Assistant Vice President/Executive Director for Research Communications

Advertising Summary

Virginia Commonwealth University is seeking a visionary communications leader to serve as Assistant Vice President Executive Director for Research Communication-the chief architect behind the brand voice and global presence of VCU Research and Innovation. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Research and Innovation, this senior leader sits at the heart of the universitys research enterprise translating bold ideas, breakthrough science, and faculty excellence into compelling stories that influence policymakers, attract funding, inspire partners, and elevate VCUs national and global reputation.

This is a rare opportunity to build and lead an enterprise-wide research communications strategy at a top R1 public research university-driving Tier 1 media visibility, guiding high-stakes executive communications, stewarding a complex research brand, and uniting communicators across campuses. The ideal candidate is a strategic storyteller, trusted advisor, and collaborative leader who thrives in complexity and excels at turning data and discovery into impact.

If you are energized by shaping narratives that matter, leading talented teams, and amplifying research that changes lives, VCU offers a platform to make your mark at scale.

Department Summary

At the VCU Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, our mission is to foster transformative research discovery and innovation at Virginia Commonwealth University through service excellence. We partner with faculty in all schools and departments as they seek funding, plan studies, establish collaborations, calculate budgets, submit grant applications, negotiate industry contracts, and secure patents and licensing agreements.

Our commitment to supporting and elevating the research community at VCU has resulted in record levels of sponsored research and has placed VCU among the nations premier public research universities. Through our passion for discovery and willingness to take on challenges, we continue to advance the work that matters most and position the university as a national leader in research, innovation, creativity, and scholarship.

Duties & Responsibilities

The Assistant Vice President Executive Director for Research Communication serves as the primary architect and strategist for the VCU Research and Innovation enterprises brand and public presence. This role is responsible for elevating the universitys research profile locally, nationally, and globally. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI), the Assistant Vice President Executive Director is a member of the OVPRI leadership team and leads a team of professional and student staff to translate complex scientific data, faculty achievements, and internal OVPRI functions into compelling narratives for diverse audiences, including faculty, staff, students, policymakers, donors, media, and the general public.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Communications & Brand Leadership
   • Strategy Development, Design, and execute a comprehensive multi-channel communications and marketing strategy that aligns with the OVPRIs mission and the universitys strategic plan.
   • Management of the offices three monthly newsletters, The Catalyst, VCU Research Roundup, and Core Connect.
   • Brand Management: oversee the maintenance of institutional branding, e.g., the Research & Innovation brand, to ensure consistency across all OVPRI sub-units and alignment with the enterprise brand platform, message pillars, and graphic guidelines.
   • Executive Support: act as the primary communications advisor to the Vice President, develop high-level and high-visibility presentations, Board of Visitors draft executive remarks, speeches, and manage speaker requests.
   • Digital Presence: lead the strategy and continuous improvement of the research enterprises digital footprint, including major website redesigns and UX optimization for the research community.
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   • Public Relations & Media Impact
     • Media Strategy: drive Tier 1 media placements and manage overall media relations to increase the share of voice for VCU Research.
     • Outreach & Engagement: promote faculty research and milestones to the scientific community, sponsors, and news media through targeted storytelling.
     • Impact Reporting: coordinate enterprise-level announcements regarding funding milestones, e.g., $500M markers, and national rankings.
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     • Crisis & Issues Management
       • Rapid Response: lead communications during sensitive leadership transitions, changes in the federal funding landscape, and regulatory compliance-related issues.
       • Risk Mitigation: in conjunction with Enterprise Marketing and Communications, develop and implement crisis communication plans to protect the universitys reputation during high-pressure scenarios.
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       • Internal Engagement & Campus Collaboration
         • Community Building: lead the Research Communications Council (RCC) to unify research communicators across the Monroe Park and MCV campuses.
         • Faculty Relations: develop strategies to increase engagement with faculty and students, including town halls, speaker series, and the streamlining of internal newsletters.
         • Event Management and Marketing: oversee the marketing and execution of flagship events, such as Research Weeks, including the annual State of the Research (SOTR) address.
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         • Operational Management
           • Supervision: directly manage a team of professional communicators and student employees, fostering a culture of high performance and morale.
           • Project Oversight: manage agency relationships and internal budgets for marketing and web development projects.
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             Qualifications

             Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

             Education & Experience

             Research Context: deep understanding of the Higher Education research ecosystem, including an awareness of federal funding agencies (NIH, NSF, DOD), and the unique lifecycle of academic research.

             Technical & Specialized Skills:

             • Strategic Brand Management: proven ability to manage a large-scale institutional brand transition and enforce visual-narrative standards across multiple autonomous units.
             • Strategic Communications: exceptional writing and editing skills, multimedia storytelling expertise, and the ability to customize communications to different audiences.
             • Digital Infrastructure Oversight: experience overseeing Full-Stack Website Redesigns, including managing vendor relationships, facilitating focus groups, and optimizing user experience (UX) for specialized audiences.
             • Crisis Communications: demonstrated expertise in managing high-stakes communications regarding federal policy shifts, leadership transitions, and regulatory compliance.
             • Data Translation: mastery of Science Communication (SciComm) - the ability to distill complex technical research outcomes into compelling narratives for donors, legislators, and the general public.
             • Metrics & Analytics: proficiency in media monitoring tools, e.g., Cision, Meltwater, to track Tier 1 media hits, reach, and sentiment analysis.

             Leadership & Soft Skills

             Navigating Matrixed Organizations: sophisticated ability to manage territorial ownership and build collaborative partnerships in a complex decentralized university environment. Executive Ghostwriting: advanced proficiency in capturing an executives unique voice for speeches, Board of Visitors presentations, and campus-wide emails. Partnership: spirit of collaboration - leading efforts to bring together OVPRI, EMC, and unit-level communicators to foster trust and a shared sense of purpose around research. Cross-Functional Collaboration: proven success in establishing and leading internal councils, like the RCC, to align disparate communication teams toward a unified goal. Project & People Management: experience supervising professional staff and student workers while maintaining high team morale and operational efficiency. Agility & Prioritization: ability to balance long-term strategic initiatives, newsletter consolidation, town hall planning, with immediate time-sensitive demands from the Vice Presidents office.

             Preferred Qualifications

             Education: advanced degree in a related field.

             Salary Range

             The work title and salary level will be determined by the candidates experience level.

             Assistant Vice President (160,000 - 182,000)

             Must have institution-wide communications leadership and management experience, worked at the level of director or executive director at least for 3-7 years, with managing teams and setting strategy. Preferably having worked as a communication leader within a university central office, e.g., Research Provost, President, Enterprise communications, or equivalent, with engagement across schools, units, external stakeholders.

             VCU Slotting Sr. Communications Officer (CM)

             Same as above but with minimum experience as a director at a central school or college, e.g., deans office, or equivalent, with at least 2-5 years experience of leading effective research communications.

             VCU Slotting Sr. Director (CMBenefits

             Same as above but with minimum experience as a director at a central school or college, e.g., deans office, or equivalent, with at least 2-5 years experience of leading effective research communications.

             Benefits

             All full-time university staff are eligible for VCUs robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, granted upfront, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity, and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

             FLSA Exemption Status

             Exempt

             Hours per Week

             40

             Restricted Position

             No

             ORP Eligible

             Yes

             Flexible Work Arrangement

             Hybrid