AVP, Communications & Marketing
Trinity College

AVP, Communications & Marketing

Department: Communications

Regular or Temporary: Regular

Hours Per Week: 40

FLSA Determination: Exempt

Weeks Per Year: 52

Open Date: 03/06/2024

Open Until Filled: Yes

Full or Part Time: Full Time

Position Summary

Trinity College is where the liberal arts meet the real world. Located in Hartford, Connecticut, the independent, nonsectarian college educates students in the liberal arts with the educational and experiential foundations they need to succeed as informed global citizens.

With more than 2,100 full-time undergraduate students and six graduate programs, the College maintains a rigorous academic profile complemented by a vibrant and diverse co-curricular program. Students at Trinity come from 47 states and 86 countries to build an inclusive community with myriad opportunities to engage with Hartford and the wider world. They study in small classes (9:1 student-faculty ratio) under the close mentorship of faculty and staff, with access to 41 majors and over 900 courses. Students come to this highly selective environment to engage in a challenging liberal arts education, live as part of a tenacious community, explore what's possible, and find answers to the challenges of tomorrow.

Situated on a historic 100-acre campus in Connecticut's vibrant state capital, Trinity is known for its iconic buildings and has been considered one of the "prettiest college campuses" by Architectural Digest. The Bantams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), with a profile that includes 30 NCAA Division III varsity teams and a variety of club sports. Trinity College faculty and alumni include recipients of the Pulitzer Prize, the MacArthur award, Guggenheims, Rockefellers, Fulbrights, and other national academic awards. Five graduates were awarded Fulbright grants last year, leading to Trinity's recognition as a 2023-24 "Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Students" by the Fulbright Program.

Under the leadership of President Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Trinity College is celebrating its bicentennial during this academic year by both honoring the past and looking to the future. To that end, in November, the College launched the public phase of the comprehensive campaign entitled "All In." Reflecting the community's passionate and action-oriented ethos, "All In" represents the most ambitious fundraising project in school history. This exciting time in Trinity College's history also aligns with the achievements of many of President Berger-Sweeney's goals and objectives, as outlined by the 2017 strategic plan.

As an Assistant Vice President, you will join Trinity College as a senior leader at a milestone moment. While honoring its past with the bicentennial celebration, Trinity College is charging towards the next century. The newly created Assistant Vice President position will play a critical role in supporting the Office of Communications and Marketing to fortify and expand Trinity College's reach, reputation, and revenue order to accomplish its institutional goals.

Principal Responsibility:

Reporting to the Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Communications, the newly created Assistant Vice President position will join as a senior leader to manage and inspire a collaborative, creative, and strategic team responsible for communications and marketing initiatives, including integrated messaging and multichannel content planning, brand building, digital communications, leadership communications, crisis communications, and constituent engagement in support of elevating Trinity's national profile. The Assistant Vice President will be a collaborative and nimble leader who can further the division's strategic priorities efficiently and effectively.

Specific Duties:

• As a senior leader for the Office of Communications and Marketing and trusted advisor to the Vice President, work closely with the VP to oversee, execute, and regularly evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated communication strategy that supports the communications and marketing program and the College's mission and brand.

Trinity is committed to providing equal employment and educational opportunities for all qualified persons without regard to sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or citizenship status.

• Support the Vice President by managing the department and the day-to-day operation. Oversee the central project management system and production planning for the division. Seeks efficiencies for the team to grow in its capabilities, including developing benchmarks for success. Exercises solid and sound judgement to build a foundation of operational excellence. Encourage and promote collaboration, visibility, and involvement of the team with their counterparts throughout Trinity.
• Build strategic campus partnerships with a high degree of integrity, equanimity, diplomacy, and effective consensus-building as an active listener and observer. Communicates openly in order to steward large projects across a complex system.
• Collaborates with and guides colleagues in the development and execution of marketing and communications initiatives in areas such as admissions and enrollment, advancement, campus and alumni engagement, and community relations.
• As a visible, dynamic, and involved participant in the Trinity community, collaborate with essential campus stakeholders to devise and execute comprehensive strategies and tailored content solutions.
• Enforces the brand of the College for consistency in creative direction and integrated messaging across external and internal communications.
• Oversees strategies to manage and expand the College's digital presence.
• Oversees communications strategies and collaborations to engage major constituent groups, including students, faculty and staff, parents, and alumni, in support of strategic priorities.
• Manages staff using a high degree of emotional intelligence to coach, correct, and nurture talent effectively. Maintain a leadership style that is positive, open and empowering, through active communication and delegation, and that ensures staff accountability and sense of ownership for successful and timely outcomes through clearly defined and measurable goals.
• Serves on the communications response team and the College's Emergency Management team when called to produce time-sensitive communications regarding emergent issues, crisis response, and reputational management. Must act with a high degree of accuracy, decorum, and discretion, writing and vetting messages swiftly.
• Other duties as necessary and assigned by the vice president.

Qualifications

• Proven experience envisioning, developing, and implementing comprehensive integrated marketing and communications programs, with multiple constituencies and a variety of audiences. Higher education experience is a plus but will consider other industry experience.
• Demonstrated ability to craft substantive and cohesive messages based on strategic priorities, communicate successfully to key audiences, and adapt and adjust as appropriate over time.
• Experience in managing brand messaging and ensuring consistency across multiple channels.
• Deep understanding and mastery of digital engagement in conveying information and content in ways that leverage storytelling and engage and motivate constituents.
• Experience working in a complex, matrixed environment serving many internal clients and external constituents. Ability to build relationships and collaborate across the institution, serving as a resource to others and obtaining their input; persuasive, persistent, and determined.
• Strong grasp of industry best practices and a holistic understanding of all aspects of communications, positioning, and messaging (exposure to admissions, fundraising, and alumni relations, also a plus). Experience evaluating the strengths of existing communications and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Excellent management skills, including the ability to delegate appropriately to ensure effective interdepartmental communication and collaboration; and ability to guide colleagues' individual professional growth. Management of outside agency partners is highly desirable.
• Keen creative and design sensibilities, with a strong understanding of the communications process from creative concept through production and fulfillment. Ability to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the communications process without sacrificing quality and impact.
• Outstanding project management/ organizational and planning skills, including the ability to manage deadlines and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness through actions, interactions, and communications with others.
• Collaborative and collegial orientation; a convener who is able to synthesize many ideas and produce excellent work about a wide range of diverse topics.
• Strong personal integrity, high energy, flexibility, and warmth are highly desirable attributes.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Trinity College has retained the Executive Search Firm, The Ward Group, to lead the search efforts. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter (to include how you would foster and promote an environment of diversity, equity and inclusion in this role), and resume to info@wardgroup.com and reference "Trinity" in the subject line.

Posting Number: S00962

Quick Link: https://trincoll.peopleadmin.com/postings/3230