Director of Marketing and Communications, Veterinary Medicine

About the role

The Director of Marketing and Communications for the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) develops, plans, executes, and measures a comprehensive, strategic marketing and communications program for VMCVM, aligning activities with university-level communications, marketing, branding priorities, and initiatives. The program reflects VMCVM’s core values, principles, strategic goals, and unique attributes that contribute to the broader understanding of Virginia Tech.

The Director collaborates with the VMCVM Dean and senior leadership group; the VMCVM advancement team (marketing and communications, alumni engagement, referring practitioner relations, and development); marketing and communications directors in other colleges and units; and colleagues in the Advancement and Marketing and Communications divisions. The role also engages university leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends, grateful clients, and external partners.

Currently, the Director directly leads and supervises a team of four marketing and communications professionals, providing performance planning and evaluation, direction, support, and professional development opportunities. The Director works with VMCVM department heads and teaching hospital administration to align marketing and communications work to both VMCVM and university priorities.

The program encompasses communications plans, news and feature stories, speeches for VMCVM leadership, message alignment, marketing campaigns, media relations and pitches, publications, photography and videography, social media, advertising, and similar tactics. Platforms include websites, news and information websites, email newsletters, and social media channels supporting VMCVM.

This position supports VMCVM and university initiatives in Blacksburg, Roanoke, and the greater Washington, D.C. metro area, including the three teaching hospitals in Blacksburg, Roanoke, and Leesburg, Virginia. The Director is designated as emergency personnel. The position is based at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia and reports to both the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Virginia Tech, and the Assistant Dean of Advancement of VMCVM.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, strategic marketing and communications plan that supports VMCVM and university’s mission and integrates university and VMCVM priorities.
• Oversee and manage the creation of high-quality, engaging content, and create such content, for VMCVM and university digital and print platforms that effectively communicates VMCVM’s and the university’s vision, mission, and achievements to key audiences.
• Ensure that VMCVM content is consistent with the university brand and standards such as editorial, messaging, and graphic design guidelines.
• Exercise oversight of all marketing and communications activities throughout VMCVM.
• Leverage metrics to gauge the effectiveness of marketing and communications strategies and make data-informed decisions to improve marketing and communications efforts.
• Collaborate with various teams, including the VMCVM advancement team, the VMCVM leadership team, the Council of the senior-most marketing and communications professionals from colleges and units across campus, university communicators, Marketing and Communications, and others.
• Oversee the quality of VMCVM content as an editor for content across various platforms, including websites, social media, newsletters, reports, promotional materials, and more.
• In collaboration with the university’s media relations team, develop and manage a comprehensive media relations program targeting strategic regional, trade, and national media outlets.

Requirements

• Master's degree in communications, journalism, or related field; or bachelor's with experience equating to an advanced degree.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, strategic marketing and communications program.
• Ability to define goals and objectives, identify target audiences, and measure progress toward communications and marketing goals.
• Demonstrated strong communications, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with a range of communications principles including messaging, graphic design, visual communications, branding, marketing, advertising, electronic communications, and social media.
• Ability to be self-motivated and capable of working in a complex matrix management environment.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with veterinary medicine teaching and research techniques and ability to communicate highly technical content to a general audience.
• Demonstrated experience supervising communications professionals.
• Experience in executing marketing initiatives and the analysis and application of market research, in a veterinary medicine, medical school, hospital, or higher education setting.
• Experience working with business/industry, alumni engagement, or development initiatives.
• Demonstrated budgetary supervision experience.
• Experience in a higher education, independent school, scientific organization, or nonprofit environment.
• Strong skills using technology in the workplace, familiarity with content management systems and email platforms; social media competencies.
• Significant prior communications experience writing and producing publications, developing and placing stories with external media, and collaborating with medical professionals.

Pay

Salary range: $95,000–$110,000. Appointment type: Regular. Overtime status: Exempt (not eligible for overtime).

Schedule

Hours per week: 40+. Ability to work nights and weekends, and participation in college or university programs when possible. Regional and national travel occasionally required for communications work, which may include overnights and weekends. Must have the ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation. Safe driving record required. Review date: November 15th, 2026. The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.