Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Public Relations Society of America Inc.; Blacksburg (VA); On-site; USD 323,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Tech seeks a bold, strategic leader to serve as Vice President for Marketing and Communications. This role unifies a broad communications ecosystem to advance institutional priorities, strengthen the university’s voice, and elevate its brand across local, national, and global audiences.

Reporting to the President and collaborating with Advancement, the VP will shape a differentiated narrative, guide engagement, and oversee storytelling across platforms including public media assets,

Job description

Virginia Tech seeks a bold, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as its next Vice President for Marketing and Communications. This is a unique opportunity for an accomplished marketing and communications executive to shape the voice, reputation, and brand of one of the nation's leading land‑grant public research universities while aligning a broad and complex communications ecosystem in support of institutional priorities.

Virginia Tech’s main campus in Blacksburg – consistently ranked among the country’s best places to live – is complemented by a significant and rapidly growing presence in Roanoke and the greater Washington, D.C. metro area. As the Commonwealth of Virginia's most comprehensive university and a leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers about 110 undergraduate majors and more than 120 master's and doctoral degree programs to more than 38,000 students and manages a research portfolio of close to $600 million. The University fulfills its role as a land‑grant institution by fostering a collaborative environment that integrates technology into all disciplines so the Virginia Tech community can serve as a force for positive change around the Commonwealth, the country, and the world. Through experiential learning, future‑focused research, and an inclusive, spirited culture, Virginia Tech strives to accomplish the charge of its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

Reporting directly to the President, with a dotted‑line relationship to the Senior Vice President for Advancement, the Vice President is a member of the President’s leadership cabinet and works closely with Advancement’s leadership team. This individual will lead the development and execution of an integrated marketing and communications strategy that advances institutional priorities, strengthens stakeholder engagement, supports fundraising objectives, and elevates Virginia Tech's visibility and influence among key audiences. Central to this work is the ability to position and promote Virginia Tech as a destination of choice for exceptional faculty, staff, and students, leveraging strategic communications and brand stewardship to strengthen recruitment and enrollment outcomes. The successful candidate will bring a strong marketing orientation, ensuring the University not only communicates effectively but also differentiates itself in an increasingly competitive higher education landscape through intentional brand stewardship, audience engagement, and reputation management.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the voice, brand, and reputation of a globally recognized public research university at a pivotal moment in its history. Virginia Tech's next Vice President for Marketing and Communications will work directly with incoming President Rich Linton to ensure communications and marketing advance institutional strategy, while leading a talented and evolving organization through presidential transition and growing national visibility. This leader will be a brand visionary who embraces innovation and is prepared to explore how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, can strengthen storytelling. Working closely with university leadership and partners across the institution, the Vice President will define a bold strategic vision for marketing and communications, coordinate a complex and distributed communications ecosystem, and develop innovative approaches that strengthen audience engagement, institutional reputation, and measurable results. The successful candidate will serve as a key strategic advisor, helping to position Virginia Tech locally, nationally, and globally, for continued growth, distinction, and impact while building a high‑performing, collaborative culture that advances the University's most important priorities. The Vice President will also serve as a key partner in communications involving the Board of Visitors and will oversee Virginia Tech's public media assets, including WVTF and Radio IQ, leveraging these statewide platforms to advance institutional visibility, engagement, and public service.

To succeed, the next Vice President must possess the professional acumen, leadership experience, and instincts necessary to operate in a large, complex, and highly visible organization. This individual will be an accomplished marketing and communications executive with experience leading enterprise‑wide initiatives, advising senior leaders through challenging and high‑profile situations, and driving meaningful organizational change. They will bring a demonstrated ability to foster coordination across diverse stakeholders, establish accountability in distributed environments, and leverage data, analytics, and emerging technologies to inform strategy and measure impact. The next Vice President should bring an entrepreneurial orientation – someone who can spot opportunities, build new approaches, and move quickly in a competitive environment.

The salary that Virginia Tech reasonably expects to pay for this position is $323,000 - $350,000.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law. For inquiries regarding non‑discrimination policies, contact the Office of Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education at 540-231-2010 or Virginia Tech, 220 Gilbert Street, Suite 5200, Blacksburg, VA 24061.