Advancement Communications Manager
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Job no: 532387
Work type: Administrative & Professional
Senior management: College of Engineering
Department: Dean - Engineering
Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Categories: Communications / Public Relations / Marketing
The Advancement Communications Manager serves as the college’s project manager for annual giving campaigns and appeals, including Giving Day, and organizes college-wide calls for content and by working with departments on assets/deliverables as well as strategic promotion. This position will also write and edit giving appeals, partner with departments on engagement and promotion best practices, and lead all development and alumni writing projects for the college. Specific responsibilities may include creating and editing audience-targeted email templates for donor and stewardship communications, developing materials related to major fundraising projects, creating donor/alumni spotlight campaigns for digital platforms, and writing stories that highlight alumni and key donors for the university’s news platform, VT News. The Advancement Communications Manager will also manage alumni, donor, giving, and event information on the college website.
In collaboration with the Director of Communications and Marketing and the Director of Alumni Relations, the Advancement Communications Manager will strategize and implement targeted advancement email communication efforts for the college, managing email communications processes and workflow by working with departments on email send requests, calendaring, planning email content, and building emails in the BBIS system. This individual serves as a resource to departments for alumni newsletters, event invitation emails, and other informational emails, and will also develop all college-level communications to alumni.
The Advancement Communications Manager partners with the Social Media Manager to promote events and other engagement opportunities on college social media accounts, creating promotional messaging and website content. This individual is an important liaison between the college and University Advancement, departments, and external constituents and must be able to thrive in complex, collaborative environments. In addition to possessing a core communications skillset, the Advancement Communications Manager should excel in market segmentation and feel comfortable working within established brand guidelines, managing multiple deadlines simultaneously, reading and analyzing data to gain strategic insight, and managing a variety of digital communications platforms and systems.
• Master’s degree in communications, media, marketing, advertising, or related field or a bachelor's degree with equivalent training and/or work experience
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with a strong portfolio of work that demonstrates audience-centric writing for a wide range of occasions, formats, and platforms
• Demonstrated understanding of market segmentation principles for various constituency groups
• Demonstrated experience managing a variety of digital communications platforms, such as website content management systems, email marketing systems, and/or professional social media accounts
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with a diverse group of stakeholders while managing multiple projects on tight deadlines
• Professional communications or constituency engagement experience in higher education, independent education, or the nonprofit sector
• Basic graphic design skills and brand management experience, as well as the ability to work within established brand guidelines
• Demonstrated experience with analytics tracking and reporting for digital platforms and/or campaigns
• Experience with communications in support of development, alumni relations, or other non-profits is a plus
The Advancement Communications Manager serves as the college’s project manager for annual giving campaigns and appeals, including Giving Day, and organizes college-wide calls for content and by working with departments on assets/deliverables as well as strategic promotion. This position will also write and edit giving appeals, partner with departments on engagement and promotion best practices, and lead all development and alumni writing projects for the college. Specific responsibilities may include creating and editing audience-targeted email templates for donor and stewardship communications, developing materials related to major fundraising projects, creating donor/alumni spotlight campaigns for digital platforms, and writing stories that highlight alumni and key donors for the university’s news platform, VT News. The Advancement Communications Manager will also manage alumni, donor, giving, and event information on the college website.
In collaboration with the Director of Communications and Marketing and the Director of Alumni Relations, the Advancement Communications Manager will strategize and implement targeted advancement email communication efforts for the college, managing email communications processes and workflow by working with departments on email send requests, calendaring, planning email content, and building emails in the BBIS system. This individual serves as a resource to departments for alumni newsletters, event invitation emails, and other informational emails, and will also develop all college-level communications to alumni.
The Advancement Communications Manager partners with the Social Media Manager to promote events and other engagement opportunities on college social media accounts, creating promotional messaging and website content. This individual is an important liaison between the college and University Advancement, departments, and external constituents and must be able to thrive in complex, collaborative environments. In addition to possessing a core communications skillset, the Advancement Communications Manager should excel in market segmentation and feel comfortable working within established brand guidelines, managing multiple deadlines simultaneously, reading and analyzing data to gain strategic insight, and managing a variety of digital communications platforms and systems.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Cheri Warren at CheriW@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
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