Director of Marketing and Communication

At Clarke University, we look for individuals who lead from the heart and embrace our values of education, charity, justice, and freedom. By creating a community focused on care, we empower everyone at Clarke to do and be their best. We offer meaningful work, a safe and friendly work environment, and an outstanding benefits package. If you're looking for a place you can make a positive impact, we hope you'll consider Clarke!

The university is currently seeking a collaborative and strategic leader to assume the role of Director of Marketing and Communication. Reporting to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, this position provides leadership and strategic direction for the university's marketing, branding, and communication efforts.

The Director will lead a team of marketing and communication professionals, establish departmental priorities, and develop integrated strategies that strengthen Clarke's reputation, support enrollment and fundraising, and advance institutional engagement. The successful candidate will be an effective people leader, strategic thinker, and skilled communicator who values collaboration, creativity, and the opportunity to advance the mission of a student-centered university.

Primary Responsibilities

• Strategic Marketing and Communication Leadership: Develop and implement comprehensive marketing and communication strategies that advance institutional priorities, strengthen brand awareness, and support enrollment, fundraising, alumni engagement, and community relations.
• Department Leadership and Operations: Lead, mentor, and support Marketing and Communication staff while establishing clear priorities, effective workflows, and a collaborative, accountable team environment. Oversee departmental budgets, resource allocation, project management, and external vendor relationships.
• Brand Management and Institutional Communications: Provide strategic oversight of the University's brand identity, messaging, publications, media relations, and institutional communications, ensuring consistency and quality across communication channels. Partner with University leadership on major announcements, emerging issues, and crisis communications.
• Marketing Campaigns and Digital Strategy: Direct integrated marketing campaigns, advertising strategies, and digital communication initiatives. Provide strategic oversight of the university's website, social media presence, and digital marketing efforts, using performance data and emerging trends to inform decisions.
• Campus Collaboration and Strategic Partnerships: Serve as a strategic partner to university leadership and campus departments, identifying marketing and communication needs, coordinating institutional initiatives, and establishing collaborative planning processes.
• Marketing Effectiveness and Operational Excellence: Evaluate marketing effectiveness, departmental operations, and audience engagement through performance metrics and industry best practices, identifying opportunities to strengthen results, improve efficiency, and maximize available resources.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated professional experience in marketing, communication, public relations, or a related field, including leadership of teams, projects, or organizational initiatives.
• Strong leadership, management, and organizational skills, with the ability to establish priorities, develop staff, manage resources, and navigate competing demands.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic marketing and communication plans, including branding, digital marketing, and integrated campaigns.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills, with sound judgment and adaptability in working with university leadership, diverse stakeholders, and sensitive institutional matters.
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communication, public relations, business, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supervising and developing professional staff, managing departmental budgets, coordinating external vendors, and overseeing integrated marketing initiatives.
• Experience in higher education, nonprofit organizations, or other mission-driven environments.
• Familiarity with marketing analytics, performance evaluation, and data-informed decision-making.

To apply for this position, please upload a resume online at http://clarke.applicantpool.com. Resume review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Clarke University is committed to fostering a welcoming campus community that celebrates each person's unique contributions and promotes an inclusive learning environment. Accordingly, Clarke University does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.