Career Center

Position Title:

Director of Advancement Communications

Salary/Pay Rate:

$90,000 - $100,000

Department/School:

Office of College Marketing & Communications 

Job Summary:

The Director of Advancement Communications will help lead strategic planning as well as tactical execution for a variety of communications and content development for the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs. Reporting directly to the College’s VP of Communications and Marketing, the individual in this role will support the College’s Advancement team. This position will play a key role in helping elevate the institution’s profile and reputation with key donors, alumni, individuals, and institutions to advance Marist’s philanthropic goals and ultimately make the distinctive Marist education accessible to more students.

A large portion of this job will be spent serving as editor of Marist Magazine, the College’s flagship alumni publication published twice a year. The Director will write most content for the magazine and coordinate with the design team and print vendor. In addition to the magazine, this individual will also help produce a variety of Advancement publications, collateral, and external communications pieces.

This role requires a strong communicator and writer who thinks strategically but also enjoys rolling up their sleeves and diving into the tactical execution – from writing and editing to project management. The Director of Advancement Communications is joining Marist at an exciting time, as the College just completed a new Strategic Plan that will carry the institution through its centennial in 2029 and beyond; is about to embark upon a comprehensive multi-year fundraising campaign; and is preparing to launch a new institution-wide marketing and communications strategy. By reporting into the Office of College Marketing and Communications but largely supporting Advancement communications, the individual in this role will help ensure an integrated communications strategy that is connected and relevant to all stakeholders served by Marist.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of related work experience in public relations, corporate communications, or journalism.
• Experience in College Advancement or Higher Ed marketing/communications is preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills; this role has a heavy writing workload.
• Flawless editing to support clear ideas.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, results-oriented, collaborative environment.
• Experience presenting ideas and providing counsel to senior executives.
• Self-starter who thrives in matrixed environments and adapts easily to change.
• Able to work under pressure quickly, effectively and efficiently with tight deadlines.

Essential Functions:

• Strong writing ability a must – short news copy, feature stories, and human interest pieces are all part of Marist Magazine.
• Ability to turn around writing assignments under tight deadlines.
• Distill complex issues into simple to understand communications.
• Work with Advancement team to develop clear messaging on institutional priorities, fundraising goals, and announcements to drive communication effectiveness, engagement, and campaign success.
• Project management skills – this role works with many different partners and vendors to produce a variety of styles of communications pieces and both print and digital content.
• Bring a positive, can-do approach to your work, inspiring others to be their best and valuing diverse perspectives to inform projects large and small.
• Ability to provide clear, candid counsel and recommendations to the VP of Communications and Marketing and the VP of Advancement to help continuously elevate the departments’ work.
• Strategic thinking that links day-to-day communications activities to a broader institutional vision and searches for opportunities to try innovative, new communications approaches.
• Collaborative leadership style that pulls people together around a common vision/cause and is able to build consensus from differing points of view.

Required Application Documents:

Resume, Cover Letter, & Contact Information of 3 Professional References 

Benefits:

The position includes a comprehensive benefit package*. Benefits for this position include but are not limited to the following:

• 3 weeks of paid vacation. 4 weeks of paid vacation beginning in the 6th year of employment. 
• Unlimited paid sick time.
• 14+ paid holidays per year.
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance programs at a 15% employee / 85% employer contribution rate. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care (FSD).
• Life insurance.
• Generous short-term and long-term disability programs and workers compensation.
• 403(b) defined contribution plan:
  • First 6 years College contributes 7.5%, Employee contributes a mandatory 4%.
  • College contribution increases to 10.5% in year 7, and 12% after 15 years.
  • Employee contribution decreases to 1% in year 7. Remains 1% thereafter.
• 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity – Roth option available. Voluntary, up to IRS maximum contribution.
• Tuition Benefits:
  • Up to 16 undergraduate credits per semester. Up to 18 graduate credit per academic calendar. Eligibility extends to employee, spouse, and dependent children under age 26.
  • College pays 100% tuition only.
  • Eligible dependents may be Reimbursed up to $2,000 per semester towards tuition at another accredited institution.

*Eligibility requirements including waiting periods and/or employee probationary periods may apply at the discretion of the College.

About the Department/School:

The Office of College Marketing and Communication has a primary focus to build national awareness of Marist and contribute to the growth of new student enrollment. The office achieves this by supporting and strengthening the Marist brand through thoughtful storytelling, editorials, videos, photography and creative visuals, and by collaborating with partners both inside and outside our College community.

About Marist College:

Located on the banks of the historic Hudson River and at its Florence, Italy campus, Marist College is a comprehensive, independent institution grounded in the liberal arts. Its mission is to “help students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century.” Marist educates approximately 5,000 traditional-age undergraduate students and 1,200 adult and graduate students in 53 undergraduate majors and numerous graduate programs, including fully online MBA, MPA, MS, and MA degrees, and also Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs. Marist is consistently ranked among the best colleges and universities in America by The Princeton Review (Colleges That Create Futures and The Best 386 Colleges), U.S. News & World Report (3rd Most Innovative School/North), Kiplinger’s Personal Finance (“Best College Values”), and others. Marist’s study abroad program is ranked #2 in the nation by the U.S. State Department’s “Open Doors Report” and has also received the Senator Paul Simon Award for First Year Abroad programs in Italy and Ireland. Marist’s Joint Study partnership with IBM, which began in 1988, has brought the College the kind of world-class technology platform typically found at leading research institutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.marist.edu/about 

Type of Position:

Full-time

Classification:

Administrative (Exempt)

Months per Year:

12

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm

Hours per Week:

37.5

Location:

Marist College Main Campus

Number of Position Openings:

1

Equal Employment Statement:

Marist College is committed to creating a diverse workforce on our campus by ensuring that barriers to equal employment opportunity and upward mobility do not exist here. To this end, the College will strive to achieve the full and fair participation of minorities, women, people with disabilities, and any other protected groups found to be under represented.

Equal opportunity means employment, development, and promotion of individuals without consideration of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, or veteran status unless there is a bona fide occupational requirement which excludes persons in one of these protected groups. The College will review its employment policies and procedures to ensure that barriers which may unnecessarily exclude protected groups are identified and eliminated. The College will also explore alternative approaches if any policy or practice is found to have a negative impact on protected groups.

Marist's policy of non-discrimination includes not only employment practices but also extends to all services and programs provided by the College. It shall be considered a violation of College policy for any member of the community to discriminate against any individual or group with respect to employment or attendance at Marist College on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other condition established by law.