The Marketing and Communications Manager plays a strategic and hands-on role in advancing the visibility, reputation, and engagement of the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Reporting to the Head of Communications, Marketing and Outreach, this position leads integrated marketing and communications efforts across the CVM campus, including academic programs, research, clinical services, outreach, and the NC State Veterinary Hospital.
This role serves as a strategist, project manager, and creative lead, translating college and university priorities into cohesive, audience-centered storytelling and campaigns. The Marketing and Communications Manager provides direct supervision to the Graphic Designer and works in close partnership with the Assistant Director of Communications and the Digital Communications Specialist to ensure alignment across content strategy, email marketing, web, social media, and multimedia channels.
By ensuring clarity, consistency, and quality across communications, this position strengthens relationships with faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, referring veterinarians, and the broader public, supporting CVM’s mission in teaching, research, clinical care, and outreach.
Strategic Communications and Marketing
- Lead the creative direction and execution of marketing and communications initiatives across the CVM campus, including digital, print, web, paid social, email marketing and other multimedia platforms.
- Develop and implement communication and marketing plans with key messages that support college-wide priorities, initiatives, and campaigns.
- Ensure consistency in messaging, tone, and visual identity in alignment with CVM and university brand standards.
- Write, edit, and produce high-quality content including articles, newsletters, brochures, service pages, campaign materials, and presentations.
- Partner with faculty, administrators, and program leaders to translate complex academic, research, and clinical information into clear, compelling communications.
- Support storytelling, media relations, and event communications in collaboration with the communications team.
Creative Direction and Brand Stewardship
- Lead creative direction for CVM marketing and communications initiatives, setting the look, feel, and narrative approach for campaigns and projects within established brand standards.
- Implement and reinforce CVM and NC State brand guidelines across digital, print and multimedia communications.
- Translate strategic priorities into brand-aligned creative concepts that resonate with priority audiences.
- Provide creative leadership and direction to the Graphic Designer, ensuring work is strategic, consistent, accessible and high quality.
- Review and approve creative deliverables for quality, accessibility, and alignment with approved brand standards.
Consulting and Project Management
- Work closely with the Assistant Director of Communications to align messaging, editorial priorities, and campaign strategy across the CVM campus.
- Partner with the Digital Communications Specialist to plan, develop, and execute coordinated email marketing and digital engagement strategies.
- Ensure email, web, and digital campaigns reflect approved messaging frameworks, creative direction, and brand standards.
- Serve as a lead project manager for CVM marketing and communications initiatives, overseeing timelines, workflows, and deliverables across multiple stakeholders.
- Act as a primary point of contact and strategic advisor for CVM units seeking marketing and communications guidance.
- Advise faculty and staff on communication strategy, audience engagement, and promotional opportunities within established frameworks.
- Collaborate on audience segmentation, messaging calendars, and performance insights to improve reach, engagement, and effectiveness across channels.
Leadership and Supervision
- Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance management for the Graphic Designer.
- Set creative priorities and allocate design resources to support communications and marketing goals.
- Foster a collaborative, supportive, and high-performing creative environment.
- Build strong relationships with communicators, clinicians and researchers to identify impactful campaigns.
- Provide training and guidance to colleagues on creative best practices, analytics and overall trends.