Director of Advancement Communications and Marketing

Posting Details

Position Type Administrative Staff

Position Title Director of Advancement Communications and Marketing

Salary Competitive based on education and experience

Department Institutional Advancement

Full or Part Time Full Time

Number of Months 12

FTE 1

Work Schedule

This is a salaried, exempt position with the occasional night and weekends for fundraising events.

Basic Function

The Director of Advancement Communications and Marketing will proactively drive a strategic communications and marketing program that generates philanthropic support and engagement for Denison University.

Advancement communications should create and improve a culture of philanthropy, elevate the University’s profile, and align with institutional needs. The Director will be responsible for ensuring that communications to alumni, families, donors, prospective donors and other key stakeholders deliver a consistent, clear and compelling message about the University’s value and the impact of philanthropy. Duties include serving as a partner and liaison for the central University Communications team, leading a small team and managing consultants as needed to build out advancement capacity, development of messaging strategy, campaign planning, content creation and distribution, analysis of results, and strategic event communications.

Essential Job Functions

• Write, plan, and/or edit content for key Institutional Advancement communications, including but not limited to: solicitations, donor proposals, stewardship/impact reports, invitations, event programs, targeted emails and event scripts. (20%)
• Manage relationships and oversee the work of consulting partners/contractors, who support the writing and development of advancement communication and collateral materials. (35%)
• Manage communication, marketing, and collateral projects ensuring all internal and external partners are aware of and effectively executing project plans, while meeting deadlines. (15%)
• Collaborate with advancement team and internal stakeholders to announce significant gifts, garnering strategic visibility for current and prospective donors. (10%)
• Coordinate with University Communications to incorporate key advancement messages into broader communications and marketing activities, including talking points, presentations, reports, video production, social media efforts and other channels. (5%)
• Make data driven decisions to inform strategy, determine priorities, and measure performance. (5%)
• Manage a team of communications professionals to ensure that they are meeting goals and adhering to best practices. Evaluate staff performance on an ongoing basis. (10%)

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in writing, communications, marketing or related field with a minimum of 7 years of demonstrated professional experience.

Must have a current, valid driver’s license and must be insurable under Denison’s liability insurance policy.

Preferred Qualifications

An exceptionally qualified candidate will have:

• A commitment to strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Excellent writing, proofreading, and editing skills
• Ability to work independently, under deadlines.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), with the capability to master new software applications and technologies, including content management systems.
• Proven record of leadership, management, and supervisory skills and experience in recruiting, managing, training, and leading professional teams and external resources like consulting partners and contractors to reach their full potential and to achieve goals
• Communications or marketing within higher education, development/advancement and fundraising campaigns.
• Knowledge of university advancement best practices related to communication, engagement, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.

Physical Demands

The position will require some evening and weekend commitments.

Contact(s) Billie Handa

Contact Phone/Extension 740-587-6730

Contact Email handab@denison.edu

Open Date 11/15/2024

Close Date 12/31/2024

Open Until Filled Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please apply by December 31, 2024 for full consideration.

For the references document requirement, please provide contact information for three (3) work-related references, including name, address, phone number, and email address.

Additional Information

Denison University Background Check Statement

The final candidate will undergo a background check as a conditional offer of employment, including a driving check.

Denison University EEO Statement

To achieve our mission as a liberal arts college, we continually strive to attract and hire candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences and identities. Denison fosters a campus community that recognizes the value of all persons regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender expression and identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background. For additional information and resources about diversity at Denison, please see our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and antiracism ( IDEA ) at https://denison.edu/campus/denison-forward