Vice President – Higher Education

Biplane; Orlando (FL); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO 15 days

401(k) matching

Medical benefits

Professional development support

Job summary

Biplane, a strategic communications and public relations firm for philanthropy, seeks a Vice President – Higher Education to lead and grow the practice serving colleges and universities. You will guide strategy, advise senior leaders, and expand the firm’s footprint with executive visibility and thought leadership.

Based in Orlando with hybrid work options, you will manage complex engagements, coach account teams, and shape services to meet client needs in today’s evolving philanthropic

Qualifications

• 15+ years in strategic communications or public relations in higher education.
• Understanding of the fundraising environment and donor confidence.
• Experience independently leading complex engagements and advising senior executives.
• Experience leading teams and helping colleagues grow judgment and independence.
• Strong writing, editing and media relations skills.
• Established relationships with nonprofit or philanthropic leaders and ability to cultivate referrals.

Responsibilities

• Lead client strategy and execution for higher education campaigns.
• Build trusted relationships with nonprofit executives and advancement leaders.
• Advise on reputation, positioning and stakeholder alignment.
• Design and guide research including stakeholder interviews and issue analysis.
• Direct and coach account teams on priorities, budgets and quality.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic communications

Public relations

Higher education knowledge

Business development

Job description

About Biplane

Biplane is a strategic communications and public relations firm for visionary philanthropy. We help nonprofits achieve ambitious fundraising goals by building visibility, strengthening reputation, aligning stakeholders and helping more people understand the vision behind the ask. Our work creates the best possible conditions for fundraising and momentum that lasts beyond a campaign.

After 42 years as Curley & Pynn, we recently rebranded as Biplane, focusing our future on helping nonprofits communicate more strategically. We’re building toward an ambitious goal: becoming nationally recognized as the top partner for campaign communications.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to help shape our firm’s next chapter. We have decades of experience to draw on, but plenty still to build. As vice president – higher education, you will build our practice serving higher education partners as they navigate transformational fundraising campaigns.

As builder and leader of the practice, you should bring significant experience managing communications and public relations in the higher education advancement environment. We’re looking for an experienced communicator with the judgment to advise higher education leaders, the network to expand our reach and the willingness to roll up their sleeves alongside our team.

Reporting to our president and working closely with the CEO, you’ll develop relationships, shape our thought leadership and design services that meet the needs of higher education partners in today’s evolving philanthropic landscape. As we grow, you will direct and coach account teams through the client assignments you secure.

Initially, we expect most of your time to focus on business development and serving clients, with some time dedicated to refining our services and developing the team. The balance will evolve with client and agency needs.

Success will be measured by your ability to open doors to qualified prospects and help us win new client engagements, whether clients trust you to lead consequential work and whether account leaders become more confident and capable because of your guidance.

Build relationships and support growth:

• Draw on an established professional network, particularly among advancement leaders and fundraising consultants, to create opportunities for Biplane.
• Cultivate relationships that lead to referrals, partnerships and qualified prospective clients.
• Share useful ideas through articles, presentations, speaking opportunities and professional participation that strengthen Biplane’s visibility and credibility.
• Work with agency leadership to qualify opportunities, shape proposals and present recommendations to prospective clients.
• Follow through consistently with prospects and referral partners, moving promising conversations toward appropriate engagements.
  

Strengthen our services and team:

• Establish and reinforce standards for communications strategy and counsel, helping account leaders develop sound recommendations, challenge assumptions and deliver consistently strong work.
• Serve as a senior resource across accounts, reviewing important recommendations and deliverables and helping teams navigate complex situations.
• Coach through the work: explain your reasoning, ask useful questions and give feedback that helps colleagues lead more independently.
• Turn experience into practical methods, resources and training that colleagues can use.
• Identify ways to improve service delivery, collaboration and client results, and help put them into practice.

Lead client strategy and execution:

• Independently lead major engagements, translating organizational priorities into communications strategies with clear objectives and measurable outcomes.
• Build trusted relationships with nonprofit executives, advancement leaders and other senior stakeholders.
• Advise on reputation, institutional positioning, executive visibility, stakeholder alignment and sensitive communications.
• Design and guide research, including stakeholder interviews, audience and issue analysis, and communications assessments. Turn what you learn into clear insights and practical recommendations.
• Facilitate discovery conversations, message activation workshops and leadership discussions that help clients work through different perspectives, reach alignment and prepare to communicate confidently.
• Develop and execute communications strategies that connect clients’ missions and ambitions with the audiences they need to reach.
• Personally write, edit, pitch and prepare leaders for important communications moments.
• Guide account teams on priorities, assignments, budgets and quality, helping colleagues strengthen their judgment and execution.
  

Qualifications

• 15 or more years of progressive experience in strategic communications or public relations in higher education.
• An understanding of the fundraising environment and how communications supports donor confidence, stakeholder alignment and institutional goals. Advancement communications experience is preferred.
• Experience independently leading complex engagements and advising senior executives.
• Experience leading teams through assignments and helping colleagues build the judgment and confidence to lead independently.
• Strong writing, editing and media relations skills.
• Experience using research to inform recommendations and facilitating productive conversations with leaders and stakeholders.
• Established relationships with nonprofit, advancement or philanthropic leaders, along with experience cultivating referrals, partnerships or new business opportunities.
• The ability to manage multiple engagements, priorities and budgets with initiative and follow-through.

Agency experience is a plus. We also value the perspective of professionals who have led communications within nonprofits, universities or other mission-driven institutions. Your current title matters less than your experience, judgment and ability to lead this work.

Working at Biplane

“Experience without the ego” is how we want colleagues and clients to experience Biplane. We take their missions personally, share what we know and care about getting the work right. We also makeroom for humor, gratitude and the lives people lead beyond their jobs.

Our values describe what we expect from one another:

• Lead with care
• Give a shit
• Hustle
• Win as a team
• Commit to candor

We’re a small team, so your ideas and actions will have an impact across the organization. We want someone who contributes their experience generously and remains willing to learn from others.

Our Orlando team works in the office Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with remote flexibility on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. This role is also open to fully remote candidates within the United States. Remote team members should expect to visit Orlando at least annually; additional travel expectations will be discussed during the hiring process.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation depends on experience and qualifications and includes an enhanced incentive package offering substantial additional earning potential correlated to business growth and profitability. The package rewards both your individual contribution to growth and the firm’s shared success. Full details will be discussed during the hiring process.

Current benefits include 15 days of paid time off, with additional accrual after five years; 80% employer-paid medical benefits; 401(k) matching; and support for professional development.