"Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications"

Job Details

Position Details

Position Information

Budget Title

Associate Vice President

Campus Title

Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications

School/Division

Institutional Advancement, Division of

Department

Institutional Advancement Office

Staff Sub-Type

Staff & Administration

Salary Level

MP2

Salary Range

$145,000-$165,000 (Depending on Experience)

Salary Determination

Starting salary rates are based on multiples factors which may include the position’s major responsibilities, the applicant’s background including education, work experience, and key competencies, the university’s strategic priorities, internal peer equity and external market analyses, applicable federal, state, and local laws and negotiated labor contracts.

Position Effort

Full-Time

If Part-Time, enter FTE:

Is this a temporary position?

No

If Temporary, enter End Date:

Position Summary

The Associate Vice President (AVP) for Marketing and Communications provides strategic leadership for the institution’s integrated marketing and communications efforts and serves as the senior communications strategist. The AVP for Marketing and Communications develops and implements comprehensive strategies to enhance the university’s brand, reputation and visibility while supporting enrollment, fundraising, recruitment and institutional priorities. The position serves as the Public Information Officer during crisis management situations.

The annual salary for this position is $145,000-$165,000 (Depending on Experience)

Watch to learn about careers at SUNY Cortland:

https://youtu.be/krNjgXC95M0?si=k2l13TUB9mJ9YjD8

What makes SUNY Cortland a great place to work?

• Our positions provide predictable salary progressions, and many offer permanency
• Generous benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, various retirement program options, paid family leave and/or parental leaves, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, long term disability and tuition reimbursement
• SUNY Cortland prioritizes work-life balance and well-being in all forms. The university’s state-of-the-art Student Life Center is free for employees to use, with membership options for families. SUNY Cortland’s Child Care Center welcomes the children of employees and community members, as space allows. Alternate work schedules are available with a supervisor’s approval
• Professional development opportunities exist through training, continuing education programs, tuition reimbursement and conference travel, based on funding
• Cortland County and surrounding areas offer easy access to arts, entertainment, outdoor recreation and much more. Experience Cortland dives deep into the region’s offerings

Major Responsibilities

Public Relations

• Serve as the primary media contact for the university and maintain a liaison role with news media, radio, and television to give the campus proper and fair external coverage
• Share university, faculty, staff and student achievements with local, regional and national media outlets, tailoring each announcement to its specific audience
• Ensure thorough evaluation of how the university’s initiatives and programs impact surrounding communities and the broader region
• Create media relations guidelines, compose news stories and scripts, launch specialized publications, write articles and handle urgent communications needs
• Represent the university at various community events including meetings, town halls, celebrations and formal dinners

Brand Management and Marketing

• Ensure consistency of institutional brand identity across all platforms and materials
• Responsible for enforcing university policies regarding brand and style guidelines
• Lead innovative marketing campaigns that differentiate the institution in a competitive landscape
• Manage and enforce all Cortland related trademarks

Comprehensive Content Creation

• Responsible for the university’s photography, video, social/digital media, website design and content
• Oversee university-wide publications, including the alumni magazine Columns, monthly internal and external newsletters and enrollment management materials, web content for Cortland.edu and presidential annual reports
• Responsible for shaping and implementing university marketing and advertising decisions across campus including enrollment management, faculty/staff recruitment and campus event management
• Responsible for coordinating and developing campus and community messaging
• Lead market research efforts that guide strategic decisions
• Responsible for the design and production of visual communications across numerous platforms including print, digital, multimedia and other mediums
• Direct the development of compelling content that effectively communicates the institution’s value proposition

Personnel Management

• Manage a team of marketing and communications professionals
• Monitor workloads throughout the division and prioritize staffing needs accordingly
• Complete annual performance evaluations and performance plans for each direct report and provide guidance and direction for their personal and professional development
• Facilitate regular staff meetings, including communications and marketing personnel outside of Institutional Advancement

Campus Leadership

• Provide public relations counsel and recommendations to executive leadership
• Collaborate with and serve as a resource for senior university leaders with specific communications-related strategies and initiatives
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the senior leadership team on marketing, branding and communications matters and as a member of the President’s Advisory Committee
• Foster positive collaborative relationships with campus and community constituents

Crisis Management

• Lead crisis communications planning and response in collaboration with university leadership; communicating information and updates as needed to internal and external audiences
• Collaborate with university leaders to devise swift responses to unexpected events and issues
• Serve on the university’s Incident Management Team (IMT)

Budget Management

• Responsible for budget oversight of communications, marketing and sports information as well as the campus brand development operations

Functional and Supervisory Relationships

• Reports to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement
• Supervises staff responsible for marketing, communications and sports information
• Works closely with the Chief of Staff and President’s Office, Admissions, Development, and Alumni Engagement

Required Qualifications

• A master’s degree
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in marketing and/or communications
• Minimum of 3 years in a leadership role with direct supervision of staff
• Experience with crisis communications and reputation management

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education marketing or communications
• Significant experience and success in working with the media

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• In-depth understanding of higher education landscape and challenges
• Proven ability to communicate with a diverse constituent base
• Demonstrated ability to align institutional priorities and resources to build a shared vision and deliver measurable results
• Effective written, oral, and presentation communication skills
• Ability to serve as a university representative and spokesperson in a variety of settings
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic plans
• Understanding of digital marketing, social media and emerging technologies
• Analytical skills and understanding of marketing metrics and ROI

About the University

A top public university of approximately 6,600 students located in the geographic center of New York State, SUNY Cortland provides accessible, affordable education to students from across the U.S. body. One of 13 comprehensive universities in the State University of New York system, SUNY Cortland prides itself on its rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, education, and professional studies. For more than 150 years, SUNY Cortland has provided unmistakable value for students seeking a well-rounded academic, athletic, and social experience. The University ranks among the top campuses in the nation on Money magazine’s “Best Colleges for Your Money List,” fields a powerhouse Division III athletics program and boasts an impressive network of alumni making a difference in education, business, government, fitness, medicine and many other fields.

EEO Statement

The State University of New York at Cortland is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act (AA/EEO/ADA) employer. The university actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the university.

Job Close Date

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number

S23302

Review Start Date

10/28/2025

Open Until Filled

Yes

Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting

https://jobs.cortland.edu/postings/9980

Special Instructions

Special Instructions to Applicant

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * Do you have a masters degree?

• Yes
• No

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

1. Curriculum Vitae or Resume
2. Cover Letter
3. Professional References Contact Info. ONLY (minimum of 3)

Optional Documents