California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a highly regarded, nationally and internationally
ranked independent arts institution offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Located in
the northern Los Angeles metro area, CalArts invites applications and nominations for the
position of Vice President of Marketing & Communications (VP M & C). This position serves as
the Chief Marketing & Communications Officer of the Institute, reporting to the President.
Collaborating with academic and administrative leaders across the Institute, the VP M & C
provides overall vision, strategic and operational leadership, policy guidance, and direct
management of Institute needs as it pertains to integrated marketing and communications.
The Position
The VP M & C will serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and is responsible for
conceiving of and establishing a holistic, high-level and multi-faceted marketing strategy for all
segments and publics of the Institute. This leader is also responsible for managing a central
communications program that is aligned with the cooperative communications efforts in
Admissions/Enrollment and Institutional Advancement, all of which will roll into the
aforementioned overall marketing strategy. Key to this will be a vision for communications that
can enhance the uniqueness of the CalArts community, provides help towards unified
messaging, and that supports and furthers the goals of the Institute – which is comprised of
various stakeholders including the six Schools, the Roy & Edna Disney CalArts Theater
(REDCAT) in downtown Los Angeles, and other key voices.
The Vice President should have the values and a demonstrated record that allows them to build
on the Institute’s deep commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA), through
actions that further these values.
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
● Serve collaboratively as a member of the Institute’s Senior Leadership Team
● Prepare analyses and presentations for leadership, various stakeholders, and the Board of
Trustees
● Ensure that the ongoing work of the Marketing and Communications team is aligned with,
and in support of, the goals and objectives in the 2020 Strategic Framework.
● Engage shared governance in the assessment of and planning for strategic work.
● Create and lead an Integrated Marketing Working Group.
● Seek to identify and expand opportunities to advance CalArts and it’s reputation, including
for the six schools and the numerous programs under the Schools, most of which already
have national prominence.
● Document and evolve the Institute & internal and external communications, marketing, and
brand strategy and lead the development of policy, priorities, and best practices for central
marketing and the Institute & main communications platforms.
● Partner through effective communication and flexibility with members of the faculty,
academic leadership (deans, program directors), staff, and other leadership to capture and
articulate the unique CalArts culture, and position the Institute across all media – emerging, new, and more traditional – and tailored to the many audiences and publics towards which CalArts faces.
● Partner with the Vice President of Enrollment Management, the Enrollment Management
Team (Admissions, Financial Aid, etc.) and the Schools (deans and faculty liaisons) on the
VP’s work to create and advance the Institute’s strategic enrollment strategy. Goals for this
include aligning with the needs of the academic programs and identifying the market
segments for them, then create nuanced marketing strategies which are tailored to the
specific needs of CalArts’ unique populations and programs.
● Partner with the Vice President of Advancement, the Institutional Advancement Team, the
Schools (deans and program directors), staff, and other leadership on the VP’s work to
advance the Institute’s strategic fundraising and alumni engagement practices. Goals for
this include identifying the market segments involved, then create nuanced marketing
strategies which are tailored to the specific needs of CalArts’ unique populations and
programs.
● Partner with the Director of Government & Community Relations, the President’s Office staff,
the Vice President of Facilities & Operations, and other stakeholders on the Director’s work
to advance the Institute’s ongoing relationships with city, county, state, and national
stakeholders.
● Partner with the Vice President for Cultural Partnerships and Executive Director of REDCAT,
the REDCAT team, and the Schools on the VP’s work to advance the Institute’s strategic
cultural partnerships, relationships, and connections with the global cultural communities
relevant to CalArts’ diverse cultural reputation. This includes the presentation of
programming at REDCAT in downtown Los Angeles, as well as other efforts away from
CalArts’ own physical footprint. Goals for this include identifying the market segments
involved, then create nuanced marketing strategies which are tailored to the specific needs
of CalArts’ unique programs.
● Be a primary liaison for the management of the voice of the President and other leadership.
● Ensure that sufficient processes and people are in place to provide proactive issues
management and timely and effective crisis communications.
● Provide effective and motivational leadership of marketing and communications through
coaching, transparency and supporting professional development.
● In all work, manage and navigate a complex set of internal stakeholders, dynamics and
interests.
Qualifications, Requirements, and Desired Characteristics
The VP M & C will have the interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills to navigate a
decentralized, mission-driven enterprise and the variety of cultures and business practices such
an enterprise sustains. They will be secure personally and able to harness the strength of others
to keep the organization focused on the Institute’s goals, objectives, and priorities.
The VP M & C will achieve and sustain an optimal balance of robust central services and
standards, center-led innovation, and local innovation, and will succeed through their subject-
matter expertise, influence, business acumen, relationship skills, and results. They will be
someone who partners readily on the basis of a shared understanding of institutional priorities
and fiscal realities.
A deep appreciation for the varying audiences of creative arts practices in many different media
will be key to success in the position.
CalArts seeks candidates with the following specific qualities, characteristics, experience, and
degrees understanding that each candidate brings relative strengths and weaknesses and that
no single candidate will be equally strong in every area:
● 10-years of progressive experience managing marketing and communications in an
institutional setting.
● A sophisticated understanding of integrated marketing in higher education and its impact
across enrollment, advancement, revenue generation, and internal and external
audiences.
● Demonstrated leadership success in the creation and maintenance of a integrated
strategic marketing plan
● Demonstrated leadership success in aligning communications, including distributed
efforts, into a central marketing strategy
● Demonstrated experience evaluating the strengths of existing communications,
positioning and marketing campaigns and identifying opportunities for improvements.
● Understanding of the breadth, impact and strategic use of emerging and newer media,
technology and online networked frontiers.
● A history of developing and maintaining working cross-staff relationships between
marketing and communications staff and other key staff across complicated
organizations.
● Knowledge of government relations techniques especially pertaining to the priorities and
challenges of higher education, the arts, and construction & planning.
● Experience in the arts community, education community, and Southern California is
preferred.
● Possess emotional intelligence that fosters collaboration and support among campus
constituents key to the advancement of strategic marketing and communications
programs.
● Be well versed, knowledgeable and passionate about the value of an arts education and
its role in promoting human imagination and transformation.
● An understanding of complex and decentralized academic structures that are governed
by deliberation and that are constantly evolving.
● Superb analytical, research, writing, advocacy and problem-solving skills.
● The ability to inspire trust, communicate effectively, and build relationships across all
Institute constituencies.
● A desire to work as part of a senior management team and possessing the emotional
intelligence to make the team work stronger together when compared to the sum of all
individual member’s work.
● Exceptional interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
● A commitment to and appreciation for the importance of inclusion, diversity, equity, and
access in higher education and the arts.
● Effective critical thinking including a high level of analytical and problem-solving skills,
and the ability to solve problems proactively and pragmatically.
● Excellent presentation and project management skills.
● A track record of success using quantitative and qualitative data to inform decisions.
● A leadership portfolio that includes expertise in managing change, building relationships
with people from diverse areas and who inspires those out of their direct sphere of
operations.
● The highest standard of personal ethics and integrity, and a sense of humor.
This position is available immediately. If you are interested, please follow this link to apply.
California Institute of the Arts shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
