Summary
Description
Employee Benefits
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Desired Start Date
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on
01/06/2025
Description of Work Unit
The mission of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is to improve the health of animals, people, and the planet through innovative and dedicated teaching, research, outreach, and clinical service. Through our actions, we empower the next generation of leaders to change the world. The CVMBS Communications team supports this mission through the development and implementation of internal and external communication strategies. The college is currently second in the country by US News and World report; management of internal and external communications is a critical component of maintaining this reputation.
Position Summary
The Communications Director for the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) at Colorado State University is responsible for developing, leading, and executing comprehensive communication strategies to enhance the reputation of the College and support the enrollment of its academic programs. The ideal candidate will oversee internal and external communications, manage media relations, and ensure a consistent brand voice that promotes the College’s mission and goals. This role will collaborate with key stakeholders to drive engagement, elevate visibility, and maintain the College’s recognized position as a leader in veterinary, biomedical, and environmental sciences.
Working closely with the Dean and executive leadership, the Director ensures content and strategy which supports the College’s goals, aligns with university structures and messaging, and continuously assesses and adjusts as needed for success and effectiveness. This person will serve as a trusted advisor to the Dean and executive leadership, particularly in matters related to crisis communications, media relations, and internal communications.
As the leader of the communications team, the Director leads the communications team, fosters accountability and responsiveness to the needs of the college and its leadership. They serve as a key advisor on crisis communications, media relations, and internal communications. Collaboration with university communications, IT, and Advancement is essential for maintaining consistent and aligned messaging and brand integrity across all platforms. This position is pivotal to ensure that communication strategies are forward-thinking, progressive and effective to the needs of all stakeholders.
The perfect candidate is a strategic storyteller who can not only execute communication plans, but also anticipates future trends and challenges in higher education, veterinary medicine, and biomedical research and education, and portrays excitement for the diverse multitude of functions across the myriad teaching, research and clinical service activities of this dynamic and progressive college. They will understand how to align communication efforts within its mission to meet both short- and long-term goals, and ensure the College maintains its national and international reputation and renown, and to help meet diversified enrollment targets in an evolving educational landscape. The candidate will be skilled at identifying new opportunities for growth and engagement, whether through emerging digital platforms, innovative content strategies, or partnerships with key stakeholders.
They will also be proactive in their approach, leading with creative ideas and solutions that go beyond reactive communication efforts and steer communications in a direction that supports the College’s evolving priorities. By staying informed on industry trends and leveraging data-driven insights, the ideal candidate will craft a dynamic forward-thinking communications strategy which enhances the College’s visibility and ensures long-term success in recruiting students, promoting research, and fostering a positive public image.
The successful candidate will be an excellent personal communicator, able to fluently and passionately interact with the wide variety of stakeholders that make up CVMBS, and the many external audiences served by the college.
A hybrid work schedule can be negotiated with the supervisor after onboarding.
Moving expenses can be negotiated for the selected candidate.
Required Job Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications or closely related field.
- Minimum five years of professional work experience in marketing and outreach, editing, and/or writing
- Demonstrated ability to assess needs, create a strategic communications plan and implement/design organizational models to meet strategic goals and objectives
- Proven ability to lead a team and ensure results
- Understanding of different ethnic and socioeconomic audiences, commitment to include diverse voices in program prioritization and planning, and a commitment to developing and delivering both inclusive and targeted programming as demonstrated by persistent effort, active planning, allocation of resources and/or accountability for diversity.
- Demonstrated excellent interpersonal communication skills, and ability to work with large interdisciplinary stakeholder groups
- Experience leading and supervising team
Preferred Job Qualifications
- Master’s degree in marketing, communications, or closely related field.
- Experience working in higher education, health services (preferably veterinarian related), and/or scientific promotion and marketing).
- Ability to train and educate others as demonstrated by formal training, experience and application materials.
- Ten years of professional direct, relevant work experience in marketing and outreach, editing and/or writing.
- Proven ability to gain buy-in and collaboration from executive-level leaders for communication strategy.
- Experience building a brand and leading the development of message strategy, creative execution, copywriting, photography, artwork, and media planning (across websites, publications, advertisements, video presentations, and other media)
- Successful implementations of social media with a focus on science and education
- Outstanding project organizational skills, culminating in on-time delivery and ideally exceeding expectations.
- Demonstrated agility and resilience in an organization undergoing change.
- Training and/or experience with change managemen
Diversity Statement
Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Essential Duties
Job Duty Category
Strategic leadership
Duty/Responsibility
- Participate in college strategic planning process.
- Determine communications strategy for CVMBS including:
- Prioritize communications contributions in response to college’s strategic priorities, and individual requests from departmental (or other) personnel.
- Distribution of effort among channels, internal vs. external communications, and among college units.
- dentification and monitoring of outcomes.
- Collaboration with central CSU Marketing and Communications and department-specific communications teams.
- Lead the communications team (both direct reports and department-imbedded professionals)
- Partner with central university communications, alumni relations, advancement offices, and other colleges to share key messages and amplify outreach efforts.
- Assist various internal departments and units in identifying their needs and optimal solutions for communication efforts.
- Ensure engagement with college leadership and frequent outcomes assessment to inform changes to strategy.
- Maintain physical presence in Dean’s office or other locations in campus, as appropriate.
Percentage Of Time
40
Job Duty Category
Resource Allocation and Team Management
Duty/Responsibility
- Supervise, inspire, and mentor a team of communication professionals and foster a collaborative and creative environment
- Lead team in developing content plan and ensuring consistency and delivery
- Ensure team is optimally staffed with needs assessment and resource planning.
- Deliver communications plans, goals, and strategies to CVMBS leadership. · Optimize collaboration with IT resources (department, college and university) for web-based communication.
- Identify and make recommendations for platforms, channels and other infrastructure investments to meet communications needs.
- Manage the CVMBS communications operational budget.
Percentage Of Time
30
Job Duty Category
Reputation Management
Duty/Responsibility
- Develop and implement a strategic communications plan to enhance the reputation of CVMBS.
- Lead team in developing content plan and ensuring consistency and delivery across the diverse sectors of CVMBS.
- Ensure alignment of messaging across all communication platforms (web, social media, newsletters, internal communications) to maintain a cohesive and consistent brand image.
- Monitor and manage crisis communication efforts, providing timely responses to sensitive issues, and guide faculty and leadership through communication challenges.
Percentage Of Time
30
Application Details
Special Instructions to Applicants
This position will remain open until filled. For full consideration, please apply by 1/06/2025, 11:59pm (MT).
Interested applicants must submit a cover letter which addresses how professional experiences align with the required and preferred qualifications, a current resume, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three (3) professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates. If you have questions, please reach out to the listed search contact.
CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.
Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
Conditions of Employment
Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search Contact
Erin Mercurio, erin.mercurio@colostate.edu
EEO Statement
Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, titleix@colostate.edu.
The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu.
The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu.
Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education.
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.
