Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Main Work Location: Stanford University historic campus
Schedule: Hybrid (3-4 days per week on site)
About Us
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability strives to create a future when humans and nature thrive in concert and in perpetuity. The school is made up of a three-part structure to drive global impact: Our academic departments and programs educate students and create new knowledge across areas of research that are crucial for advancing the long-term prosperity of the planet and people; Institutes bridge scholarship at Stanford and beyond, bringing multiple viewpoints to bear on urgent challenges; The Sustainability Accelerator drives new policy and technology solutions through a worldwide network of partners who work with our teams to develop solutions at a global scale. The school is dedicated to creating and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, and to creating solutions that benefit all people, particularly those most affected by environmental damage and climate change.
For more information on the school, click here.
Position Summary:
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability (SDSS) seeks a Chief Communications & Marketing Officer to oversee and direct internal/external communications and marketing efforts for a new complex school with multiple stakeholders and audiences. Leading a team of eight communications professionals and working with staff colleagues and faculty leadership, you will create and implement integrated strategies to disseminate and amplify the vision, knowledge, and bold aspirations of the school to inspire and inform prospective students, alumni, donors/prospects, media and global leaders across public and private sectors.
This position reports to the SDSS Senior Associate Dean for External Relations with a dotted line to the Vice President of University Communications. This reporting structure is unique to the Doerr School of Sustainability with the expectation that the person in this role will be fully integrated into the University Communications leadership team as well as the SDSS External Relations leadership team, strengthening the strategic collaboration between the two entities. University Communications will be an important partner in the development of a comprehensive communications and marketing plan for the Doerr School of Sustainability.
The ideal candidate will have a passion for higher education and the expertise necessary to multiply the school’s impact through world-class communications, content, and marketing. You will also possess a deep understanding of the role of technology in communications and marketing, will consistently nurture innovation and creativity, and will mentor, motivate, and develop our talented staff.
This is a highly visible role; in addition to the strongest marketing and communication skills, the successful candidate will exhibit professional presence and unwavering integrity, and a commitment to strategic leadership and collaboration.
In this role you will:
Be responsible for overseeing strategic communications and developing long- and short-term initiatives to grow, enhance, and protect the school’s reputation both internally and externally; address school priorities; and demonstrate the school’s positive impact.
Devise and implement creative, compelling, and effective means of communicating the breadth and depth of faculty research and impact, student opportunities and experiences, alumni impact, academic excellence, and the essential nature of the school and its components.
Oversee school key messages and develop strategies impacting multiple audiences, channels, and constituencies including faculty, students, alumni, university leadership, and global partners. Manage the SDSS brand as it is implemented across the school to ensure consistency and accuracy in alignment with university brand and name use guidelines.
Develop a marketing strategy that incorporates the current communication effort plus a platform for brand identification, content creation, and key messaging.
Direct the management and operations of public-facing communications and marketing programs, platforms, and channels, including media relations, SDSS website, social media, and email newsletter, to ensure strategic implementation, efficiency, and consistency with SDSS branding and strategic priorities.
Establish a deliberate executive communications strategy to achieve the Dean’s goals in interactions with internal and external stakeholders.
In collaboration with University Communications, define and execute a proactive media relations strategy that establishes the Dean, lead faculty, and SDSS as global leaders and thought partners in sustainability.
Direct crisis communication response, including emergency matters and issues with reputational impact, and train communication leads in the school on how to manage these situations.
Evaluate and create the most impactful use of digital marketing and communications.
Develop protocols and best practices for communications and marketing across the school. Collaborate with and convene stakeholders across the school to ensure quality and consistency of communications. Provide strategic and functional guidance to communicators and marketers in SDSS departments.
Demonstrate a commitment to promoting and supporting an environment of diversity and inclusion.
Direct staff and provide leadership to achieve communication goals supporting the school’s mission and vision. Responsible for hiring and retaining staff, career coaching, personal development for direct reports, and accountable for the performance of employees.
Collaborate with University Communications and SDSS leadership to ensure strategic plans and activities are aligned with overall university outreach and communications.
Other duties as assigned.
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
Bachelor's degree and ten years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience or related advanced degree desired.
Depth of experience, sound judgment, and confidence in keeping with a high-functioning leadership role.
Excellence in communicating at all levels and for all audiences.
Advanced strategic and tactical thinking ability. Demonstrated ability to strategize and make or escalate decisions as appropriate.
Demonstrated ability to manage large and complex issues in an environment of diverse and competing interests. Adept in convening key stakeholders in crisis situations.
Advanced understanding of the communications and marketing role in institutions. Demonstrated ability to lead communication efforts across functions and school units toward a common goal.
Excellent influencing, negotiating, and relationship management skills; ability to earn credibility and influence opinion leaders.
Excels at managing, editing, writing, analyzing, and synthesizing complex materials and a demonstrated ability to communicate highly technical or nuanced information to a general audience.
Creative thinker with a desire and ability to seek and optimize opportunities for innovation.
Experience in leveraging communications technology and channels in support of furthering the goals and objectives of the institution.
Proven management skills and the ability to build and sustain a best-in-class communications and marketing team. Proven ability to support and manage a highly matrixed organization with complex integrated workflows.
Demonstrated experience engaging and motivating groups of diverse individuals.