Senior Director, Brand & Content Strategies

Otterbein University is seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Director, Brand & Content Strategies to lead and advance the university’s institutional brand, marketing, and messaging initiatives. Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, this role provides strategic leadership for all institutional brand and marketing efforts and ensures alignment of messaging across Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement, and Student Affairs.

This position serves as Otterbein’s senior messaging strategist and writer, leading the development and implementation of an integrated public relations and marketing strategy across all communication platforms, including earned media, social media, advertising, digital media, the institutional website, and recruitment publications. The Senior Director also oversees website and intranet content, supports signature institutional events, contributes to Towers magazine, and leads brand development for the Coalition for the Common Good. This is a full-time exempt administrative position working 40 hours per week, 12 months per year.

Leadership & Team Management

• Direct and manage the Marketing and Communications team to meet university needs.
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate assigned staff.
• Prioritize competing institutional marketing and communications needs and manage workflow to meet deadlines.
• Implement a performance management process including goal setting, coaching, and evaluation.
• Oversee the Marketing and Communications annual budget.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Communications to coordinate efforts.

Brand Strategy & Institutional Marketing

• Provide strategic leadership for institutional brand and marketing efforts.
• Prioritize work to support enrollment and philanthropy goals.
• Develop and maintain institutional brand standards, templates, tools, and resources.
• Build shared understanding and adoption of brand standards across the Otterbein community.
• Synthesize and maintain the institutional “voice.”
• Collaborate with internal partners to develop audience-specific brand positioning.
• Align marketing, advertising, public relations, recruitment, and philanthropy messaging into a coordinated, integrated strategy across all platforms.

Messaging Strategy & Content Development

• Serve as the university’s senior messaging strategist and writer.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on internal and external communications.
• Support the President with messaging, content, and talking points as needed.
• Integrate Otterbein’s values of inclusion and belonging into institutional messaging.
• Bring strategic priorities to life through storytelling.
• Support emergency communications planning in collaboration with leadership.

Coalition for the Common Good (CCG)

• Lead brand development efforts for the Coalition for the Common Good (CCG) in coordination with Antioch University colleagues.
• Support integration of CCG, Antioch, and Otterbein brands.
• Maintain and support development of the CCG website (ccgedu.org).
• Develop marketing strategies to promote the CCG to diverse audiences.

Events & Publications

• Support messaging and brand integration for signature events including Commencement, Welcome Back, Alumni Gala and Awards, Pack Lecture and Scholar in Residence, and other key events.
• Contribute to the publication of Towers magazine.

Additional Responsibilities

• Serve on university committees.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Directly supervise the Director of Creative Services, Marketing Coordinator, Team Leader for Digital Platforms and Web, and Enrollment Communications Specialist.
• Coordinate supervision of the Social Media/Multimedia Design Specialist with the Director of Communications.
• Provide coaching and direction to the CCG Multimedia Designer/Communication Specialist.

To perform this role successfully, candidates must be able to execute essential duties effectively. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university required.
• 7–10 years of progressive experience leading a marketing communications team.
• Demonstrated success developing brand strategies and campaigns, with examples of work produced or overseen.
• Higher education experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing social media strategies and engagement.
• Proven ability to work with a diverse client base and lead teams effectively.

Core Competencies

• Excellent writing, speaking, and project management skills
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and supervisory abilities
• Ability to prioritize institutional needs and manage multiple projects
• Commitment to collaboration and high-quality execution
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills

Technical & Additional Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and general office technologies
• Ability to learn new software and tools
• Understanding of ethical use of AI and large language models desired
• Strong creativity, planning, and organization skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise independent judgment

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Frequent sitting, speaking, hearing, and use of hands for repetitive motions
• Occasional standing, walking, stooping, or bending
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 20 pounds occasionally
• Close vision required
• Some travel required, with valid driver’s license
• Ability to maintain regular and predictable attendance

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is primarily performed in an environmentally controlled office setting.

Otterbein offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Tuition benefit to employee, spouse or domestic partner and dependents
• Accrue 4 weeks of paid vacation
• 10 days paid sick time
• 12 paid holidays plus bonus days
• Medical, dental and vision insurance to you, dependents or domestic partner
• Life Insurance
• Defined contribution retirement plan
• and much more

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that will be required of positions that will be given this title and shall not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind of level of difficulty.

Otterbein University’s achievement of academic excellence depends on its commitment to inclusion and belonging. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. Otterbein University is an EEO Employer.