Claflin University, a four-year, independent, residential institution, seeks a communications and marketing professional, with strong web design experience, to serve as the Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing. Reporting to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, this officer provides senior-level administrative support to overseeing all of the communications and marketing of the University. Full information is available in the Search Profile. 

The Opportunity - The Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing, in conjunction with the President and Vice President, plans and implements proactive communication strategies to enhance and advance the profile of Claflin. This officer oversees the production of all division’s published materials, managing all components of the website and other campus communications internal and external, as requested.

In this role, the Assistant Vice President oversees and manages the University’s relationships with external marketing projects; all public relations initiatives, plans, and projects; and media contacts.

The Assistant Vice President also will:

·       Collaborate closely with the Vice President and President to develop, design, plan, and implement an aggressive communications and marketing program for the University

·       Coordinate news conferences, news releases, and public relations plans and projects, and review and provide input on all publication production, including research and writing

·       Organize and manage the University’s strategic community relations presence and presentation, utilizing and/or reconstituting existing programs and/or developing new ones

·       Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with media and other communication resources

·       Position the University as a national resource for information and answers on education and research issues being addressed by small, church-related universities with a focus on African American and other ethnic minority U.S. populations

·       Develop and provide strategic direction and strategies for a comprehensive university program and plan, and utilize effectively all of the University’s technical and people resources that engage all constituents both internal and external

·       Serve as the primary contact person for external inquiries and as the referral resource for the University’s academic divisions, administrative departments, and program directors

·       Manage the media presence of the University President and senior officers in a manner to assure focus on the Claflin’s mission and accomplishments

·       Facilitate all Marketing and Communications’ special events and activities and provide support to Enrollment Management

·       Collaborate and facilitate promotional opportunities and activities

·       Collaborate with staff responsible for the University’s website presence and manage the information acquisition, editing, and display process for presenting information to assure a high-quality web presence

Qualifications - A bachelor’s degree in communications or related field is required; a master’s degree in communications is preferred. Candidate must have a minimum of five years of experience in all areas of communications or equivalent within a related area, with a preference for higher education and/or nonprofit sector experience, along with staff experience in news reporting in electronic and/or print media.

Other requirements include:

·       Working knowledge and demonstrated ability of all aspects of media and media production, both electronic and print

·       Ability to originate, formulate, and implement strategies and communicate goals and objectives

·       Superior oral and written communication skills, including interview techniques, speech writing, and presentations

·       Considerable knowledge of office and team organization, management, and monitoring of progress and achievements

·       Ability to conduct research and compile facts and data

·       Ability to manage all components of electronic and print media

·       Organizational and production skills as television and radio producer or news, features, and documentaries

·       Writing skills for print and electronic media as well as reference and scholastic books and journals

·       Demonstrated ability to be flexible and adaptable and to work independently as well as a team member

Claflin University - Founded in 1869, Claflin University is the oldest historically black institution of higher education in South Carolina. The independent, four-year, liberal arts university is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is recognized as one of the premier liberal arts institutions in the nation.

In 2014, U.S. News & World Report ranked Claflin as the 9th best HBCU in the nation, and Washington Monthly named the institution the best liberal arts college in South Carolina.

With an enrollment of approximately 2,000 students, Claflin has a student-faculty ratio of 14:1. Nearly 80 percent of the University’s 117 full-time faculty members hold terminal degrees in their respective fields.

Claflin’s 12 academic departments are housed in four academic schools: School of Business, School of Education, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Students can pursue 35 undergraduate majors.

The University also offers three dual-degree programs:

·       Engineering (3+2 with Clemson University)

·       Engineering Technology (3+2 with South Carolina State University)

·       Biology/Public Health (4 + 1 with the University of South Carolina)

Two graduate programs are available: Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Biotechnology. 

Claflin is a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of the NCAA (Division II). The University fields nine intercollegiate teams. The men’s sports include basketball, baseball, tennis, and track and field. Programs for women include basketball, softball, volleyball, tennis, and track and field. 

Orangeburg, SC - Claflin’s historic 46-acre campus is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, a city of 15,000 residents. Located 40 miles southeast of Columbia, the capital and largest city of South Carolina, Orangeburg offers the friendliness of a small town with the entertainment, recreational, shopping, and dining activities and offerings of a major city only a short drive away.

Columbia has a diversified and growing economy. Along with the South Carolina state government, the city has major employers in the areas of health care, energy, banking, insurance, transportation, and technology. The city also is home to Fort Jackson, the U.S. Army’s largest and most active initial entry training installation.

Claflin University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Applications & Nominations - Confidential inquiries are welcomed and nominations are invited.

1.   To Apply - Application packet must include: a) A letter of interest; b) Current resume; c) At least five references with full contact information (References will not be contacted without consent from applicants.) d) Your answers to the questions at: www.myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/file/MMQuestions.pdf   

 2.  Submit application packet to: Claflin-Com@myersmcrae.com  

Nominations should include contact information for the individual being nominated. Submit nominations to the e-mail provided above.

Application materials are being reviewed. Search is open until position is filled.

Kenny Daugherty, Executive Vice President and COO of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, is assisting the Claflin University with this search.

Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting

515 Mulberry Street, Suite 200, Macon, Georgia 31201

www.myersmcrae.com