CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER - FOSTER ADVANCEMENT

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

The Michael G. Foster School of Business seeks a strategic, creative, and experienced professional to serve as the Chief Marketing Officer (herein CMO) for the faculty, students, and alumni of the School.

The CMO will join the organization during a period of strategic growth with an emphasis on defining messaging to our prospective student, corporate, philanthropic and alumni audiences. In addition, the CMO will be an internal partner to departments and teams, sought after for collaborative product development, provide strategic prioritization that aligns with the School’s current strategic needs and be a critical vision setter for a 16-person marketing/communications team. The CMO will be expected to work on student recruitment campaigns, program visibility efforts, branding enhancement and pushes, high-level proposal development of gifts while also creating and executing on the communications needs associated with operating as a best in class, top 20 business school. In addition, s/he will partner closely with key communicators across the school on items that mutually impact Foster, such as crisis communications, transformative gift announcement and high- impact news, both regional and national. The CMO will be part of the Associate Dean of Advancement’s senior team, where collaboration and teamwork are common definitions for success.

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Advancement, the CMO will work closely with Foster senior leadership and will be directly involved in the execution of marketing and communication campaigns and initiatives across the School. The scope of their work will include identifying an Agency of Record (AOR) to work directly with the mar/com team while simultaneously delivering on day-to-day service needs of the School.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project Management & Stakeholder Engagement

Work closely with faculty, staff, volunteer leadership and University Marketing and Communications (UMAC) to build, gain consensus and execute on a strategic plan that onboards an exemplary AOR while simultaneously organizing the in-house mar/com team to partner with the agency and deliver on the needs of internal stakeholders across the School. Success in this role will be defined by gaining the support and trust of all program and center directors at the School by delivering on timely and best-in-class mar/com projects.

The CMO will lead the mar/com team and implement an organizational structure that is a best-in-class, capable of providing exemplary communication partnership across Foster. Much like other team leaders, the CMO will be expected to build, execute, and monitor a functional plan for the team that identifies efficiency, expedience, high quality, and excellent partnership services as key markers for success. Of particular importance is leading and participating in cross functional collaboration teams with academic program leaders that results in increased student applications, greater visibility of Foster on the national stage, celebration of success stories and elevating Foster’s brand to level akin to aspirational competing schools

Development

Either with the AOR or separately, undertake a comprehensive website overhaul for the Foster School that streamlines current efforts with clients, catapults the website to leading-in-class and fully embraces the Schools identity and successes.
In anticipation of ever larger transformative donor gifts to Foster, develop a high-end proposal development system that works in concert with the fundraising team, resulting in high quality presentations for top end donors. Proposals will embrace new technologies and methods of communication that inspire donors to increase their giving and affiliation to the School.

Public Relations

Manage all crisis communications and media relations on behalf of the School. Act as the point person internally and to the donor base regarding any crisis matters, while collaborating closely with central UMAC leaders to ensure synced and unified messaging.

Teamwork & Leadership

Be a strong partner to the Associate Dean and to the Advancement senior team, where collaboration and open discussion is encouraged as well as desire to be the best advancement team on campus.

REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor's degree and a minimum 5 years of experience in a comparable communications operation. Equivalent combination of comparable knowledge and skills may substitute for education and/or experience.

Demonstrated success in collaborating with partners to achieve strategic goals and promote cross functional project execution is required

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

DESIRED:

• Possess an ROI and data driven mentality to all project development and execution. A track record of developing successful communications efforts, particularly in conjunction with multiple internal stakeholders, resulting in measurable increases in outcomes, dollars raised and engagement. Experience at a complex organization or company is a plus, as is management experience of at least 5 professional employees. Candidates with experience working with marketing automation software is highly desired.
• Demonstrated personal interest in and affinity for a university like the University of Washington. A deep passion for public education and a personal desire for the advancement of educational access and research is expected. A B.A./B.S. is required, preferably in a communication related field; advanced degree is welcome.
• The ability to quickly gain substantive knowledge and comprehension of an ever- evolving multi-faceted School and the interest in translating those qualities to the academic, programmatic, and philanthropic aspirations of multiple internal and external audiences. The maturity, judgment, and respect requisite to intelligently engage with leaders across the University; Integrity, creativity, energy, and independence; a collegial, understanding leadership style that values team members and institutional partners and allows an appropriate amount of responsibility delegation.
• Evidence of strong interpersonal skills, particularly the ability to lead teams and to work effectively and collaboratively with various groups and diverse constituencies. Creativity and insight in identifying effective collaborations between institutional goals and needs and prospective donors. The ability to learn new concepts quickly and adeptly, and to then communicate them effectively to alumni and donor audience.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.