Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

Located in the historic village of Geneseo in the upstate Finger Lakes region, the State University of New York at Geneseo is a premier public liberal arts college with a rich tradition of academic excellence. We are dedicated to developing socially responsible citizens with skills and values for a productive life.

The Chief Communications and Marketing Officer is a newly created Management Confidential position at Geneseo, recognizing the importance of telling the College’s story accurately, authentically, and convincingly to sustain and further its reputation as an exemplary public liberal arts college that prepares students for examined, meaningful lives. President Battles and her Cabinet have refocused the Office of Communications to include an emphasis on marketing, and made the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer a member of the senior leadership team.

• The Chief Communications and Marketing Officer will be charged with crafting a strategic communications and marketing plan, and leading a creative team in the execution of the plan to sustain institutional enrollment, capital campaign priorities and other institutional needs.
• The strategic reconfiguration of this role recognizes the impact of multifaceted communications and marketing efforts on student and faculty recruitment, alumni and parent engagement, fundraising, and campus community engagement.
• Addressing such issues as the College’s internet presence, including its website and other digital media, and developing and analyzing market trends and research findings, the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer will elevate the awareness of the College nationally and internationally.
• The Chief Communications and Marketing Officer will also play a leadership role in emergency and crisis communication efforts.
• This position will lead a talented staff that provides marketing, public information, public relations, writing, design, photography and video to present the College’s distinctive character in an integrated program of communications to Geneseo’s multiple and diverse constituents.
• The Chief Communications and Marketing Officer will stay current on issues and trends in higher education, and will have a working knowledge of applying the results of public opinion sampling and other research to the design of integrated, targeted communications.
• He or she will work closely with the President and executive leadership of the College and others on campus to identify the stories that exemplify Geneseo’s excellence and character and leverage the telling of those stories to illuminate and extend the College’s reputation and promise.
• The Office of Communications and Marketing plays a lead role in Geneseo’s public relations; is responsible for media relations; coordinates writing and design of the College’s website and outreach on social media; and oversees the College’s graphic design standards across all media.
• The Chief Communications and Marketing Officer advises the President and her staff and provides guidance to the senior administration and members of the faculty and staff in their outreach to Geneseo’s publics.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• An understanding and appreciation for liberal arts education in a residential college environment
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in marketing and communications for a complex organization
• Experience in higher education or not-for-profit organizations is desirable; the search committee will look for candidates with a record of creatively and resourcefully solving marketing challenges that can be related to Geneseo's needs
• Proven ability to manage, motivate and support a creative team and produce targeted results
• Experience designing, analyzing, and applying market research
• Experience developing and working within a budget
• A successful record of working across an organization to develop and present well-researched, authentic, consistent messages that convey to various stakeholders the institution's values and promise
• Evidence of the ability to plan strategically and work within the plan
• Ability to cultivate and maintain mutually respectful, productive working relationships with internal and external constituents
• Excellent writing and editing skills with experience across all media - print, video and electronic - and a record of meeting deadlines
• Experience managing in crisis situations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree
• Experience in higher education or not-for-profit organizations
• The search committee will look for candidates with a record of creatively and resourcefully solving marketing challenges related to Geneseo's needs
• A positive outlook and sense of humor