Indiana University

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VP COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING (UA-VPCM-IUBLA)

Indiana University’s Office of the Vice President for Communications and Marketing (VPCM) is charged with elevating Indiana University and the value it delivers to the state of Indiana and the communities it serves, while shaping every brand experience to reflect its mission: empowering student success, advancing transformational research and driving generational impact in Indiana and beyond.

As champions of the IU brand, University Communications and Marketing (in collaboration with campuses, units and individual schools) provides unified leadership for storytelling, strategy, and engagement efforts to strengthen the university’s lifetime relationship with students, alumni and partners.

Founded in 1820, Indiana University is one of the nation’s leading public research universities, with 930+ academic programs, 9 university campuses and 9 School of Medicine campuses. Since its founding, Indiana University has helped students create brighter futures while also driving innovation, from breakthroughs in DNA technology to cancer research to trailblazing cultural programs and resources. Indiana University is home to top-ranked business; public and environmental affairs; education; law; arts and sciences; and music schools, as well as the world’s first school of philanthropy, the nation’s first school of informatics, and the country’s largest medical school. Our hundreds of academic programs are among the world’s best, and the university is always looking toward the horizon, thinking about what’s next. Indiana University takes pride in the quality of education provided, whether a student is enrolled in courses at a core campus, at a regional campus or center, through the School of Medicine, or through IU Online. Most recently, 16 graduate programs from IU ranked among the nation’s top 10, with 32 graduate programs in total ranking in the top 20 graduate programs and specialty areas nationwide. Read more about this achievement here. The university’s campuses are united by IU 2030: The Indiana University Strategic Plan, an aspirational vision for a bold and ambitious future focused on student success and opportunity, transformative research and creativity, and service to the state of Indiana and beyond. Learn more about all of our campuses and centers here.

Indiana University has a total budget of approximately $4.2 billion with approximately 7,500 full-time faculty, 12,000 full-time staff, and nearly 93,000 students. In addition, Indiana University is 1 of only 7 public universities in the nation with a AAA credit rating from both Moody’s Investor Service and S&P Global.

IU Bloomington is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), Association of Public and Land- Grant Universities (APLU). As Indiana’s largest public research university, Indiana University is one of the state’s largest employers, with one of every 26 jobs in Indiana supported by IU.

Indiana University is seeking a highly skilled and results-oriented brand content leader to position and advance the university, building upon the more than 200-year tradition of excellence. This is a unique opportunity to serve in a leadership role that will drive and shape the university’s core content ecosystem– from editorial direction to visuals and creative direction. The Associate Vice President for Brand Content will lead a team of skilled professionals across content strategy, creative strategy, storytelling and research communications, social media, video and visuals.

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the Vice President’s senior leadership team, which includes the Associate Vice Presidents of Marketing Strategy; Communications and Public Affairs; Events and Conferences; and Corporate Sponsorships, Licensing and Trademarks.
• Serves as the key thought leader and strategist for advancing and communicating Indiana University’s brand story, working in collaboration with other UCM senior leaders (in addition to campus, unit and school partners) to strengthen IU’s brand position and reputation through strategic content and storytelling.
• As a leader of a newly created sub-function within UCM, the new AVP for Brand Content will have the opportunity to unify a newly established team under a clear vision for the university’s content strategy, in alignment with the university’s mission and the UCM strategic plan launched in August 2025.
• Provides counsel and lead collaboration across the university including schools and departments, many of which have their own brand content-related professionals.
• Reports directly to the Vice President for Communications and Marketing.
• Advance IU’s state, national, and global reputation through strategic brand content.
• Develops and executes a comprehensive brand content strategy across channels aligned with UCM’s strategic initiatives — rooted in purpose and powered by people, while reflecting IU’s spirit grit, humility, collaboration, action and excellence with purpose.
• Builds, manages, and inspires a high-performing team across storytelling and research communications, social media, content strategy, creative strategy, photography and videography, visuals, and brand education.
• Fosters a collaborative culture that values transparency, creativity, and shared success.
• Partners with internal and external stakeholders to ensure content reflects IU’s values and mission.
• Leads cross-functional initiatives that elevate IU’s brand through creative storytelling and impactful content.
• Implements operational excellence through modern tools, resources, data, and workflows to streamline content production and distribution.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field

Required

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 10 years of increasing responsibility and leadership in branding or creative strategy, strategic planning, and related functions
• Demonstrated experience directing, managing, and supervising teams with responsibility in related fields.
• Experience managing budgets

Skills

Required

• Demonstrated track record of creativity and innovation in storytelling and content development
• Strong leadership and team-building capabilities
• Collaborative mindset with excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• A strategic thinker with the ability to prioritize and a bias for action and innovation — including through the deployment of technology at scale
• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism and a commitment to quality
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Highly thorough and dependable
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without accommodation.

Indianapolis, Indiana or Bloomington, Indiana

This is an in-person position

$190,000 to $225,000, based upon experience.

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)