Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications

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POSITION SPECIFICS

Penn States Office of Strategic Communications the Universitys central public relations and marketing division is seeking an experienced proactive and innovative leader to serve as its Assistant Vice President Strategic Communications (AVP).

This position will report directly to the Vice President for Strategic Communications Rachel Pell and collaborate with academic administrative and communications and marketing leaders and staff at Penn State campuses across the state. The AVP will help protect and advance the Universitys reputation for integrity; nurture pride and attachment among faculty staff and students; enhance understanding of and drive support for major leadership priorities; strengthen the institutions commitment to its employees; and advance Penn States position as an exceptional employer.

Specifically this forward-thinking and collaborative communications executive will provide overall vision and strategic leadership to an integrated team of 11 who are responsible for internal communications including human resources and change management communications; Penn State News and other news vehicles; and partnership with communicators outside Strat Comm. The AVP will also partner closely with the issues and crisis team to support and work in critical areas facing the University. This individual must be a proactive and engaged member of the office who works toward solutions directly contributes to the work of the office and provides perspective on a variety of issues and forces shaping Penn State as well as higher education during a time of evolution in the Universitys structure and priorities.

Key Responsibilities

The Assistant Vice President Strategic Communications is a reconfigured role that brings together internal communications change management communications HR communications and Commonwealth Campus communications while also working hand-in-hand with crisis and issues management. The AVP will provide vision and leadership for crucial areas of university communications as well as Penn State News. This role will also collaborate with leadership in the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses to provide strategic communication counsel and support that advances Penn States Commonwealth campuses. Ultimately the AVP will continue to build and implement a clear unified vision for strategic communication aimed at strengthening the Universitys culture supporting its employees protecting its reputation and managing institutional change.

The AVP will be responsible for the following key areas:

Internal and Change Management Communications

• Lead enterprise change communications and stakeholder engagement; serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders to anticipate evaluate and clearly communicate the impacts of organizational operational financial and strategic decisions
• Strengthen institutional capacity for change management by developing frameworks processes and communication strategies that enable leaders to navigate complexity uncertainty and competing stakeholder expectations with clarity consistency and confidence
• Lead stakeholder analysis and engagement planning to shape communications around constituent needs and perspectives. Help leaders frame complex decisions so they promote clarity alignment and constructive engagement among university and external audiences.
• Advance proactive change communications
• Equip leaders across the University to lead during this time of ambiguity and increased expectations
• Ensure that communications surrounding major initiatives are thoughtful coordinated and strategically aligned positioning University leadership as informed decisive and prepared in the face of continual change
• Provide support for and collaborate with Commonwealth Campus communicators to maintain a cohesive brand identity while addressing campus-specific needs

Human Resources and Employee Relations Communications

• Oversee the team responsible for the creation and oversight of university-wide employee communications strategies programs and messaging regarding key University initiatives
• Develop creative strategies that foster internal brand relevance and cultivate a distinctive employee value proposition ultimately driving employee satisfaction and engagement across the University
• Design and implement a comprehensive employee brand strategy that reflects the Universitys values culture and strategic objectives; aligns with overall internal communication efforts; and supports the Universitys brand positioning
• Conduct thorough data analysis leveraging insights from employee feedback to craft targeted engagement initiatives that promote belonging employee satisfaction and well-being across the University
• Partner closely with the VP of Human Resources and their team for implementation and measurement

Crisis and Issues Management

• Coordinate closely with the director of Penn States issues management team on key priorities to develop and support the execution of comprehensive proactive and reactive communication strategies that address crises and emerging issues that may adversely impact the Universitys reputation or operations
• As needed work closely with the vice president of Strat Comm and her leadership team Penn States executive leadership and cross-functional teams across the University to create cohesive and effective messaging that supports the institutions mission and strategic objectives

Additional Duties

• Provide thought leadership and strengthen the Universitys internal expertise and capabilities in outreach and engagement by leveraging emerging technologies and platforms including AI
• Provide leadership support of robust and timely content aimed at informing internal and external stakeholders about news events and initiatives across Penn State

This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven leader to make a lasting impact at one of the nations preeminent public research universities by shaping communication strategies at the highest level while engaging informing and connecting internal and external stakeholders with the institutions mission and strategic goals particularly during periods of institutional change.

Preferred Skills and Experience

The Assistant Vice President Strategic Communications will bring many of the following professional qualities and experiences:

• Exceptional judgment and the ability to anticipate stakeholder perspectives frame complex issues thoughtfully and build understanding and confidence during periods of change
• An inclusive and facilitative leadership style that inspires and empowers staff fosters innovation and encourages open communication and collaboration
• Proven experience in a senior communication role within a complex organization serving multiple broad constituencies
• Demonstrated strong leadership skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams and distributed partners
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with an eye for strategic thinking and innovative problem-solving
• Expertise in employee communications engagement and internal brand development with a deep understanding of data-driven decision-making
• Sophisticated understanding of communications channels and technology from social media to CRMs to AI
• Experience working in an environment serving many internal clients and external constituents
• The ability and desire to thrive in a fast-paced high-impact environment managing multiple priorities while maintaining a focus on long-term objectives
• A commitment to Penn States land-grant mission and sensitive to the diverse needs of regional campuses
• The ability to communicate relate and work effectively with and demonstrate respect for people at all levels of the organization and a wide variety of diverse backgrounds and cultures
• A high degree of integrity character and emotional maturity; humility a sense of humor and life balance; and an optimistic personality

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in public relations marketing communications advertising journalism business administration or related discipline
• 10 years of relevant communications experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience) including leading communications related to significant organizational change; the demonstrated ability to extrapolate and be valuable to supporting areas such as structural realignment budget and resource planning operational transformation and student success initiatives; and at least eight years of experience in a supervisory or senior management role. Prior experience in higher education is not required.

About Penn States Office of Strategic Communications

As Penn States central public relations and marketing division the Office of Strategic Communications is a fully integrated award-winning best-in-class marketing and public relations team defined by innovative strategy and breakthrough creative driven by measurable goals. We advance the University by strengthening and protecting the institutions reputation in regional national and international spheres of influence in ways that serve recruitment resource and leadership goals.

Spanning Penn States large-scale enterpriseincluding campus locations across Pennsylvania nearly 90000 students and an alumni base exceeding 800000the Office of Strategic Communications work encompasses all forms of communications and engagement ranging from branding marketing and trademark and event management to internal communications proactive and social media research communications and crisis and issues management. Weve attracted talented and diverse team members from private and public sectors at all levels of our division giving us the ability to build a strategic program of excellence recognized throughout the University.

To Apply

Penn State has retained Isaacson Miller the national executive search firm to assist in this recruitment. Confidential inquiries nominations and applications should be directed to the search firm at: CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Due to the financial and fiduciary responsibilities of this position successful completion of a credit history check will be required in addition to standard background checks. This position requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid drivers license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988 Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security such as those concerning alcohol and drug use crime prevention the reporting of crimes sexual assault and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW
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