Strategic Director, Brand, Marketing & Communications

Penn State University; University Park (IL); Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 137,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University’s College of Education seeks a seasoned Director of Communications and Marketing to provide strategic leadership for branding, marketing, public relations, media relations, and digital strategy.

Reporting to the Dean, the Director will shape storytelling, elevate the college’s national profile, oversee a diverse team, and guide initiatives that support enrollment, fundraising, engagement, and impact.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success developing and executing integrated marketing and communication strategies.
• Advanced knowledge of brand strategy, public relations, media relations, digital marketing, content development, social media, web strategy, analytics, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience advising senior leaders and communicating effectively with a wide range of audiences.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, agencies, consultants, and large-scale events.
• Effective written, verbal, presentation, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; inclusive and respectful when working with and supporting others.
• Commitment to ethical leadership and accessibility.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement an integrated marketing, communications, and public relations strategy aligned with the College's mission, priorities, and strategic plan.
• Advise the Dean and College leadership on communications, reputation, stakeholder engagement, and crisis response in coordination with University Strategic Communications.
• Lead proactive public relations, thought leadership, strategic storytelling, and high-impact visibility initiatives that advance the College’s reputation.
• Identify emerging issues and reputational risks and coordinate timely and effective responses.
• Lead marketing initiatives across branding, enrollment, advertising, publications, websites, social media, email, video, podcasts, events, and sponsored or owned content.
• Develop data-informed campaigns that increase awareness, enrollment, participation, donor support, and stakeholder participation.
• Oversee the College’s digital presence, including content governance, accessibility, search engine optimization, user experience, social media, and ongoing performance improvement.
• Use audience insights, analytics, customer relationship management systems, marketing automation, and reporting tools to measure results and guide decisions.
• Develop toolkits, templates, campaign resources, and tailored messaging that support the College while maintaining brand consistency.
• Establish project management and workflow systems that improve accountability, efficiency, and collaboration.
• Oversee marketing and communications for conferences, symposia, public programs, stakeholder events, and other high-visibility activities.
• Develop plans for signature programs, strategic initiatives, launches, and College events.
• Ensure effective event branding, communications, audience engagement, logistics, and post-event evaluation.
• Recruit, supervise, mentor, coach, and develop a high-performing team of marketing, communications, public relations, digital, creative, and event professionals.
• Establish clear priorities, performance expectations, timelines, service standards, and professional development opportunities.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, transparent, innovative, and service-oriented team culture.
• Develop and manage budgets; allocate resources strategically; monitor expenditures; and evaluate return on investment.
• Oversee agencies, vendors, consultants, designers, production partners, and other service providers.
• Ensure compliance with University policies, brand standards, accessibility requirements, ethical principles, and applicable laws and regulations.

Skills

Marketing strategy

Brand management

Digital marketing

Crisis communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM systems

Marketing automation

Job description

Penn State University’s College of Education seeks a seasoned Director of Communications and Marketing to provide strategic leadership for branding, marketing, public relations, media relations, and digital strategy.

Reporting to the Dean, the Director will shape storytelling, elevate the college’s national profile, oversee a diverse team, and guide initiatives that support enrollment, fundraising, engagement, and impact.