Virginia Commonwealth University · 2 months ago
Institute for Contemporary Art Director of Communications and Public Engagement
Richmond, VA
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
3+ years expVirginia Commonwealth University is home to the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA), a venue dedicated to showcasing contemporary art and fostering public dialogue. The Director of Communications and Public Engagement will develop and execute comprehensive marketing and communications strategies to enhance the ICA's mission and public presence, while collaborating with various teams and stakeholders.
Higher EducationLife ScienceUniversities
Responsibilities
Develop strategies that showcase the institute’s brand narrative
Devise, implement and maintain the overall marketing, communications and storytelling strategies of the ICA
Hone effective communication techniques for reaching and motivating the ICA’s audiences to drive visitorship, program attendance, and giving
Support the Digital Strategist in prioritizing innovative and effective digital engagement and storytelling content aligned with the mission and strategic goals of the ICA
Lead and coordinate the production process for various media and platforms, working with in-house and external freelance IT specialists, programmers, designers, and developers to execute projects
Establishing systems and procedures that map departmental priorities onto project-related tasks aligned with the ICA institutional priorities
Work with department heads to develop content for the ICA’s website and related digital products and initiativesEvaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of internal and external information; obtain feedback from the public and internal personnel through surveys, public opinion studies, and/or focus group meetings
Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with VCU and VCUarts communications teams, and other VCU faculty and staff, community leaders, donors, and representatives of communications media and governmental organizations
Analyze situations accurately, adopt an effective course of action, and maintain sound decision-making in all situations; exercise authority of the position with diplomacy, honesty, integrity, humor, and tact
Provide motivation, professional development support, and daily project management for the Communications Team, comprising the Creative Director, Designers, Social Strategist, Interns, freelance writers, etc
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree plus three to five years of professional-level experience in marketing and communications, including experience of leading an agency or in-house creative team. Those who have a combination of professional training, experience, and education equivalent to a Bachelor's degree are invited to apply
Have demonstrated experience with various communications and content channels and platforms, successfully leading, developing, and implementing communications, marketing and digital strategy across organizations, ideally within the cultural sector
Possess a strong business acumen and excellent leadership skills, and be able to demonstrate strategic thinking and planning over multi-year periods working on a variety of projects across multiple platforms
Be passionate about contemporary art and culture
Demonstrated experience working within and across teams, and working collaboratively to execute the vision of creatives
Possesses exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including writing, editing, and proofreading
Be well organized, highly motivated, and able to work and lead in a fast-paced and digital environment
Must be self-motivated, strategic, creative, entrepreneurial, and detail-oriented
Be able to problem-solve using sound judgment and professional discretion
Have demonstrated strong work ethic and time management skills
Be an adaptive leader
Demonstrated experience working in and fostering 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
Preferred
Five or more years of leading an agency or in-house creative team in the museum or arts industry
Graduate-level degree in a related field
A track record of innovative use of online platforms and digital technologies to drive engagement and interaction with audiences, spanning web, mobile, social media, and onsite interactive media
Experience developing digital products on the basis of user-centered research and of using data analytics to inform decisions
Benefits
Comprehensive health benefits
Paid annual and holiday leave granted up front
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.
Company
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Virginia Commonwealth University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (85)
2024 (85)
2023 (71)
2022 (94)
2021 (77)
2020 (60)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$7.48MKey Investors
Virginia Innovation Partnership CorporationUnited States-Japan Foundation
2025-01-15Grant· $0.1M
2024-03-12Grant· $0.08M
2024-02-01Grant· $0.07M
Leadership Team
Karol Kain Gray
Senior VP and CFO
Andrea Ferreira-Gonzalez
Professor
Recent News
The Virginian-Pilot
2025-12-05
2025-11-01
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