Assistant Director, Communications and Marketing

Job Description

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech seeks a creative, collaborative, and solution-orientated communications professional to join our team as Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing.

Reporting to the Director of Communications and Marketing and serving as a key member of the college’s Advancement team, the Assistant Director plays a critical role in overseeing the college’s editorial content and media relations efforts; promoting broad reputational awareness of the college, Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station; and executing strategic communications and marketing plans to support college and university priorities.

The Assistant Director will plan and execute the annual college magazine; collaborate on large projects; write a broad range of stories; and fills in for the Director as needed. The Assistant Director also supervises the college’s writer and provides training and support for department and unit communicators. The Assistant Director is an integral part of leading and managing a large and growing team.

The Assistant Director will serve as liaison to the central Media Relations team, collaborating frequently with this group and department communicators to drive earned media coverage of college-related stories highlighting the student experience, faculty excellence, alumni engagement, research, and community impact. This position will prepare and coordinate tip sheets, media advisories, and responses to media inquiries.

This individual must be comfortable interacting with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, effectively building relationships on behalf of the college to advance priorities, support increased collaboration, and uplift the college’s brand.

The Assistant Director will also write and coordinate content that contributes to Advancement priorities and campaigns, such as alumni and stewardship stories that align with college and university priorities, as well as student-focused pieces that aid in the college’s recruitment and enrollment goals.

Additional duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

● Master’s degree in English, communications, public relations, journalism, or related field or equivalent training and/or work experience
● Professional experience as a writer, editor, and/or communicator, with a strong portfolio of work to demonstrate these skills
● Demonstrated experience working with a variety of digital communications platforms, such as website content management systems, printed/digital magazines, and/or professional social media accounts, and a strong understanding of effective digital content strategy
● Demonstrated experience working with others to develop videos, photos, and other visual/graphic assets as part of an effective digital content strategy
● Demonstrated experience in leading others, either as a supervisor or member of a collaborative team
● Demonstrated experience preparing and executing strategic communications plans and evaluating/reporting on their effectiveness

Preferred Qualifications

● Professional communications experience in higher education, independent education, or the nonprofit sector.

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

$68,000 - $75,000; commensurate with experience

Review Date

November 7, 2024

Additional Information

To complete the application, please provide 3 writing samples either attached or links to published work.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Vir