University of Denver | Director of Marketing, Communications, and Outreach – The Graduate School of Professional Psychology

Digital Marketing

Description

The University of Denver (DU) is a top ranked university in a thriving city at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) at DU was created in 1976 to house one of the first Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) programs in the country, under the Vail training model (practitioner-scholar). The PsyD program has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1979. In addition to its generalized clinical psychology training, GSPP is developing specialty tracks in Latinx Psychology, Military Psychology, Oncology Psychology, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, and Substance Use Disorders. Furthermore, GSPP provides four specialized masters programs: Sport Coaching, Sport and Performance Psychology, Forensic Psychology, and International Disaster Psychology, as well as a certificate in Strength and Conditioning. The School also has an exclusively-accredited APA internship consortium and several in-house psychology training clinics which serve Denver and the surrounding communities. As a professional school, GSPP promotes and utilizes high-level pedagogy that integrates applied practice, theory, research, and scholarship. All GSPP programs promote comprehensive academic and applied training within an environment which values cooperation and collaboration; the department is committed to educating students to provide culturally competent services to clients and the community. Knowledge of multiculturalism and inclusive excellence guides GSPP in the mission to be as welcoming and inclusive as possible to all members of the GSPP community. GSPP has developed a collegial atmosphere with significant opportunities for creativity, teamwork, and innovation. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive educational environment and encourage applications from individuals with marginalized identities. GSPP has embarked on an ambitious strategic plan to elevate its work and its vision of redefining mental health in Colorado and beyond. The Director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach will play a critical role in this effort to translate psychological science for diverse audiences and activate community partnerships and engagement that enhance psychology’s impact in the world.

Position Summary

The Director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach is responsible for both high-level strategic planning for public relations and outreach and direct operational implementation of communication and marketing activities. The operational work requires effective use of a wide range of platforms and media to engage with a diverse range of audiences. The Director will be responsible for updating the website and using social media, email, printed materials, and other creative means to effectively share information and build engagement with prospective and current students, staff, faculty, alumni, donors, advisory boards and councils, and other community members. The Director is empowered and expected to consult with GSPP faculty and staff to continuously improve communication processes so they reflect best practices across the University and the field, particularly around inclusiveness for diverse audiences. In particular, the Director will work closely with the Director of Enrollment and other staff to develop recruitment and marketing strategies for prospective students. The Director works with budget personnel to ensure that GSPP resources are being used and allocated effectively and transactions are processed appropriately. In addition, the Director manages a small team of student employees, and contractors/volunteers who support GSPP's outreach efforts. However, responsibility lies with the Director for the day-to-day operational activities of GSPP's internal and external marketing and communication work.

Reporting to the Dean, the Director will also lead the effort to tell GSPP's story. The Director will develop, implement, and measure the success of strategic marketing, communications and outreach plans and processes for GSPP and its programs. These plans will reflect close collaborations with GSPP faculty and staff and DU colleagues in Marketing & Communications, Advancement, and Information Technology to focus on strategies that fit GSPP's culture, expertise, and resources. These marketing, communications and outreach plans will incorporate a number of current special projects, including the rollout of GSPP's new strategic plan and the continuation of Redefining Mental Health campaign efforts, the in-progress redesign of GSPP's website, and the development of an annual report. These plans will also capitalize on complex analyses such as measuring the return on investment of events, interpreting web analytics, or researching target audiences and build in opportunities for continuous improvement and flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.

Success at GSPP during this period of exciting growth requires significant adaptability and an enthusiastic commitment to teamwork. The Directors approaches will be relational, savvy, and inclusive. Furthermore, all GSPP employees share responsibility for fostering a model workplace. To this end, the Director is expected to practice thoughtful and intentional communication and collaboration, leadership in creative problem-solving, active participation in meetings, service on committees, engagement with team-building activities, and cross-training with other staff to foster organizational resilience. The Director is also expected to promote DU's values of inclusive excellence and inter-departmental collaboration in the spirit of One DU. The Director will exhibit creativity, innovation, good humor, and an inspiringly low tolerance for spelling errors and poor grammar.

Essential Functions

Develop and execute strategic marketing, communication and outreach plans for GSPP and its programs for both internal and external audiences.
Adapt these plans as needed in an environment of significant change and growth.
Lead collaborative teams to fulfill current and future special outreach projects, such as the development of an annual report for GSPP, the redesign of GSPP's website, and the outreach strategy for GSPP's new strategic plan, including the Redefining Mental Health campaign efforts.
Liaise with University Departments such as Marketing & Communications, Information Technology, and Advancement to build strong relationships and leverage University resources to achieve DU's and GSPP's strategic objectives.
Advise the Dean and play a leadership role in decision-making about marketing, communication and outreach activities.
Partner with admissions staff to steer marketing and communications efforts directed toward prospective students and community influencers.
Produce excellent communications and strategic engagement for GSPP across multiple platforms, timeframes, and audiences.
This includes website, social media, email, newsletter, and other platforms. Utilize data analytics to inform decisions and opportunities for improvement.
Manage daily operations of GSPP's communications work, including budget oversight. Thoughtfully incorporate events into GSPP's broader outreach goals.
Design marketing and outreach materials for GSPP, or effectively oversee design work done by contractors or the Marketing & Communications department.
Hire and train student employees and contractors to support GSPP's outreach activities with appropriate professionalism.
Ensure the maintenance of GSPP's brand identity through all activities.
Cultivate and support opportunities for public engagement outlets to highlight GSPP faculty expertise, such as media interviews, op-eds, and blogs.
Seek out and report on the achievements, research, and notable events of the division, faculty, and students.
Continuously improve processes and plans to adapt to changing circumstances and uphold best practices, especially around inclusiveness for diverse audiences.
Cross-train and collaborate as needed to support teamwork with colleagues.
Supervise the work of student employees, contractors, and potentially other GSPP staff.
Other duties as assigned.

Communications:

Develop, create, and deploy content across all digital outlets including the website and social channels - ensuring content types maintain consistent levels of style, tone and messaging.
Create and manage an editorial calendar outlining short term and long term strategic promotion of online content - including feature articles, news mentions, recent photos, videos and other and multimedia materials, and events and programming highlighting new initiatives.
Use the School and the University’s strategic messaging as a foundation to create and update communications.
Consistently maintain and improve the School website with insights from Dean and Directors. Cultivate the Schools social media accounts and analyze monthly data to determine how to maximize performance and reach.
Attend monthly Marketing and Communications Confab meetings as GSPPs liaison to stay informed about best practices in higher ed communications, brand standards, and marketing opportunities.
Create and maintain list-serves and mailing lists for students, staff, faculty, Continuing Education attendees, and specialties (Latino Psychology, Military Psychology).
Develop strategies to encourage students, faculty, and alumni to better communicate stories with the community.
Research and implement strategic social media networking tactics to increase visibility.
Attend weekly Advancement meetings and work closely with Schools Director of External Relations to create press releases, webpages, and other materials related to the donor audience.
Prepare and/or assist in preparing range of written and visual materials as needed.
Represent the School and the University with a professional level of customer service, courtesy, and confidentiality.

Event Planning:

Work with the Dean and faculty hosts to develop events strategies for the School designed to grow and sustain relationships with both internal and external constituencies including the general public, students, faculty, alumni, DU community, local professionals, supporters, and policy-makers.
Collaborate with Dean and faculty hosts on event format, timeline, budget, approvals, and development of outreach, venue, catering, rentals, and logistics.
Support Dean and faculty in developing an annual calendar to ensure conflicts are limited and engagement opportunities do not overlap.
Serve as a liaison between School and campus vendors including catering, parking, and audiovisual support.
Serve as a liaison between School and Center for Professional Development in managing Continuing Education events.
Conduct comprehensive event planning including budgeting, registration, coordination and implementation of vendor requests, and post-event evaluation.
Coordinate detailed itineraries reflecting lodging, travel, and event times for guest lecturers. Promote events via list-serves, press releases, online calendars, social media, the web site, DU Digest, and other outlets as appropriate.
Communicate event details to guests including pre-reading materials, parking options, campus maps, dietary options, and accessibility policies.
Ensure smooth-running, effective events, including recognizing and resolving potential and actual problems using tact and discretion.
Collaborate closely with Schools Director of External Relations in creating and coordinating engagement opportunities for donors, alumni, and external agencies.
Serve as day-of event contact responsible for all related activities from set-up to clean-up.
Coordinate and supervise work-study students and volunteers.
Represent the School and the University with a professional level of customer service, courtesy, and confidentiality.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Familiarity with best practices in marketing, communications, recruitment, outreach, and engagement.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, social media and other online platforms, and website maintenance platforms.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including strong skills in editing, proof-reading, and attending to detail.
Ability to move fluidly between high-level strategic thinking and nitty-gritty detailed implementation.
Ability to collaborate closely with diverse faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and the general public.
Ability to tailor communication methods to a wide range of diverse subjects and audiences.
Ability to adapt to and manage organizational change.
Low tolerance for spelling errors and poor grammar.
Proven experience successfully collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders.
Experience in the design, development, and implementation of sophisticated communications, engagement, and marketing strategies.
Proven track record of using marketing analytics in order to steer marketing efforts and decision making.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree
5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in marketing, communications, engagement, public relations, event planning, or donor relations.
Experience producing written and digital marketing materials and communications for a wide range of audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism or related area.
Membership in professional organizations such as PRSA.
6-8 years of professional experience in marketing, communications, engagement, public relations, event planning, or donor relations.
Experience working on topics related to mental health.
Experience in a higher education setting or other complex organization.
Experience working with flexible, non-hierarchical teams.
Experience managing non-traditional personnel, such as student employees or contractors.
Experience with graphic design.
Proven experience promoting issues related to diversity and inclusive excellence.
Proven experience improving processes and adapting to change.

Work Schedule

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Evenings and weekends as required.

Application Deadline

For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) December 4, 2018

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through www.du.edu/jobs to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted. Once within the job description online, please scroll to the bottom of the page to apply.

Please include the following documents with your application:

Resume
Cover Letter
One work sample that best illustrates your expertise and ability to excel in this position (

NOTE: The online system is limited to uploading 10 files. Please combine content if necessary to get all content uploaded.

The University of Denver is an affirmative action employer and that age 40 and over, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other applicable status protected by state or local law are not taken into account in any employment decision.

All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.