Summary of Position
The Assistant/Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications provides leadership and oversight of the College’s brand, messaging, and marketing initiatives. As a strategic partner with the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the AVP is responsible for advancing the College’s visibility, reputation, and enrollment goals through integrated and compelling communication strategies. This position leads a team of professionals across content development, digital media, design, and…
public relations, ensuring consistency and alignment with the College’s mission and values.
As Assistant/Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications, you will:
Brand Strategy & Development:
- In collaboration with the VPEM, develop and implement a comprehensive, data-informed marketing and communications strategy that supports the College’s strategic priorities.
- Serve as the College’s chief brand steward, ensuring consistency of message, tone, and visual identity across all channels and departments and with institutional priorities and values.
- Oversee brand audits and benchmarking against peer institutions.
Team and Project Management
- Supervise and mentor a team of communications professionals, including writers, designers, digital marketers, web developers, and media specialists.
- Oversee project timelines, budgets, and performance metrics to ensure high-impact outcomes.
Digital and Web Presence
- Oversee the College’s website strategy, ensuring content accuracy, usability, and alignment with SEO and accessibility standards.
- Guide digital marketing efforts backed by analytics tracking.
Public Relations and Crisis Communication
- Guide the College’s media relations strategy, cultivating relationships with regional and national outlets.
- Support the VPEM, the College’s communications lead, in crisis situations, ensuring timely, transparent, and coordinated messaging.
Market Research & Insights:
- Analyze market trends, audience perceptions, and competitor positioning.
- Use data to inform brand positioning decisions and measure campaign effectiveness
Cross-Departmental Collaboration:
- Act as a strategic partner to departments across campus, ensuring that marketing and communication efforts are coordinated, consistent, and aligned with institutional priorities.
Content Development:
- Contribute to content creation as needed with an emphasis on thought leadership and news stories
Experience and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in related field required, Master’s degree in related field preferred.
- 7-10 years’ experience required, 10+ years’ experience preferred
Required Knowledge of
- Comprehensive understanding of scope of work and prompt completion of territory and prospect management initiatives and goals
- Appreciation of the distinctions and value of a private, residential, liberal arts education
- Google Suite (email, calendar, drive, etc.)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, etc.)
Required Skills in
- Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively across departments and foster a culture of partnership and shared goals.
- Experience and success in shaping and maintaining a consistent institutional voice and visual identity across diverse platforms and audiences.
- Exceptional writing, editing, and presentation skills, with the ability to tailor messages to different stakeholders.
- Skilled in developing and delivering clear, timely, and effective communications in urgent or sensitive situations.
Required Abilities
- Proven ability to lead, mentor, and motivate a creative team, while managing multiple priorities, budgets, and deadlines.
- Ability to anticipate trends in higher education marketing and communications and adapt strategies to a rapidly changing media landscape.
YOUR COMPENSATION
Starting salary will be competitive, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
THE HIRING PROCESS
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and provide contact information for three references to the Office of Human Resources, Allegheny College, 520 N. Main Street, Meadville, PA 16335 or by e-mail to employment@allegheny.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE
Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation’s oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold. It is one of the few colleges in the United States with a unique requirement to choose both a major and minor for graduation, to provide students with a cross-disciplinary path in the sciences and humanities for educational depth and intellectual growth. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny College is one of 44 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives.” In its 2025 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College as one of the country’s 100 top national liberal arts colleges — and including in the top 25 Undergraduate Teaching, Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects, First-Year Experience, and Senior Capstone.
Allegheny’s undergraduate residential education prepares students for successful, meaningful lives by promoting students’ intellectual, moral, and social development and encouraging personal and civic responsibility. Allegheny’s faculty and staff combine high academic standards and a commitment to the exchange of knowledge with a supportive approach to learning. Graduates are equipped to think critically and creatively, write clearly, speak persuasively, and meet challenges in a diverse, interconnected world. Allegheny College is deeply committed to creating an inclusive community that actively challenges racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of bias (see Allegheny College Statement of Community).
Allegheny College is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. The College does not discriminate, and will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, creed, national/ethnic origin, ancestry, veterans, handicap or disability as those terms are defined under applicable law, or members of other underrepresented groups.
Allegheny College is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact the Director of Human Resources
Visit the Allegheny College Web Site at www.allegheny.edu
