Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer

Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer

Department: Marketing & Communications Operations

Location: District Administration

Reports To: President

Requisition ID: req6525

Employment Type: Administration and Professionals

Union Position: Non-Union

Work Schedule: Standard College Hours: M-F, 8:30am-5pm

Number of Openings: 1

The Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer (VP& CMO) serves as Tri-C's senior executive responsible for elevating the institution's brand reputation and strategic communications, in alignment with its mission, strategic priorities, and enrollment goals. The VP & CMO reports administratively to the Chief Strategy & Impact Officer and functionally to the President.

In this role, the VP & CMO leads the strategic development and oversight of all collegewide marketing, communications, and branding functions-ensuring an integrated approach across all media, channels, and constituencies. The position also ensures strong coordination of institutional storytelling, brand architecture, and market-driven decision-making.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Leads the development and execution of the institution-wide brand strategy and strategic communications that advances Tri-C's visibility, mission, and public value.
• Serves as the chief communications advisor to the President and Cabinet, responsible for reputation management, public relations, media strategy, and internal communication frameworks.
• Champions and evolves Tri-C's master brand and sub-brand architecture to ensure clarity, consistency, and distinction across all divisions, programs, and partners.
• Demonstrates strategic leadership and builds consensus across complex institutions, leading cross-functional teams and managing multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment.
• Directs a data-informed marketing strategy aligned with enrollment, retention, workforce, academic, and community engagement priorities.
• Oversees all market research and analyses, audience segmentation, brand tracking, and competitive analysis to inform strategic decisions and resource allocation.
• Establishes performance metrics, dashboards, and ROI analyses to continuously evaluate the impact of campaigns and media investments.
• Provides strategic oversight for event presence and sponsorship investments that align with audience growth, community visibility, and brand equity goals.
• Provides visionary leadership in overseeing, mentoring, and developing a high-performing marketing and communications staff. Fosters a collaborative, inclusive environment that supports professional growth, innovation, and excellence across all team members.
• Leads the strategic direction across website governance, social media, publications, content marketing, creative design, and advertising channels.
• Ensures consistent brand standards, visual identity, and editorial voice across all channels.
• Collaborates with institutional leaders across Enrollment, Academics, Workforce, Student Experience, Corporate College and Advancement to support institutional storytelling and strategic alignment.
• Oversees marketing and communications budgeting, resource allocation, and vendor management.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE/TRAINING

• Master's degree in marketing, communications, business, public relations, or a related field.
• Significant related experience may substitute for education
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership in strategic marketing and communications roles, preferably in higher education or mission-driven institutions.
• Demonstrated success in brand development, integrated marketing campaigns, strategic communications, and executive advising.
• Proven ability to use data, research, and analytics to inform strategy and optimize performance.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES

• Demonstrated strategic leadership and ability to build consensus across complex institutions.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong understanding of digital platforms, content strategy, SEO/SEM, UX design, and accessibility.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated proactive development and advancement of strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to pursue best-practice and emerging technologies and trends in a changing media and advertising landscape.
• Ability to provide proactive, creative and strategic approaches to develop and advance organizational priorities and initiatives.
• Possess sensitivity to respond appropriately to the needs of the community.

COMPETENCIES

CRITICAL COMPETENCIES

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Quality of Work

VERY IMPORTANT COMPETENCIES

• Continuous Improvement
• Service Focus

IMPORTANT COMPETENCIES

• Adaptability
• Time Utilization

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE/TRAINING

• Demonstrated experience and awareness of the socially and ethnically diverse community of greater Cleveland.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES

• Understanding of current and emerging trends in higher education marketing and enrollment strategy.
• Availability to travel as needed to support institutional events, partnerships, and representation.

Target Starting Salary Range:

$186,000 to $200,000

The final offer for the successful candidate is targeted to fall within this range but will be based upon an assessment of internal equity, the unit's available budget, and the candidate's qualifications in relation to the minimum and/or preferred job requirement(s).

Special Note:

If hired, you must reside in the state of Ohio and be within commuting distance of this work location/campus to respond to onsite work demands upon the employment start date and throughout the duration of your employment with the College, as outlined in 3354:1-40-01.1 Recruitment and Selection Procedure.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

During the application process, you may be required to attach a cover letter and/or resume. It is recommended that you have these documents ready to be attached electronically to the online application. This system accepts only MS Word or PDF attachments. Any employment with the College is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check and drug screen.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Cuyahoga Community College is committed to attaining excellence through the recruitment and retention of a qualified workforce. Cuyahoga Community College is an equal employment/educational opportunity institution.