Executive Director for External Affairs

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Communications Strategy, Vision, and Leadership

• Creates comprehensive communications strategy, including media relations, marketing, and publishing activities for both the association and for CHE as a sector.
• Contributes to strategic planning through effective integration of communications.
• Provides leadership to staff in promoting a culture of clear and consistent messaging.
• Serves as website administrator, to ensure effective user experience.
• Ensures appropriate training of staff on website and member database.
• Manages and executes social media strategy, including selection and initiation of new technologies to advance association’s goals.
• Oversees development of graphic designs and other creative materials.
• Supervises the Marketing Associate.

2. Marketing

• Creates and executes marketing and communications strategy for programs, events, and initiatives.
• Leads the development of a “value proposition” campaign for the association in an effort to retain members.
• Ensures the timely development of marketing and promotional pieces.
• Publicizes news related to association services and activities; writes press releases as necessary.
• Oversees effective execution of social media strategy; reviews analytics and adjusts strategy, as necessary.

3. Media Relations

• Working with the president, drafts association position statements and public responses to issues of major concern.
• Develops and maintains relationships with religious, education, and general news media; responds to all media inquiries and arranges interviews with ACCU staff and members; speaks with reporters for attribution, as appropriate.
• Oversees preparation of staff and volunteers for interviews with the press, writes association talking points.
• Oversees dissemination of data in support of association mission and to underscore talking points.

4. Publishing

• Serves as editor of Update; produces, distributes, and promotes quarterly newsletter.
• Writes and directs the association’s annual report; works with graphic designer to coordinate layout; works with all staff to identify content for on-line distribution.
• Serves as editor of other ACCU publications and reports, as necessary, performing copyediting and production (or working with design consultant); executes printing and distribution tasks, including setting pricing and posting to online store, as appropriate.

5. Grant Writing

• Identifies partnerships with foundations, both in higher education and in the Catholic space.
• Supports both programmatic and operational grant seeking, writing, and securing and serves as the grant manager/liaison with the funder.
• Submits grant proposals at least once a quarter on behalf of the association.

6. Association Assistance

• Assists with the execution of the Annual Meeting.
• Oversees the production of annual awardee videos.
• Scripts president’s remarks for opening banquet.
• Choreographs opening banquet program.
• Directs Annual Meeting photography.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Master’s degree in communications, journalism, or a related field.

Experience: Five to eight years of demonstrated, progressive experience in communications within an association or institution of higher education. Experience within a Catholic setting is preferred.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Respect for the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• On-campus higher education experience.
• Ability to work cooperatively in achieving organizational goals.
• Demonstrated abilities in planning and execution of communications activities, including public relations, media, marketing, publishing, or a related field.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other communications-related software programs.