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POSITION SPECIFICS
Penn State’s College of Education seeks an accomplished, innovative, and collaborative leader to serve as Director of Communications and Marketing . Reporting to the Dean, the Director will provide strategic direction and operational leadership for the College’s marketing, communications, public relations, media relations, and brand management.
As the College’s chief communications and marketing strategist, the Director will advise the Dean and senior leadership, strengthen the College’s reputation and visibility, and communicate the impact of its teaching, research, innovation, and service missions. Building relationships with students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and community partners is another key aspect of this role.
The Director will help position the College of Education as a national leader in education and public service while advancing priorities related to enrollment, fundraising, engagement, and institutional impact.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Strategic Leadership, Brand, and Reputation
Develop and implement an integrated marketing, communications, and public relations strategy aligned with the College’s mission, priorities, and strategic plan.
Advise the Dean and College leadership on communications, reputation, stakeholder engagement, and crisis response in coordination with University Strategic Communications.
Lead proactive public relations, thought leadership, strategic storytelling, and high-impact visibility initiatives that advance the College’s reputation.
Identify emerging issues and reputational risks and coordinate timely and effective responses.
Marketing, Digital Strategy, and Analytics
Lead marketing initiatives across branding, enrollment, advertising, publications, websites, social media, email, video, podcasts, events, and sponsored or owned content.
Develop data-informed campaigns that increase awareness, enrollment, participation, donor support, and stakeholder participation.
Oversee the College’s digital presence, including content governance, accessibility, search engine optimization, user experience, social media, and ongoing performance improvement.
Use audience insights, analytics, customer relationship management systems, marketing automation, and reporting tools to measure results and guide decisions.
Develop toolkits, templates, campaign resources, and tailored messaging that support the College while maintaining brand consistency.
Establish project management and workflow systems that improve accountability, efficiency, and collaboration.
Events and Special Initiatives
Oversee marketing and communications for conferences, symposia, public programs, stakeholder events, and other high-visibility activities.
Develop plans for signature programs, strategic initiatives, launches, and College events.
Ensure effective event branding, communications, audience engagement, logistics, and post-event evaluation.
Team, Budget, and Operations Leadership
Recruit, supervise, mentor, coach, and develop a high-performing team of marketing, communications, public relations, digital, creative, and event professionals.
Establish clear priorities, performance expectations, timelines,…