Job Details

Level: Management

Position Type: Full Time

Earlham College, a top 100 national liberal arts college in the heart of the Midwest, seeks a dynamic, creative and results-driven strategist for the role of Assistant/Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications. The AVP reports to the Vice President for Marketing and Communications and oversees a team responsible for marketing and strategic communications.

About our team

We’re a small team full of big thinkers, and we’re looking for someone who can connect people and ideas to bring the Earlham story to life in vivid and novel ways. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader with a record of success in planning and executing integrated marketing and communications strategies that inspire audiences to take action. As Earlham embarks on an ambitious five-year plan to grow our enrollment, admissions is our main area of focus. That said, our central marketing and communications team is responsible for work that supports Earlham’s advancement team, athletics, executive communications, media and community relations, and academic and co-curricular initiatives such as our signature EPIC Journey program.

Since 1847, Earlham has inspired students to use their work and their lives to change the world — For Good. Earlham is a global community with a shared commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The College’s ideals of integrity, respect for persons, and community inform every aspect of our work. Our team and our campus are uncommonly collaborative, and strong relationships are central to our success. If it sounds like Earlham is the ideal place to grow and thrive in your career, that’s because it is.

Primary responsibilities

The Assistant/Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications will:

• Lead an integrated approach to marketing and communications that spans from ideation to tactical execution to measurement and refinement.
• Work with colleagues in Admission, Student Life, Academic Affairs, Athletics, Advancement and the Earlham School of Religion to identify opportunities for growth and synergy, build divisional plans that reflect institutional priorities, and ensure that work is effective and timely.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation, possibility and excellence reflecting best practices across and outside of higher education.
• Use market research and performance analytics to make informed recommendations and decisions on everything from marketing tactics to program development.
• Define strategy and lead the execution of tactics across digital and traditional/print media to drive engagement and inspire action among a variety of audiences.
• Oversee, track and report on performance of earned and paid media efforts — both digital and traditional.
• Oversee long-term vendor partnerships and shorter-term contract work.
• Identify opportunities to highlight students, alumni, faculty and other members of the Earlham community who embody the For Good brand.
• Foster understanding of, enthusiasm for, and use of the For Good brand among campus constituents.
• Serve as a key leader and mentor in the Office of Marketing and Communications by championing the team’s work, modeling and implementing best practices, and identifying opportunities for professional development and growth.
• Ensure that the work produced by the Marketing and Communications team reflects and celebrates the diversity of the Earlham community.
• Serve as the Vice President’s second-in-command and oversee operations in her absence.

Scope of responsibility

The scope of the Assistant/Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications role includes the following:

Strategy and planning: Work with the Marketing and Communications team and external partners to identify strategic goals; develop, map out and execute marketing plans and/or communications flows; and determine appropriate performance metrics.

Analytics and reporting: Identify KPIs and establish benchmarks (industry standards and/or past performance) for paid media performance, organic social media performance, email marketing, and earned media initiatives. Prepare monthly and quarterly reports to be shared with key stakeholders, including the Vice President for Marketing and Communications, the President, the Board of Trustees, and donors who fund marketing initiatives. Use analytics to inform future tactics.

Leadership and management: Lead a team of 10 direct and indirect reports in a way that is proactive, relationship-focused and grounded in individual and collective strengths. Provide high-level oversight of operations to ensure high-quality, effective and timely work from staff and vendors.

Marketing and communications expertise: Establish and maintain best practices in: the development and implementation of communications flows for admissions, advancement and other campus partners; the management and assessment of digital marketing and other paid media campaigns; the implementation and evaluation of SEO strategy and content development on the Earlham and Earlham School of Religion websites; the management of Earlham’s social media channels; and occasional internal communications initiatives.

Brand stewardship: Ensure that all external-facing collateral and campaigns reflect the For Good brand. Engage campus partners in workshops and conversations about how and why branding matters. Keep the campus community and alumni informed about marketing and communications initiatives, particularly as they relate to enrollment.

Required qualifications and experience

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism or a related field.
• A minimum of seven years’ experience in marketing, communications or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience (those with more comprehensive experience will be considered for the associate vice president role).
• Demonstrated record of accomplishment of building and leading high performing teams.
• Demonstrated proficiency in executing marketing strategies to that inspire audiences to take action, preferably in the enrollment or advancement sectors.
• Demonstrated experience and success in integrated marketing, including traditional and digital advertising strategies, direct marketing, email marketing and CRM.
• Experience in research-based and data-driven decision-making.
• An appreciation for collaboration, consensus-building and the liberal arts, all of which are highly valued on Earlham’s campus.
• Ability to collaborate and build understanding across diverse functional areas, perspectives and points of view.
• Exemplary writing, editing, interpersonal communication and presentation skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to creative work of the highest quality (either through your own work or direct management of an agency or vendor partner).
• Demonstrated commitment to working in a diverse environment and fostering a culture of inclusion and equity.

About Earlham

Earlham was founded in 1847 by Indiana Quakers to foster education rooted in respect, integrity, peace, simplicity and community. Though the majority of today’s students are not Quaker, Earlham’s founding values continue to inform our campus culture. Earlham has consistently ranked among the top national liberal arts institutions in the country.

Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham’s beautiful 800-acre campus includes the undergraduate College, the Earlham School of Religion (ESR) and Bethany Theological Seminary, the official seminary of the Church of the Brethren, a historic peace church like the Quakers. Nearly 600 of its acres are woods, streams, ponds, old fields, and prairie used for scientific research and recreation. Earlham possesses one of the highest endowments per student in the country . Since 1998, Earlham has expanded, renovated, and constructed major campus buildings – academic, residence halls and athletic facilities – representing an investment of over $70 million.

Sustainability is a key value at Earlham, and the College is engaged in multiple efforts to balance the environmental, economic, and social impacts of campus operations. From recycling to energy conservation to intentional investment choices, these efforts reflect collaboration among many different offices on campus to achieve Earlham’s sustainability goals. Earlham’s sustainability efforts are recognized with a silver rating by the international Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

To Apply:

Please submit the following application materials through the Earlham College Employment Webpage:

1. Cover letter / Statement of Interest: In a letter to the Search Committee, share how your background -- including work history, academic training or interests -- prepare you for this role. Please also share how your thinking about diversity, equity and inclusion issues informs your approach to your work.
2. Resume
3. Contact information for three references

The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Earlham College requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or apply for and receive a qualified exemption within two weeks of the employment start date.

Earlham College is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse community, one that reflects the makeup of society at large and that particularly welcomes and supports individuals from groups that have been historically marginalized because of factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and physical ability. The College strongly encourages applications from women and people of color. As an institution with a Quaker identity, the College also solicits applications from members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Earlham’s Work Authorization Policy

Earlham utilizes E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility for all newly hired employees within the United States.