Vice President for Communications

Job Summary

The U-M Office of the Vice President for Communications (OVPC) is a strategic communications and marketing team that is dedicated to supporting the university's mission and vision, while advancing and amplifying its strategic priorities broadly. The Vice President for Communications (VPC) is an executive officer of the institution charged with fostering long-term, positive relationships with all university constituents; working to position and differentiate U-M among leading institutions in higher education; developing and implementing strategic and crisis communications plans; stewarding the university's formal relationships and communications with journalists and news organizations; and providing leadership to expand the university's digital communications and social media engagement. From helping recruit the next generation of Wolverines to providing media coverage of the faculty's latest research discoveries to building U-M's brand around the world, they partner with departments on all three U-M campuses to develop and share the Michigan story.

OVPC serves the U-M community through six collaborating areas:

• Communications Policy & Administration
• Digital Strategy & Michigan Commons
• Executive Communications
• Strategic Initiatives
• Marketing Enterprise
• Media & Public Relations

More information on each of these areas can be found on the OVPC website at https://vpcomm.umich.edu/about/

Spencer Stuart website

Job Description

For recommendations or input email: [email protected]

Responsibilities*

• Lead strategic communications, issues management, and crisis response efforts, providing clear, credible, and timely counsel to campus leadership while effectively engaging internal and external stakeholders during periods of heightened visibility or reputational risk.
• Develop and execute strategies to lead effectively within a non-hierarchical, decentralized, and highly collaborative campus environment.
• Navigate complex stakeholder dynamics and build productive alliances with strong political acumen and a keen sense of when and how to engage different constituencies.
• Build trusted relationships across the campus community and foster a culture of openness and transparency, integrity, trust, mutual respect, and collaborative problem solving.
• Advance and champion the academic, research, and service missions of a leading, residential, public university through informed leadership and strategic partnership.
• Develop and implement innovative programs and initiatives informed by national best practices, leveraging research, data, and assessment to drive strategic decision-making and measure impact, with a high degree of energy, initiative, and organization.
• Mentor, coach, and develop talent, fostering leadership capability, professional growth, and strong, collaborative teams. Work alongside colleagues at all levels to craft a positive environment that promotes employee engagement, trust, and satisfaction, while recognizing their contributions.
• Lead with resilience, optimism, and intellectual curiosity, building credibility and trust while effectively navigating challenges, competing perspectives, and periods of heightened scrutiny.
• Provide sound judgement and principled leadership grounded in the highest standards of personal and professional integrity and promote an inclusive community where all feel a sense of belonging.

What You'll Do

• Serve as chief counselor to the President and other university leaders, including the Board of Regents, on internal and external strategic communications, branding, marketing, and messaging.
• Work with senior university leaders to shape and communicate key messages related to the institution's highest priorities and key initiatives.
• Herald and illuminate faculty, staff, and student accomplishments; deliver messages that advance university priorities; effect coherent institutional branding; and ensure the university is consistently portrayed as a high-caliber, high-integrity academic institution with global impact.
• Collaborate actively with faculty and other leaders on campus mechanisms to encourage faculty engagement with the media, and to promote a spirit among those employees of contributing to the university's national and global public reputation beyond the reputations of their campus units.
• Create and develop strategic, integrated communications plans combining public relations, marketing, digital communications, and issues management elements.
• Lead and represent a staff of approximately 150 employees. Offices reporting directly to the Vice President for Communications include Michigan News; Public Affairs and Internal Communications; the Freedom of Information Act Office; the Marketing Enterprise (Michigan Creative, Michigan Photography & Michigan Media); Michigan Social Media; Michigan Public, the university's NPR affiliate; and Executive/Presidential Communications.
• Design strategic communications plans that will function in a large, complex, decentralized organization with varied priorities and stakeholders.
• Collaborate across U-M's three campuses and with unit leadership to advance a cohesive university-wide brand and reputation, ensuring consistency in core institutional messaging while preserving the distinct identities, priorities, and voices of each campus.
• Ensure that university marketing and communications efforts help to build and sustain positive relationships with external constituencies, including the media, government, alumni, the local community, and the general public.
• Cultivate strategies and opportunities for U-M to contribute to the national and public discourse on research, teaching, and learning, college affordability and access, and other matters that influence government and society.
• Provide visionary leadership for integrated, comprehensive, and strategic marketing and communications plans, working with communications professionals across the university, by coordinating shared goals, messages, issues management, branding, and reputation-building for schools and colleges, and other units.

Skills You Have

The VPC will lead efforts to shape and implement communications strategies that support U-M's position as one of the world's leading public institutions of higher education and research. In this strategic leadership role, the next VPC will foster a proactive, long-term approach to developing and implementing marketing and communication plans for U-M's institutional priorities. These plans will strategically inform, engage, and excite national, regional, and global audiences, including scholarly and research communities.

Given the breadth and impact of the VPC's role and responsibilities, this position calls for visionary leadership, exceptional judgment, strong management capabilities, and a deep understanding of and commitment to advancing the University of Michigan's academic, research, and service missions.

Strong candidates will have a significant track record of senior executive communications experience and will have demonstrated creative, proactive, energetic, and inspired communications leadership in a complex organization.

Candidates should exhibit excellent communication skills, demonstrate strategic thinking, and have extensive experience managing highly productive teams and overseeing substantial budgets and operations. Candidates will be expected to be familiar with and comfortable deploying a wide range of leading-edge communication tools and platforms. Extensive experience with higher education and deep knowledge and understanding of the academic mission are preferred.

Why Work at Michigan?

Founded in 1817, the University of Michigan is one of the nation's oldest public universities and a pioneer in higher education, research, and public service. With a mission rooted in the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of society, Michigan fosters innovation, inclusion, and impact across disciplines. The university partners with industry, government, and communities to address complex global challenges, while cultivating a vibrant academic environment that prepares students to lead and serve in a rapidly changing world.

The University of Michigan is a comprehensive, globally engaged institution with a $14.9 billion annual budget and a $19.2 billion endowment. It operates across three campuses: Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint, and supports more than 65,000 students and 50,000 faculty and staff. The Ann Arbor campus alone spans over 3,000 acres and includes a world-class academic medical center, museums, libraries, and performance venues. Michigan offers more than 275 degree programs and is consistently ranked among the top public universities in the United States.

Committed to access and affordability, the university provides robust financial aid and support services with nearly 20 percent of undergraduates being first-generation college students.

At its flagship Ann Arbor campus academic programs are housed within 19 schools and colleges, including highly regarded units such as the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; the College of Engineering; the Ross School of Business; the School of Public Health; and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. The university is also home to the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, Michigan Law, and Michigan Medicine. With a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, Michigan fosters a dynamic learning environment that empowers students and faculty to pursue excellence in teaching, research, and service.

The University of Michigan's regional campuses in Dearborn and Flint serve as vital engines of educational access and economic mobility in Michigan. UM-Dearborn, established in 1959, offers a practice-based, affordable education with a strong emphasis on access and inclusion. With more than 8,000 students, it boasts small class sizes, a 1:16 faculty-to-student ratio, and a high percentage of first-generation and Pell-eligible students. UM-Flint, established in 1956, is advancing Blueprint 2031, a strategic framework focused on student success, academic innovation, and community impact. Serving more than 7,100 students, UM-Flint continues to strengthen the student experience and its impact on the broader community. All three campuses offer the Go Blue Guarantee, which provides free tuition for in-state students from families earning up to $125,000, and they maintain distinct missions while collaborating with Ann Arbor to enhance student success and operational efficiency.

Michigan Medicine, the university's academic medical center, is a cornerstone of U-M's research enterprise and clinical excellence. Encompassing the U-M Medical School, University of Michigan Health, and a vast network of hospitals and clinics across the state, it has grown into one of the nation's premier institutions for medical education, patient care, and biomedical research. In fiscal year 2024, the University of Michigan reported a record-breaking $2.04 billion in research expenditures, marking a 9.9 percent increase from the previous year. Of this, the Medical School alone accounted for $889 million, reflecting its leadership in biomedical discovery and innovation. These efforts underscore U-M's role as a national leader in research that drives scientific advancement, economic growth, and public health.

Beyond academics and research, the University of Michigan fosters a vibrant culture of community engagement and athletic excellence. Through the Academic Success Program, Michigan Athletics empowers its 900+ student-athletes to lead through service, civic engagement, and global awareness. U-M's vibrant and engaged alumni community of over 668,000 living alumni worldwide support the Wolverines' 29 varsity sports across NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference. Additionally, with over 1,700 student organizations the University of Michigan offers a rich array of opportunities for student engagement. Whether through service, scholarship, or social connection, U-M's community engagement ecosystem ensures that every student can find their place and make a meaningful impact.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.