Director of Communications and Marketing

Colby College

Waterville, Maine

Colby College seeks nominations and applications for the position of Director of Communications and Marketing. Reporting to the Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation and working in close contact with the President, Board of Trustees, and other members of the senior leadership team, the Director of Communications plays an integral role in assuring that Colby expands its capacity to attract top students, faculty, and staff and that Colby continues to enjoy the vigorous support of its many constituencies. The director is broadly responsible for Colby's marketing, media and public relations, publications, and externally focused Web efforts. S/he will be an experienced leader for Colby’s nine-member professional communications and marketing team and will reach across campus to solicit partnerships that enrich the development and implementation of the office’s strategic initiatives. Qualified candidates will have extensive senior-level experience as successful leaders with demonstrated ability to develop, manage, and evaluate strategic initiatives in communications and marketing. The successful candidate also will have knowledge of and experience with print- and web-based communications; demonstrated success in dealing with national and international media; a well-articulated understanding of branding and marketing efforts as they apply to higher education; a management style that is both consultative and inspirational; demonstrated ability to work within and manage budgets while overseeing the timely completion of multiple projects; a bachelor’s degree or higher, and a lively, curious, and creative intellect.    

MISSION AND HISTORY OF COLBY COLLEGE

Located in the rolling hills of Waterville, Maine, Colby College in is one of the nation’s oldest and best independent colleges of liberal arts. Colby is known nationally and internationally for its intellectual rigor, its supportive campus community and atmosphere, and its global reach. A residential four-year college, Colby is a national leader in research- and project-based undergraduate learning. The quality of the faculty is recognized as the College's greatest asset, and the depth of student-faculty interaction and collaboration is unparalleled. More than two thirds of Colby's undergraduates study abroad during their college career, and the international makeup in the student body continues to expand, with almost 70 countries now represented.

Colby’s mission is to prepare students for their future by giving them an array of intellectual tools and a broad acquaintance with human knowledge. As a result, Colby graduates are critical and imaginative thinkers. They are intellectually curious and aesthetically aware and capable of distinguishing fact from opinion. They are proficient writers and speakers, familiar with one or more scientific disciplines, knowledgeable about their own and other cultures, and prepared to respond flexibly to changing demands and paradigms. They are welcoming of diversity and compassionate toward others, they embrace opportunities to learn, and they contribute to the societies in which they live. Colby’s alumni are leaders in their professions and in their communities and remain connected to the College community.

Colby College is located a short distance from some of the most scenic coastal and mountainous areas in New England. The 714-acre campus, known as Mayflower Hill, is one of the nation’s most beautiful with state of the art facilities housed in classical neo-Georgian buildings overlooking Johnson Pond and the city of Waterville. The pace of life at Colby is brisk for students, faculty, and staff with a host of campus activities that engage the entire community. As much as anything else, it is the distinctive campus atmosphere that sets Colby apart from other liberal arts colleges. The feeling on Mayflower Hill is built on a strong sense of community that students, professors, and staff share and that visitors pick up on, often instantly. The sum of campus life at Colby is an atmosphere of vitality, inquiry, activism, curiosity, collaboration, and support.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

The campus is currently at the launch of its next strategic planning process and the communications and marketing team, under interim leadership, is poised to engage fresh ideas and creative initiatives. The Director will join Colby at an exciting time and will be tasked to reach across campus and beyond to ensure that the College continues to use cutting-edge communications strategies and next-generation technologies to broaden its national and international reputation. Within the office of Communications and marketing, the Director will build upon each team member’s strengths to skillfully bolster Colby’s communications and marketing portfolio. The challenges and opportunities the Director of Communications will face in the first 12-18months of his/her tenure include:

Strategic Planning

With the help of the Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation and in close partnership with the President, Board of Trustees, and senior staff, the Director will continue to define the needs and aspirations of the campus with regards to marketing and communications. S/he will join in a campus-wide strategic planning effort and work with the Communications and Marketing team to assess the office’s strategic initiatives and goals with creative energy and fresh perspective.

Building the Communications and Marketing Team

The new Director must be an exceptional manager, mentor, and colleague to the Communications and Marketing Team. S/he will evaluate and engage their skills to identify areas for professional development and to improve the quality and productivity of office’s interactions with constituencies across campus. The Director will demonstrate leadership, wisdom, and superior interpersonal skills in working with the team to rise to a new level of excellence.

Carrying the Colby Message

The Director of Marketing and Communications will be an ambassador of ideas both within and beyond the Colby Community. S/he will effectively partner with constituencies across campus to better understand their perspectives, needs, and hopes and will utilize this information to both generate new ideas and to tailor existing initiatives. The Director will also be familiar with a wide range of new and traditional media relevant to carrying Colby to potential new students, faculty, and supporters.

Upgrading Colby’s Website and Web-Based Initiatives

The Marketing and Communications Team must remain at the cutting edge of new technologies so that they can put Colby’s best foot forward to potential students and faculty. The new Director will lead the team in the upgrading of Colby’s website and web-based initiatives and will utilize his/her knowledge, creativity, and savvy to ensure the next generation website is exciting, engaging, and cutting-edge and that it reflects the warmth and spirit of the Colby campus community.

QUALITIES OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will be an established and articulate communications professional with the experience, sophistication, and intelligence to steer the development of a multidimensional marketing and communications strategy for Colby College. S/he will minimally hold a bachelor’s degree and will have at least eight years of successful experience in communications, public relations, journalism, or marketing. The ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Successful experience in communications and marketing outreach in the academic, public interest, research or nonprofit sectors. A deep and demonstrable record of success in marketing, communications, journalism and/or public relations including experience working with media across broad sectors.

• Familiarity with the academic community. Intimate knowledge of academic journals, popular publications and other channels of communications, including broadcast and the internet. Experience in developing outreach materials for print and internet distribution.

• A collaborative working style that enhances team cohesion and encourages the creative exchange of ideas. An unfailing commitment to team excellence and the managerial skill to lead Colby’s communications and marketing professionals to the next level of performance.

• Superior oral and written communications skills in one-on-one settings and large-group meetings. An entrepreneurial attitude and comfort crafting and executing a comprehensive vision for Colby College’s marketing and communications outreach. The personal charisma and eagerness to be a dynamic and compelling ambassador to all audiences.

• Exceptional skill in the use of a range of communications tools (e.g., advertising, media relations, special events, publications, video technology) to carry Colby College to potential students, faculty members, and supporters.

• Intelligence and inspiration to anticipate, conceive, express, and create opportunities. Independence and self-confidence to act decisively and, at the same time, an ability to receive, integrate and translate others’ ideas and suggestions.

• The ability to be innovative, strategic, opportunistic, and creative while maintaining attention to detail in the management of the communications and marketing team, their initiatives, and their budget. The ability to handle competing priorities and the flexibility to work well independently and as part of a team. The proven ability to meet multiple deadlines and balance numerous projects productively in a dynamic office environment.

• Equal parts humor, integrity, compassion and patience necessary to meet the joys and challenges of working in a small yet worldly, highly intelligent, and ambitious community.

TO APPLY:

More information about Colby College may be found at: http://www.colby.edu

Nominations and applications are due by June 30, 2008. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), salary history and where you learned of the position should be sent to:

colby-dcm@nonprofitprofessionals.com

In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail. A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Colby is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and strongly encourages applications and nominations of persons of color, women, and members of other under-represented groups.