Position number: FA013
Reports to: Vice President of Institutional Advancement
The Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications provides leadership and strategic direction for all marketing, branding, and public communications at Virginia Western Community College. This role oversees the College’s marketing and public relations operation, including digital media, creative services, web administration, content development, and the College’s print services operation, with the mission of advancing the College’s brand, strengthening its public reputation, and supporting enrollment growth. Serving as the College’s Public Information Officer (PIO) and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer, the Director ensures clear, consistent, and compelling communication with internal and external audiences. The position collaborates across all areas of the institution, providing strategic counsel to the President, Executive Team, Educational Foundation, Academic divisions, Workforce Solutions, and Student Affairs.
Work Tasks and Duties
Institutional Marketing, Branding & Public Relations Strategy – 35%
- Builds integrated, multi-media marketing and communications strategies that strengthen enrollment, institutional visibility, credibility, and community engagement.
- Develops and manages the annual marketing plan and associated budget to advance the College’s strategic enrollment, communications, and public relations goals.
- Researches and analyzes market trends and enrollment data to develop and implement integrated marketing campaigns that drive enrollment and retention outcomes.
- Oversees and protects the Virginia Western brand, ensuring all communications and creative work align with the College’s mission, values, and strategic goals.
- Directs the creation, review, and production of high-quality marketing and public relations materials–including written content, news releases, advertising, design, photography, and promotional assets–to ensure clear, accurate, and compelling communication aligned with the College’s brand.
- Provides strategic oversight of the Educational Foundation’s flagship printed magazine, ensuring content, design, and messaging align with institutional priorities and elevate the visibility of the College and its donors, programs, and community impact.
- Implements and monitors marketing performance metrics and year-over-year dashboards to evaluate impact and guide data-driven decision-making.
- Identifies and cultivates story ideas, media opportunities, and news content that highlight academic programs, student/faculty achievements, and institutional initiatives.
- Develops short- and long-term strategics, plans, and budgets for marketing, communications, and public relations, ensuring alignment with institutional objectives and evaluation of performance outcomes.
- Collaborates across the College–including Enrollment Management, Academic divisions, Workforce Solutions, Educational Foundation, and Student Success–to ensure consistent branding, targeted messaging, and coordinated marketing efforts.
- Establishes and enforces policies, procedures, and communication protocols to ensure accuracy, compliance, and consistency across all College messaging and campus event communications.
- Provides strategic counsel to senior leadership, including the President and Executive Team, on communications, public relations, and marketing strategies.
- Maintains crisis-ready communication plans and ensures staff readiness.
Team Leadership & Department Management – 30%
- Supervises and mentors a marketing communications team of full-time and part-time professionals, as well as the College’s centralized reproduction and mail distribution operation.
- Website: Provides strategic oversight of the College’s website and digital presence, ensuring its design, structure, content, accessibility compliance, and updates effective support institutional communication, emergency messaging, and enrollment-focused marketing.
- Creative Services: Ensures the Creative Services function produces high-quality, brand-aligned visual and promotional materials across print and digital media, coordinating workflows and vendor relationships to meet campus-wide marketing needs.
- Social Media: Directs the College’s social media strategy to enhance engagement, support enrollment initiatives, and promote institutional messaging while monitoring platforms for opportunities, trends, and emerging issues.
- Public Relations: Guides public relations efforts to generate compelling stories, elevate the College’s reputation, manage media interactions, and ensure consistent, strategic communication with internal and external audiences.
- Print Services: Oversees centralized Print Services operations to deliver timely, cost-effective, and high-quality printing and mail distribution that support the College’s communication, instructional, and administrative needs.
- Fosters a collaborative, mission-driven department culture committed to high-quality work and cross-campus support.
- Manages the College’s marketing and communications budget, as well as the Print Services budget, ensuring effective resource allocation aligned with strategic goals and responsible stewardship of resources.
- Evaluates departmental needs, technology investments, and vendor contracts to maximize efficiency and impact.
- Oversees staffing functions including performance evaluations, leave approvals, work scheduling, coaching, and corrective action, as appropriate.
Public Information Officer (PIO) – 25%
- Serves as an active member of the Campus Security and Safety Executive Committee as well as the Continuity of Operation Planning Team, coordinating emergency and/or crisis communication with campus leadership and ensure rapid, accurate dissemination of information.
- Serves as the College’s spokesperson, managing proactive and responsive media relations.
- Develops news releases, public statements, crisis communications, and messaging for key institutional initiatives.
- Responds promptly and accurately to media inquiries, providing information that supports transparency, enhances the College’s reputation, and positively reflects the work of the institution and its students, faculty, and staff.
- Builds and sustains relationships with local, regional, and statewide media outlets.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer – 5%
- Serves as the institution’s designated FOIA Officer in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and the Code of Virginia.
- Processes and responds to FOIA requests in a timely manner as required by law, working closely with internal and external stakeholders–including Business Office, Academic and Workforce Solutions, IET, HR, Student Affairs, Records Office, the Virginia Community College System, Shared Services Center, and the Office of the Attorney General.
- Completes FOIA training at least annually to maintain compliance with state regulations.
Governance – 5%
- Serves on assigned governance committees and contributes to institutional planning and policy discussions.
- Provides guidance and strategic marketing and communications expertise on Administrative Faculty Senate, Strategic Enrollment Management Team, and other governance committees as assigned/requested.
Revised: March 9, 2026
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