Director of Communications

Title: Director of Communications & Assistant Advancement Officer

Agency: Southside Va Community College

Location: Brunswick - 025

FLSA: Exempt

Hiring Range: Commensurate with education, experience and VCCS guidelines

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Job Description:

Established in 1970, SVCC is one of the 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System. SVCC is an accessible, comprehensive, public, two-year institution of higher education that serves approximately 183,000 residents from the counties of Brunswick, Buckingham (partial), Charlotte, Cumberland, Greensville, Halifax (partial), Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, and Prince Edward, and the city of Emporia. Ours is the largest community college service region in the state
with a coverage area of approximately 4,200 square miles. The College has one Extension Campus located in Keysville, VA, and also has five Educational Centers located across the service area. The college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate degrees. SVCC is dedicated to the belief that all citizens should be given an opportunity to acquire an educational foundation which develops and extends their skills and knowledge. The College’s Mission Statement states that, “Southside Virginia Community College serves as a gateway to education, training, and employment opportunities by providing relevant and innovative programs responsive to the diverse communities we serve in a student-centered, inclusive environment.” Our Vision Statement states that, “SVCC is dedicated to inspiring excellence and transforming lives while contributing to the economic vitality of the communities we serve.”

Thank you for considering employment with Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC). We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce that enhances our status as a recognized Great College to Work For by the Chronicle of Higher Education in ten of the last eleven years, earning the additional distinction of Honor Roll in seven of those years With the goal of academic excellence in all areas, the college offers a variety of occupational, technical, and university-
parallel transfer programs to meet the diverse needs of approximately 4,700 credit students and 1,700 noncredit students. SVCC is committed to offering a world-class education in an actively supportive, caring, and student-centered environment, striving to ensure equal educational opportunity for all students, SVCC embraces diversity among our students, faculty, staff and the communities we serve as an integral part of our history, a recognition of the complexity of our present state and a call to action for a better future.

SVCC is located in a rural setting of rolling hills, pine and hardwood forests, and farmland. There is easy access to nearby metropolitan Richmond, Virginia, the state’s capital, as well as Raleigh, North Carolina, and Lynchburg, Virginia. The area is famous for its two lakes, Gaston and Kerr, and a multitude of state and national parks which offer recreational opportunities such as fishing, boating, skiing, jet-skiing, hiking, horseback riding, picnics, and relaxation. The area also offers sports arenas for baseball, softball, soccer and beautiful golf courses. There are cultural activities including various theaters and arts councils offering concerts, plays, and live entertainment, and there are many local festivals held throughout the year.

Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) is seeking a Director of Communications and Assistant Advancement Officer. The Director of Communications and Assistant Advancement Officer must be an experienced, highly creative and motivated leader who is responsible for planning, development and implementation of all of the College’s marketing and communications plans and related strategies, and public relations activities, both external and internal. In addition, this position will be responsible for spearheading the SVCC Foundation’s annual fund strategy. This position reports to the Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. The successful candidate must be committed to our mission to provide quality education to a diverse constituency.

The successful candidate will reside on our Christanna campus in Alberta, however, will have college wide responsibilities serving all locations.

The following are duties of each area of responsibility: Oversee the communications office which includes the functional areas of public relations, strategic recruitment support, advertising, publications, graphic design, social media, and photography/videography Develop a comprehensive yearly marketing and communications plan that includes annual advertising, marketing and promotional strategies designed to promote and maintain enrollment, and highlight and advance the programs and services of the College Develop integrated marketing communications plans that promote enrollment, programs and initiatives, elevate the image of the College, and publicize student and faculty successes Coordinate the use of social media and digital marketing to market the College’s programs and communicate information to current and prospective students and the College’s service area communities and partners Oversee the development of high-quality, professional, timely and accurate publications, to include brochures, flyers, newsletters magazines and other related materials Evaluate communications efforts for effectiveness, impact and return on investment and planning Prepare and coordinate the flow of public information, marketing, recruiting, advertising and publications projects; set priorities and meet deadlines; cover events with event photography and press releases Proactively identify opportunities for media coverage to enhance the image of the college locally, regionally and statewide Manage and administer department budget in a cost-effective and fiscally-responsible manner Provide leadership in the development and implementation of an active internal communication plan for employees and students Provide marketing and communication leadership for the support of college initiatives that partner with schools, businesses and industries, and governmental agencies regionally and statewide Executes special appeals for the SVCC Foundation that encourages annual giving and engagement opportunities through direct mail and online media Oversees a strategy to grow the number of donors to the SVCC Foundation Assists in writing grants to attain funding for the College Serves on the college leadership team for emergency response management Serve as liaison to the Virginia Community College System Public Relations and Marketing office Represent the college as appropriate and attend off-campus events, which may involve evenings and/or weekends Duties as assigned by Director of Institutional Advancement and President of the College She/he will also promote an environment that fosters student engagement while increasing strategic recruitment and retention. An understanding of the mission and goals of a comprehensive community college in the 21st Century and appreciation for rural colleges are essential characteristics, along with a clear commitment to student success. Minimum Qualifications:

Experience leading creative and innovative projects to enhance agency image, branding and recruiting Demonstrated expertise in project planning, development and implementation Knowledge and experience in the use of social media, social media advertising and analytics Strong understanding of marketing and branding concepts. Ability to make data-driven decisions and to evaluate return on investments Demonstrated experience working with the media Must demonstrate excellent communication, written and verbal and interpersonal skills Ability to work as part of team Work experience in a development / fund raising office Maintain positive and professional tone in all communications Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism or related field Minimum of 5 years related work experience and at least 2 years of experience at a supervisory level Preferred Qualifications:

Previous experience working in a higher education environment

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