Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

About the job

Primary Purpose

The Chief Marketing and Communications Officer serves as the university’s most senior strategic communications leader and creative visionary. We seek an innovative, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as the next Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (CMCO). Reporting directly to the Chancellor and serving as a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet, the CMCO will provide university-wide leadership for marketing and communications and serve as a trusted advisor on matters affecting App State’s reputation, visibility, and engagement with key audiences.

The next CMCO will join Appalachian State University at an exciting time of growth and opportunity and will play a central role in how the university tells its story and connects with its communities. The position offers the opportunity to bring together strategy, creativity, technology, and audience insight to strengthen App State’s communications and marketing efforts. Working across academic and administrative areas, the CMCO will foster collaboration, strengthen the university’s communications infrastructure, and position the division to respond to an evolving higher education and media environment.

For additional information about the opportunity and App State’s priorities for its next CMCO, please download the full leadership profile here.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public affairs, or a related field; advanced degree (Master’s or MBA) strongly preferred.

• Minimum 12–15 years of progressively senior marketing and communications experience, with demonstrable leadership at the executive or near-executive level.

• Proven cross-sector experience: substantial track record in both commercial/corporate environments AND public, government, or mission-driven institutional settings.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop large, multi-disciplinary teams of creative and strategic professionals.

• Significant experience bridging creative and strategy functions.

• Proven crisis communications experience with demonstrable judgement under pressure.

• Fluency in digital marketing tools, analytics platforms, and content management systems at a strategic and supervisory level.

• Meaningful, hands-on experience with AI tools in a professional communications or marketing context, including generative AI for content, image, or workflow applications, and the ability to set strategic direction and policy for their use.

• Outstanding written, verbal, and visual communication skills; persuasive presenter to diverse audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience in higher education, healthcare, government, or other publicly accountable institutional environments.

• Experience managing communications through political or legislative scrutiny, including testimony, FOIA/open-records, or public accountability processes.

• Familiarity with enrollment marketing, alumni engagement, and development/fundraising communications.

• Track record of successful brand repositioning, institutional reputation management, or multi-year strategic communications campaigns.

• Experience with marketing technology stack assessment and procurement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The CMCO will oversee University Communications, guide strategies that strengthen App State’s brand and reputation, and foster collaboration across the university to advance institutional priorities. The role also provides leadership for crisis and executive communications, digital engagement, creative services, internal communications, and emerging technologies.

*Key areas of responsibility include: *

• Provide strategic communications and marketing counsel to the Chancellor, Cabinet, and university leadership.

• Direct university-wide marketing and communications planning in support of institutional priorities.

• Oversee the development and management of App State’s brand across channels, audiences, and university units.

• Guide creative, digital, media, and internal communications strategies and establish expectations for quality and consistency.

• Strengthen coordination among communicators across colleges, divisions, departments, and campuses.

• Lead communications planning and response for significant institutional issues, major announcements, and crises.

• Use research, analytics, and audience insights to inform strategy, evaluate effectiveness, and guide investment.

• Oversee external agencies, vendors, partnerships, and resources supporting university marketing and communications.

• Recruit, develop, and support a talented multidisciplinary team while fostering collaboration and accountability.

• Evaluate emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, and establish responsible approaches to their use in university communications.

VISA Sponsorship?

VISA sponsorship is not available for this position. All candidates must be eligible to work and live in the U.S.

Physical Demands of Position

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions

Special Instructions to Applicants

IMPORTANT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: App State has retained the services of the UNC System Office Executive Search Services team to support this recruitment. Confidential inquiries and nominations should be directed to Executive Search Services.

To be considered for this position, candidates must apply through the UNC System Executive Search application portal. Please visit https://northcarolina.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/6/home/requisition/738?c=northcarolina to submit a cover letter and CV/resume. Applications submitted through the App State career site will not be considered complete. Confidential review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled.