Assistant Dean for Communications

Details

Posted: 05-Mar-24

Location: USA - MA - Allston

Type: Full-time

Salary: Open

Categories:

Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations/Communications
Staff/Administrative

Internal Number: 65206BR

Job Summary

Leads the School's communications and marketing strategy. The Assistant Dean for Communications is responsible for raising the School's visibility, enhancing its brand, providing communications support to the Dean (speeches, presentations, memos, etc.), and developing strategies to promote the School's mission, strategic priorities, academic programs, research and noteworthy news and events to internal and external constituencies.

Position Description

• Oversees the external and internal communications activities of a school comprised of more than 100 faculty, 2,000 students, and 750 staff/researchers, and serves as the School's official public information officer.
• Provides strategic communications leadership for the School's development and alumni relations activities (including integration with leadership at the University level). Helps to direct the School's branding and positioning for fundraising, building awareness of and engagement with SEAS priorities.
• Serves as a liaison to offices and departments throughout the school and University and, in particular, collaborates strategically with Harvard Public Affairs and Communications (HPAC), the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and other Harvard schools and institutes on communications priorities for the University (such as innovation, translational research, development, sustainability, and global impact). Ensures the proper representation of the school in all high-level messaging.
• Enables a platform for internal and external communications and marketing activities for the School's functional areas, in particular Academic Programs (e.g. tours, recruitment videos, visits); Human Resources (e.g., internal communications, award support); Facilities (construction updates); and Events (e.g., announcements, invitations, day-of-materials).
• Works to develop a sustainable web/digital communications strategy for the school and manages the school's official website and social media presence, linking such efforts to the University's digital outreach, as appropriate.
• Provides strategic communications support, in collaboration with other senior leaders, to the priorities and projects of the School and the Dean.
• Works with HPAC and other University offices to advance external relations with the Cambridge and Allston communities (neighborhood groups, FAS, HBS, iLabs, industry, etc.).
• Serves as editor-in-chief of all official content generated by the SEAS Communications Office, including press releases, news stories, internal and external digital newsletters, social media posts, print collateral, etc.
• Provides speechwriting and presentation support to the Dean for talks, alumni meetings, industry presentations, etc. Helps to shape the Dean's messaging to the SEAS community (faculty, staff, students) as well as to other University leaders, industry partners, and others.
• Provides support for high-level, high-visibility events in collaboration with the SEAS Service Center and affiliated stakeholders.
• Responsible for managing the Office of Communications, including direct and indirect supervision of four staff.

Basic Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree is required.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience working in communications, with demonstrated increasing responsibility is required.
• A cover letter is required to be considered for this position.
• Writing samples may be required of those applicants invited to the interview.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• An advanced degree in a related field is preferred.
• Experience working with all aspects of communications in a university environment is strongly preferred, including demonstrated experience working with development, alumni relations, student advising, and technology transfer.
• Experience with ghost writing, speech writing, and translating science and engineering into lay-friendly language is strongly preferred.
• Experience with web technologies is preferred.
• Prior experience as a print and broadcast journalist is highly desirable.
• Experience managing high-level projects is strongly preferred.
• Supervisory experience is preferred.

Certificates and Licenses

There are no specific certification requirements.

Physical Requirements

There are no significant physical demands required in this position.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office environment. May require occasional presence at special events on evenings and weekends.

Additional Information

• Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter.
• The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences does not provide visa sponsorship for administrative and staff positions.
• This position is based on our Allston, MA campus and requires an on-campus presence.
• Flexible, and hybrid work options for this role may be explored with the hiring manager during the interview process. Any remote work must be performed in a state in which Harvard is registered to do business (CT, GA, IL, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VA and VT).
• The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Benefits

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