Communication Associate Jobs in Irvine, CA (NOW HIRING)

Apply now Job no: 558936
Work type: Management (MPP)
Location: Pomona
Categories: MPP, At-Will, Full Time, Marketing/Communications

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) welcomes applications for the position of Senior Associate Vice President for Strategic Marketing & Communications (SAVP). The SAVP will serve as the University’s chief communications leader and brand strategist, responsible for overall communications, marketing and branding activity across all media platforms.

The SAVP ensures a clear, consistent and coordinated brand narrative that advances Cal Poly Pomona’s mission of student success and polytechnic excellence to campus and external audiences. The SAVP leads the development and implementation of the University's brand vision, marketing strategy and public relations campaigns to attract students, engage alumni and donors, recruit high‑quality faculty and staff, and demonstrate Cal Poly Pomona’s impact in the region, state and nationally. The SAVP serves as the University spokesperson.

In addition to leading the University’s central team of marketing and communications professionals, the SAVP provides strategic direction and coordinates marketing and communications produced by other academic and administrative units and by three auxiliary organizations: Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises, Associated Students, Incorporated, and the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation.

As a senior staff leader within the California State University System, the SAVP coordinates with counterparts in the CSU Office of the Chancellor and contributes to representing the campus to the University’s Board of Trustees and the California legislature.

Strategic Brand Leadership: Define and evolve the university’s brand identity and messaging architecture. Develop and execute comprehensive marketing campaigns aligned with the university's mission and strategic goals, overseeing brand consistency across all visual, digital, and print platforms.

Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with communicators across the Colleges, Enrollment Management, Outreach, Recruitment and Educational Partnerships, University Advancement and Student Affairs to align brand strategy with recruitment goals and fundraising initiatives and key communications deliverables.

Drive Reputation, Market Position, and Awareness: Lead institutional reputation strategy for industry and higher‑education leaders, prospective students and external stakeholders through integrated marketing communications campaigns that position CPP as a regional, state and national leader in polytechnic excellence.

Crisis Communications and Issues Management: Serve as the official university spokesperson and primary advisor to senior leadership on public affairs. Advise the President and Cabinet on reputational risk and opportunity, oversee proactive and reactive media relations, and enhance crisis communications protocols.

Internal and Executive Communications and Change Management: Lead internal and executive communications strategies and drive organizational transformation to unify and elevate marketing and communications practices across a decentralized academic environment.

Content & Digital Strategy: Manage the production of high‑impact, brand‑aligned multimedia content, including university magazines, social media accounts, and the official website.

Team & Budget Leadership: Supervise a diverse team of communications marketing professionals while managing departmental budgets and external vendor relationships, fostering a service‑oriented team environment that encourages collaboration, operational excellence, teamwork, flexibility and creativity.

Integrated Marketing Operations: Lead the content strategy and production through cross‑functional teams in digital strategy, creative services and editorial production.

Performance Analytics: Implement a data‑informed culture by tracking performance outcomes, brand awareness metrics and marketing ROI to inform planning.

Competencies and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in marketing, communications, public relations or related field or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible related experience in complex marketing and communications environments.
• Demonstrated experience in crisis management and service as institutional spokesperson.
• Strong record of effectively leading diverse, creative and professional teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Advanced proficiency in strategic storytelling across print, digital and social platforms.
• The ability to lead through influence as well as through positional authority in a complex, multi‑constituent environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree or MBA with a concentration in marketing or related discipline.
• Management level experience in higher education.
• Familiarity with higher education CRM systems, web content management systems and data analytics tools for measuring campaign effectiveness.
• Contextual understanding of legislative affairs and public policy and the significance of communicating the university’s value to the state and government officials.
• Commitment to student success, equity and inclusive excellence.
• Proven success in partnering with university advancement or development teams to support major capital campaigns.

Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly Pomona provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly Pomona complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti‑discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Reasonable Accommodation: We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the ADA Coordinator by email at ADACoordinator@cpp.edu .

As a federal contractor, Cal Poly Pomona complies with the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and requests priority referral of protected veterans for our job openings.