Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications

## Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications Apply remote type:
Hybrid locations:
Penn State University Parktime type:
Full time posted on:
Posted Todayjob requisition :
REQ_#
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** Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
**** POSITION SPECIFICS
** Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications, the University’s central public relations and marketing division, is seeking an experienced, proactive, and innovative leader to serve as its
** Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications (AVP)**.This position will report directly to the Vice President for Strategic Communications, Rachel Pell, and collaborate with academic, administrative, and communications and marketing leaders and staff at Penn State campuses across the state. The AVP will help protect and advance the University's reputation for integrity; nurture pride and attachment among faculty, staff, and students; enhance understanding of and drive support for major leadership priorities;

strengthen the institution's commitment to its employees; and advance Penn State's position as an exceptional employer.

Specifically, this forward-thinking and collaborative communications executive will provide overall vision and strategic leadership to an integrated team of 11 who are responsible for internal communications, including human resources and change management communications;
Penn State News and other news vehicles; and partnership with communicators outside Strat Comm. The AVP will also partner closely with the issues and crisis team to support and work in critical areas facing the University. This individual must be a proactive and engaged member of the office who works toward solutions, directly contributes to the work of the office, and provides perspective on a variety of issues and forces shaping Penn State, as well as higher education, during a time of evolution in the University’s structure and priorities.
** Key Responsibilities
** The Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications is a reconfigured role that brings together internal communications, change management communications, HR communications, and Commonwealth Campus communications, while also working hand-in-hand with crisis and issues management. The AVP will provide vision and leadership for crucial areas of university communications, as well as Penn State News. This role will also collaborate with leadership in the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses to provide strategic communication counsel and support that advances Penn State's Commonwealth campuses.

Ultimately, the AVP will continue to build and implement a clear, unified vision for strategic communication aimed at strengthening the University's culture, supporting its employees, protecting its reputation, and managing institutional change.

The AVP will be responsible for the following key areas:
** Internal and Change Management Communications
*** Lead enterprise change communications and stakeholder engagement; serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders to anticipate, evaluate, and clearly communicate the impacts of organizational, operational, financial, and strategic decisions
* Strengthen institutional capacity for change management by developing frameworks, processes, and communication strategies that enable leaders to navigate complexity, uncertainty, and competing stakeholder expectations with clarity, consistency, and confidence
* Lead…