Chief Marketing And Communications Officer

About MassArt:

Founded in 1873, and celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2023, Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), is the nation's first and only independent, free-standing public college of art and design in the country. MassArt is an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, makers, educators, innovators and leaders striving to shape the future through art and design. We've spent 150 years demonstrating the truly amazing things that happen when a world-class art and design education is an option for every deserving student. Located in Boston's hub of arts and culture along the Avenue of the Arts, MassArt enrolls 2,000 students and offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in 18 disciplines, as well as continuing education and youth programs.

MassArt strives to be a model of diversity and inclusion; the campus community reflects the layers of cultural and self-identity that proudly make up our region, nation, and world. We build effective partnerships with co-workers throughout the College by freely sharing appropriate information and providing assistance to all and maintain an environment that is welcoming to persons of all backgrounds, nationalities, and roles.

MassArt prepares artists, designers, and educators from diverse backgrounds to shape communities, economies, and cultures for the common good. MassArt provides state-of-the art facilities and studios housed in nine buildings along Huntington Avenue in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, close by the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The college offers twenty-two areas of concentration in fine arts, design and art education, and awards one undergraduate degree, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and graduate degrees including the Master of Fine Arts, the Master of Art in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Design Innovation, and the Master of Architecture. The college also offers certificate programs in Communication Design, Fashion Design, Furniture Design, and Industrial Design.

The College is NECHE (New England Commission of Higher Education) accredited and a member of AICAD (Association of Independent College of Art and Design), as well as the Colleges of Fenway, a collaboration of five neighboring Boston-based colleges in the Fenway area representing more than 12,000 undergraduate students (16.2% of total Boston undergraduate population attending 4-year colleges, 700+ full time faculty, and 2300-course offerings and the ProArts Consortium.

Job Description:

For full consideration, please apply by February 7th.

This is a vibrant period for MassArt and a unique opportunity to establish a legacy at this already distinguished institution as the College commemorates its 150th anniversary. The role is ideal for a strong marketing and communications leader ready to join a college with robust enrollment, a fresh leadership team, a new branding initiative as well as the introduction of a refreshed strategic plan. MassArt, guided by a dynamic new President, is poised for transformative growth while remaining steadfast in its mission to cultivate artists, designers, educators, and makers from diverse backgrounds who shape communities, economies, and cultures for the common good.

The newly revised position of the CMCO leads a centralized strategic communications team that provides reputation management, proactive public relations efforts, and crisis communications. The CMCO will be responsible for developing and implementing the institution's strategic marketing and communications strategy. They will oversee brand stewardship, digital marketing planning and project management, measurement and analytics and all other aspects of the marketing and communications functions that highlight MassArt's unique role as a public independent institution. Additionally, the CMCO plays a key role in proactive, strategic internal communications at the institutional level while setting the overall strategy for institutional responses, representing university leadership through public communications, and providing counsel to the president and senior leadership team.

The CMCO is an accomplished communications professional of unquestioned integrity, sound judgment and considerable energy with a commitment to collaborative work and empowerment, a passion for higher education, the arts, and the ability to embrace, support and communicate MassArt's vision to pave the way for the next generation of artists, designers and educators.

This position reports to the President and leads the Marketing and Communications staff, students and interns as assigned.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, nurture, and lead an effective structure for marketing integration and optimization across the college, including the development of college-wide marketing priorities and deep collaboration with and counsel working in partnership across the institution to leverage, integrate and promote engagement with institutional marketing priorities, alignment of messaging and tactics, and efficient and effective operations.

• Work in partnership with colleagues across the College to promote the institution, providing strategic guidance and support to MAAM to raise its profile and position, and tell the many stories of MassArt to internal and external audiences, and oversee the College's media relations and social media.

• Support the President in her role as the leading voice for the College, serving as a strategic leader and partner on messaging and positioning. Ensure that the President is well briefed and that her time spent in communications-related activities is highly productive. Similarly guide and support trustees, senior staff, faculty, and other community members in their roles as MassArt representatives.

• Actively build relationships across the College community with key stakeholders, including administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, and students. Engage with external constituents, including government leaders, potential students, alumni, and community members.

• Collaborates and works closely with campus leaders and experts to ensure that all government and community relations activities further MassArt's mission and serve to deepen ties with the city, state, and federal partners; civic, corporate, and arts and cultural organizations across the Commonwealth.

• Lead reputation management for the College, anticipating and preparing for issues and events with the potential for reputational impact.

• Lead a dynamic team of communications professionals with a variety of responsibilities that promote and protect the MassArt brand, furthering a culture based on collaboration, strategy, efficiency, and respect for each other.

• Collaborate with College leadership to develop communication and positioning initiatives that will promote MassArt's unique role and mission.

• Guide colleagues in admissions, advancement, and human resources to develop messaging and communication strategies to attract and engage current and prospective students, families, donors, alumni, and employees.

• Develop meaningful statistical models and/or customized analytics to support informed decisions and conduct regular analysis of the value and effectiveness of marketing and communications efforts, strategies, and efforts in service of the goals and objectives of the College.

• Oversee and/or direct the activities of outside contractors including budget control.

Requirements:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated experience developing, executing, and implementing a successful comprehensive marketing and communications program across an enterprise.

• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational transformation, provide strategic vision and be a strategic advisor.

• Possess the leadership and management skills to foster a cohesive team in a positive work environment.

• Broad knowledge of traditional and current marketing and communication disciplines and practices, as well as public relations, content development, digital marketing, and design.

• Excellent editorial/writing skills and the ability to serve as an effective tactical resource, spokesperson, strategic thinker and goal-oriented professional.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree

• Seven or more years' experience at a senior level in marketing and communications in higher education, public sector, or not-for-profit organizations

• Superior strategic skills with a strong grasp of industry best practices and a holistic understanding of all aspects of marketing, communications, positioning, and messaging, ideally in higher education.

• Excellent management skills, including leading and mentoring. Ability to influence and engage supervisees, senior leadership, and staff across the organization.

• Ability to effectively engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, using strong interpersonal skills, persuasive presentation, and public speaking skills.

• Ability to build consensus, manage relationships across a diverse group of internal and external constituents, and decisively problem-solve across a multifaceted, fast-moving organization.

• Skilled at proactively building relationships with media, and in successfully positioning subject matter with the media to achieve high impact.

• Excellent writing and editing skills with proven ability to translate complex concepts into succinct, clear, accessible language for multiple audiences.

• Significant experience and effectiveness in managing crisis communications.

• Substantial experience evaluating the strengths of existing communications and identifying opportunities for improvement.

• Demonstrated ability in developing marketing and communications strategies across a wide range of platforms and audiences that have led to significant brand/cause visibility.

• Proven ability to make strategic financial decisions and manage budgets.

• Extensive knowledge of marketing principles and industry trends, including in analytics and assessment; ability to build a culture of data-informed decision making and planning.

• Leadership style that is steadying, supportive, and collaborative, that inspires confidence and trust.

• Creativity, flexibility, tenacity, optimism, high energy level, and sense of humor

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced Degree

• Experience in higher education

Additional Information:

Please note MassArt does not provide:

• Employment-based visa sponsorship or non-student exchange visitor visa sponsorship.

• E-Verify.

• Reimbursement for travel.

Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check relative to prior criminal convictions and pending cases, as well as Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) checks relative to prior sexual offenses committed as an adult or juvenile will be conducted on the final candidate prior to an offer of employment. MassArt requires specific written authorization to conduct background checks. Failure to provide such authorization shall preclude your application from receiving further consideration.

MassArt provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, genetic information, pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, or membership in any other legally protected class. MassArt complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the college operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

Application Instructions:

For full consideration, please apply by February 7th.

NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA INTERVIEW EXCHANGE.

Please apply through the application link and do not email applications.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY THROUGH https://acesrch.applicantstack.com/x/detail/a21esjy9fw1f

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Ideally cover letters should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially.

Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are also treated confidentially.

Inquiries and questions: Please send to MassArtMarketing@acesrch.com

Nominations and referrals: Please send the nominees name, title, and contact information if available to nominations@acesrch.com.