Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

The Marketing and Communications team at the Viterbi School of Engineering brings together creative professionals strategists and digital specialists under one unified structure serving all departments centers and institutes across Campus ISI and ICT. This centralized model ensures a cohesive institutional voice strengthens brand consistency and enhances visibility through shared expertise in information collection creative representation and digital dissemination.

The organization leverages analytics automation and emerging AI-enabled tools to elevate efficiency expand capacity and support modern storytelling. Every team member contributes to a collaborative environment that advances the Schools mission of education research and innovation.

POSITION SUMMARY
The Chief Marketing & Communications Officer serves as the Schools senior strategist for institutional marketing communications and brand reputation. This role provides vision executive leadership and operational oversight across all three functional domains of the future-state organization:

Information Collection & Content Development Creative Representation & Special Projects Content Dissemination (Web & Social Media)

The Chief develops School-wide messaging frameworks leads major institutional campaigns and ensures aligned high-quality communications across all academic departments research centers ISI ICT and administrative units. The position oversees executive communications crisis and issues response media relations and institutional storytelling that elevates the Schools academic excellence research leadership and global impact.

The Chief also leads the adoption of analytics AI-assisted tools and modern digital practices to optimize performance scale capacity and advance the Schools long-term strategic goals.

This position requires creativity strategic judgment and agility in a complex rapidly evolving higher education and media environment.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute an integrated multi-year marketing and communications strategy aligned with the Schools mission institutional priorities and long-term strategic plan.
• Establish unified messaging frameworks that strengthen the Schools reputation among prospective students alumni donors faculty industry partners and global audiences.
• Lead strategic planning across all three functional domains ensuring coordination efficiency and consistent service delivery.

Executive & Institutional Communications

• Serve as the Schools lead spokesperson and primary communications advisor to the Dean and senior leadership.
• Direct executive communications high-profile announcements and internal School-wide messaging.
• Lead crisis and issues communications ensuring timely coordinated and accurate messaging in partnership with the Deans Office University Communications and relevant campus partners.

Creative Content and Digital Oversight

• Oversee development of high-impact storytelling campaigns and multimedia content that amplify the Schools academic and research strengths.
• Direct the integration of creative content and digital workflows to ensure consistency and quality across platforms.
• Ensure strong governance for web publishing digital channels and brand standards across departments and institutes.
• Champion accessibility usability and audience experience across all digital platforms and communications materials.

Cross-Functional Partnerships

• Maintain a close strategic partnership with Viterbi ITs Digital Communication Group which supports WordPress governance the Viterbi Web Calendar Image Archive and digital signage infrastructure ensuring aligned platforms and cohesive digital experience.
• Collaborate with VASE Admissions and Recruitment to align messaging strengthen prospective-student engagement and support coordinated student recruitment strategies across digital social and web channels.

AI Analytics and Innovation

• Drive adoption of AI-enabled tools to improve content creation research discovery workflow automation and audience targeting.
• Use analytics dashboards and modern performance measurement tools to guide decision-making assess impact and optimize storytelling and digital reach.
• Foster a culture that embraces innovation responsible experimentation and continuous improvement.

Organizational Leadership

• Build and mentor a collaborative service-oriented team culture grounded in creativity accountability and strategic alignment.
• Ensure equitable baseline marketing coverage for all academic departments research institutes and administrative units.
• Partner with School leadership department chairs and center/institute directors to ensure coordinated support accurate representation and alignment with institutional goals.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS & TEAM STRUCTURE
Reports to: Dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering or Deans delegate. The reporting relationship may be adjusted within Viterbi as needed to support evolving operational needs.

Supervises: Four direct reports including the Strategic Marketing Manager the Creative Strategy Manager the Digital Media & Web Manager and the Public Relations & Social Media Manager. Provides indirect leadership to an additional seven staff for a total team of eleven communications and marketing professionals.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in marketing communications journalism public relations or a related field.
• Extensive experience leading complex multi-channel communications and marketing functions in higher education research or other mission-driven organizations.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing comprehensive brand creative and digital strategies that advance institutional goals and enhance reputation.
• Proven ability to manage crisis communications and sensitive issues with discretion clarity and sound judgment.
• Experience overseeing internal communications and organizational messaging that promote transparency engagement and alignment across diverse audiences.
• Deep understanding of digital marketing analytics and emerging technologies including AI-powered platforms that enhance content creation automation performance measurement and strategic decision-making.
• Experience identifying and responsibly implementing AI applications to improve storytelling workflow efficiency and audience targeting while upholding institutional standards and ethical practices.
• Strong leadership and management skills with experience mentoring creative and communications professionals in a collaborative service-oriented environment.
• Exceptional written verbal and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to advise senior leadership and represent the institution to internal and external stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with a record of innovation adaptability and results-driven decision-making in complex organizations.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hybrid flexibility; this position is expected to maintain a strong onsite presence across the Schools departments research institutes and administrative units to ensure meaningful engagement and consistent service delivery. The Chief may also be called upon to provide communications leadership during emergencies or periods of operational continuity planning.

The annual base salary range for this exempt position is $174678.74 - $197915.03. When extending an offer of employment the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope of responsibilities work experience education and training skills internal equity and market conditions.

DISCLAIMER
This description outlines the general nature and level of work performed; it is not an exhaustive list of all duties responsibilities or skills required. Management may assign or reassign duties to respond to organizational priorities and evolving needs.

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin protected veteran status disability or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to theBackground Screening Policy Appendix Dfor specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at or by email at. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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Chief