Assistant Dean Of Communications & Marketing (Sais, School Of Advanced International Studies)

## Assistant Dean of Communications & Marketing ### Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

SAIS seeks a senior leader to develop and implement comprehensive communications and marketing strategies, enhancing the school's global visibility and reputation in foreign affairs. This role involves strategically promoting SAIS achievements, faculty expertise, academic programs, and unique co-curricular opportunities across its Washington, DC, Bologna, and Nanjing locations.

The Assistant Dean will oversee communications and marketing teams, ensuring brand integrity and partnering with university leadership to advance SAIS as a global leader in foreign affairs research and teaching. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with deep understanding of academic and foreign affairs communications, experienced in fast-paced media environments, and skilled in engaging key external constituencies.

### Key Responsibilities:

• **Strategic Planning & Leadership:** Develop and oversee strategic communications and marketing plans aligned with school goals. Establish objectives, track metrics, and provide guidance to leadership on reputational opportunities and risks. Build communications infrastructure and collaborate with university offices.
• **External Communications & Media Relations:** Lead media engagement and digital communications to promote SAIS faculty, centers, and programs. Drive proactive media relations, develop owned-media strategies (social, web, video, podcasts), and oversee crisis communications. Act as a spokesperson or prepare faculty for media appearances.
• **Internal Communications:** Develop and execute internal communication plans to engage faculty, staff, and students, ensuring consistent messaging.
• **Marketing & Branding:** Lead campaigns to promote academic programs, scholarship, and events. Enhance brand awareness, manage brand identity, conduct brand audits, and monitor higher education and international relations trends.
• **Team Management:** Lead, coach, and develop the communications team. Manage budgets and oversee external contractors or agencies.
• **Collaboration & Partnerships:** Serve as a liaison to university departments, governmental organizations, and other policy schools, fostering partnerships and representing SAIS in professional functions.

### Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible managerial experience leading full-service strategic communications and marketing programs.
• Proven experience engaging national and international media, public officials, policy influencers, and diplomatic communities with measurable results.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to build trusted relationships with senior-level stakeholders.
• Superior writing and editing skills.
• Ability to prioritize, manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, and produce results under pressure.
• Strong and sophisticated understanding of current debates in foreign affairs and their implications for higher education.

### Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience developing and running comprehensive strategic communications programs engaging international and foreign affairs media.
• Comfort achieving results in a highly collaborative environment with multiple stakeholders.
• Capacity to build trust and influence at the executive level; providing advice to senior leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage a robust network of journalists, media professionals, and foreign policy experts.
• Strong media relations experience, comfort speaking on the record, and ability to build new high-level media contacts.
• Familiarity with a wide range of media relations and marketing tools and tactics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with hiring staff, developing teams, crafting and overseeing budgets, and managing contract resources.
• Previous professional experience and/or content expertise in academic or government environments.
• Advanced degree in a relevant field.

### Job Details:

• **Working Title:** Assistant Dean of Communications & Marketing (SAIS)
• **Salary Range:** $165,000 - $180,000 Annually (Commensurate with experience)
• **Employee Group:** Full Time
• **Schedule:** Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• **Location:** Hybrid (On-site 3-4 days a week)
• **FLSA Status:** Exempt