., faculty, staff, students, volunteers) and media is desired. Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in message development, storytelling, media relations with mainstream and local and culturally focused media, graphic design, video, websites, social media, print publications, event planning, and use of market research is required. emonstrated ability as a collaborative, flexible, clear-thinking, strategic partner who puts the needs of the University first and helps colleagues to be more effective in their respective roles. commitment to liberal arts education, persuasively articulating our mission and values, and promoting our distinctive identity and core values. emonstration of a commitment to diversity and inclusion and a strong track record of cultural competency in building, coaching and valuing diverse teams of staff and volunteers. n approachable and motivational leadership style that promotes mentoring, collaboration, professional development and innovation. E xperience as a trusted advisor, providing reliable counsel to the Board, President and other colleagues. For most of its history, Susquehanna was modest in size and in the scope of its academic program, with a student body of around 500. In the early 1960s, the University grew to around 1,200 students and significantly expanded its liberal arts component. Today, Susquehanna University is nationally known as a comprehensive, selective, private residential university enrolling 2,250 men and women. Boasting a strong liberal arts curriculum enhanced by equally robust professional programs, the University enrolls students in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Sigmund Weis School of Business. Degrees offered include the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Science. Susquehanna offers more than 50 majors, 45 minors and 850 courses and has a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, which facilitates close relationships with professors and a personalized learning experience. In recent years, the University has prioritized creating a culture of assessment in both academic and administrative work and now has a strong foundation and structures in place for continuing success. Beginning in the fall of 2009, Susquehanna implemented an innovative new Central Curriculum that spans all academic programs and provides the means for all students to achieve the University s learning goals. The Central Curriculum is organized in five main areas: richness of thought, natural world, human interaction, intellectual skills and connections. A capstone experience, while not formally a part of the Central Curriculum, is also a key requirement for all students. In May 2013, the University graduated the first cohort of students to complete the Central Curriculum. Distinctive elements of this curriculum include its approach to diversity studies, ethics, teamwork, writing, interdisciplinary work and the development of intellectual skills. The Central Curriculum also includes the cross-cultural Global Opportunities (GO) requirement. Susquehanna is among only a handful of schools to mandate a study-away experience for all students and is the only institution that requires a post-travel reflection course in which students reflect on how that experience changed them. An award-winning program, GO provides students with semester-long opportunities, shorter (two-week minimum), faculty-led programs and Go-Your-Own-Way opportunities for students to design their own programs. About 85 percent of Susquehanna students complete their off-campus study outside the United States. Typically, 97 percent of each graduating class is employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months. Approximately 25 percent of liberal arts and sciences students enter graduate or professional school immediately after graduation from Susquehanna. Susquehanna is a member of the Annapolis Group, an organization of the leading national independent liberal arts colleges. Representatives of the Annapolis Group colleges meet regularly to share mutual interests and information to strengthen their respective educational programs.

mission & strategic vision Susquehanna University is committed to providing access to students from all economic backgrounds and to producing citizen leaders who will contribute to the betterment of

The strategic plan, Susquehanna 2020: Thriving at the Intersections of Mission and Market, completed in June 2014, lays out four broad priorities for sustaining our work and increasing the value

6 mission & strategic vision Susquehanna University is committed to providing access to students from all economic backgrounds and to producing citizen leaders who will contribute to the betterment of society. The strategic plan, Susquehanna 2020: Thriving at the Intersections of Mission and Market, completed in June 2014, lays out four broad priorities for sustaining our work and increasing the value provided to students: 1) Nurturing a culture of experimentation and innovation; 2) Deepening intellectual engagement; 3) Building a more diverse and global campus, and 4) Optimizing enrollment and the success of students. It aligns Susquehanna s mission and strengths with the realities of changing markets and evolving instructional tools that require the University to enroll and serve an ever more diverse student population. THE MISSION OF THE SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY IS TO EDUCATE STUDENTS FOR PRODUCTIVE, CREATIVE AND REFLECTIVE LIVES OF ACHIEVEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE IN A DIVERSE, DYNAMIC AND INTERDEPENDENT WORLD. HUMAN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES Susquehanna is a strong and financially healthy institution. There is a deep sense of commitment among trustees, faculty and staff to the University s mission; the quality of the educational programs is high; and facilities are among the best in the nation among liberal arts colleges. Cash and cash reserves ($20 million) reflect strong fiscal discipline and total financial resources are the largest in the University s history. Susquehanna s annual operating budget is $76 million. Its endowment is approximately $150 million and total University assets are valued at $338.5 million, earning an A2 debt rating from Moody s. Susquehanna s disciplined planning efforts and stewardship have created the resource base that permits the University to thoughtfully consider the future and adapt intentionally rather than be overwhelmed by circumstances. Strategic innovations include improved admissions operations, increased focus on international recruiting and investments in marketing that include a newly designed website. The campus community has developed new curricular and co curricular programs to attract new students. Susquehanna works with the Gallup organization to develop and support its administrative leaders thanks to a $1 million gift from now Board Chair Signe Gates. The Gates Fund for Excellence in Leadership provides resources to develop and maximize the leadership skills of the senior team so that Susquehanna is prepared to deal effectively with the challenges of the coming decade. It builds on Ms. Gates commitment to nurturing Susquehanna s most important resource its people. She has also demonstrated that support through her gifts to fund the Gates and WIT (Whatever It Takes) staff award programs she established in GOVERNANCE Susquehanna is governed by a Board of Trustees of up to 41 members, including several representatives of the ELCA, two faculty members and two students. The Board is independent and elects all its own members. Trustee engagement and satisfaction are high as is the Board s value as a resource to the university s administrative leadership. Emphasizing the importance of governance as leadership, the Board continually examines its structure and practices in ongoing efforts to bring the greatest value to its work. As part of its focus on education and social capital building, the Board holds an annual summer retreat also attended by senior members of the administration and faculty, which marked its 40th anniversary in ABOUT SELINSGROVE, PA Susquehanna is located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, approximately 50 miles north of Harrisburg in the scenic Susquehanna River Valley and is about a three-hour drive from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City. The three-county region of the Greater Susquehanna Valley has a population of 180,000 and is characterized by small towns and a hilly, rural landscape. The region is also home to Bucknell University and the highly renowned Geisinger Health System. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY AND ITS PROGRAMS MAY BE FOUND AT:

procedure for candidacy Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Review of applications is in process and will continue until the position is filled.

7 procedure for candidacy Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Review of applications is in process and will continue until the position is filled. For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received by April 30, MATERIALS SHOULD BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY VIA TO THE WITT/KIEFFER CONSULTANTS ASSISTING SUSQUEHANNA WITH THIS SEARCH: Documents that must be mailed may be sent to: Mercedes Vance Witt/Kieffer 2015 Spring Road, Suite 510 Oak Brook, IL Mercedes Vance can be reached by telephone: Susquehanna University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer and is committed to developing a more diverse and inclusive community. The University encourages nominations of or applications from candidates from historically underrepresented groups.

Davidson College Library Strategic Plan

Davidson College Library Strategic Plan 2016-2020 1 Introduction The Davidson College Library s Statement of Purpose (Appendix A) identifies three broad categories by which the library - the staff, the