POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Associate Vice-Chancellor for Marketing and Communications - West Plains
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1240
GRADE 46
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Chancellor
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Associate Vice-Chancellor for Marketing and Communications – West Plains is the chief public relations and marketing officer for Missouri State University - West Plains. The Associate Vice-Chancellor for Marketing and Communications is responsible for developing and implementing public relations programs in support of the mission of Missouri State University – West Plains, providing public relations counsel to the Chancellor and other campus officials, and developing and supporting the University’s marketing efforts. The Associate Vice-Chancellor for Marketing and Communications is responsible for the coordination of activities that expand and enhance the image of the campus. Those activities include the following areas: community relations, internal communications, marketing, news services, web content, electronic media, and publications.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, marketing or a relevant field is required. A master’s degree is preferred. An equivalent combination of years of experience and education may be considered for substitution of educational requirements.
Experience: A minimum of five years of experience in public relations practice, preferably with management experience is required. This experience should be in one or more of these areas of public relations: media relations, news and information, publications, or sports information. Experience in the use of current marketing practices is required. Experience in a college setting is preferred. Experience with and/or understanding of electronic media and web development is preferred.
Skills: Strong verbal and written communications skills are required. Strong skills in designing a marketing strategy is required. Demonstrated management skills in areas such as goal setting, staff supervision and evaluation and budgeting are required. Computer literacy is required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
Other: Scope of the job frequently requires some travel, working evenings and/or weekends, and attending events in the evening and/or weekend.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provides leadership and vision for the campus’s strategic and integrated marketing and communications functions that reflect the goals and mission of the university.
2. Ensures that the central administration is aware of the implications of a variety of issues by providing public relations counsel to the Chancellor and other campus officials.
3. Develops and implements action plans to meet the campus’s public relations needs by understanding the campus’s mission and goals and identifying public relations needs associated with the mission and goals.
4. Leads and directs the marketing, web and social media content, communications and public relations staff, and coordinates at the strategic and tactical levels with all University departments.
5. Ensures the quality of the University Communications department’s operation by recruiting and hiring qualified applicants, providing training in departmental operations and individual duties, assigning work projects as appropriate, supervising work activities including news releases, publications, website, social media and digital marketing and providing evaluation of work performance.
6. Plans and manages a comprehensive public information program through the media including feature stories, news releases, and public service announcements to promote academic programs, events, faculty/staff appointments, and other newsworthy activities.
7. Promotes a positive image of the University by developing and implementing successful public relations and digital marketing campaigns for the academic programs and other areas as needed, and communicates information about the University to its students, prospective students, parents, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, and other constituencies.
8. Manages and oversees daily operations of university-level social media accounts; including evening, weekend, and holiday monitoring of all university-level accounts.
9. Manages and oversees the planning, execution, and measurement of university digital marketing campaigns to advance university strategic initiatives.
10. Supervises and monitors publications operations, including pre-production aspects of catalogs, brochures, and specialized publications, and serves as the University’s brand manager, with the responsibility of positioning the University in the market, determining target audiences, and maintaining the desired reputation.11. Ensures accuracy and consistency in all campus publications produced by the office by establishing standards for writing style, copy development and design, and encouraging other departments throughout the campus to comply with the same standards and guidelines.
12. Communicates the campus’s position and policies on a variety of issues to specific media and to various campus constituencies by serving as the Missouri State University – West Plains contact person with the media; as appropriate, developing position papers and background materials for the Chancellor; and develops and maintains relationships with area media representatives.
13. Represents the Office of University Communications by chairing and serving on various campus committees and promotes the University by representing it on various community committees, organizations, and boards and by reporting its accomplishments to a wide constituency.
14. Ensures fiscally sound operation of the University Communications department by exercising management practices which results in operating within allocated budget.
15. Creates a collegial, team-building work environment, motivating staff and cultivating productive, collaborative relationships with all constituent groups.16. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
17. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues and attendance at professional development conferences/workshops and related activities, and expands the knowledge base and ability of the University Communications department to serve the University through involvement in professional organizations.18. Contributes to the overall success of the campus by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned the by the Chancellor.
SUPERVISION
The Associate Vice-Chancellor for Marketing and Communications supervises the public relations specialist, graphic designer, social media specialist, web and media services specialist, administrative assistant, and student workers.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED NOVEMBER 2024
