Description

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assistant Vice President of Content Strategy & Communications (“Assistant VP”) of the Montana State University Alumni Foundation (“Alumni Foundation”) is responsible for shaping the overarching storytelling and messaging framework that drives alumni engagement and philanthropic success.  This senior leadership position operates at the intersection of brand leadership, donor psychology, and institutional priorities, ensuring that every narrative advances the Alumni Foundation’s mission of alumni engagement and long-term fundraising objectives.  The Assistant VP, under the direction of the Vice President of Strategic Communications, collaborates closely with various teams and departments to set vision, influence organizational strategy, and partner with senior leadership to position the organization as a premier philanthropic brand while directing and overseeing the tactical content development produced by the Senior, Associate, and Assistant Directors of content. The position is also the strategic lead for the integration, governance, and advancement of artificial intelligence within all content and communications functions.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.     Enterprise-Level Strategy

       Lead the development of a unified narrative architecture for all campaigns and initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational vision and donor engagement strategies. 

       Oversee all content creation for digital and print channels, supervising the content team.

2.     Executive Influence

       Serve as strategic advisor to the Vice President of Strategic Communications and executive leadership on messaging for major engagement campaigns, capital projects, and high-profile donor communications.

3.     Cross-functional Leadership

       Partner with Development/major gifts, Annual Fund, Engagement, ETGP, and Stewardship teams to integrate storytelling into fundraising pipelines and engagement programs.

4.    Innovation & Thought Leadership

       Drive adoption of emerging storytelling platforms, donor-centric personalization, and data-driven content strategies to maximize impact.

5.    Strategic Narrative Development

       Define and implement a comprehensive narrative strategy that elevates the Alumni Foundation’s brand and inspires philanthropic action.

       Serve as editor-in-chief of The Collegian magazine leading story development, assigning features or writing features and collaborating on overall design with the Assistant VP of Creative Services.

       Lead and manage the Story Collective (a collection of potential stories and news items to be used across platforms and uses).

       Shape messaging for major campaigns, leadership communications, alumni engagement and transformational gifts.

6.   Executive-Level Collaboration

       Develop and advise the Vice President of Strategic Communications on content strategy for high-stakes initiatives.

       Represent the Communications function in enterprise planning and campaign leadership teams.

7.    Team Leadership & Capacity Building

       Lead and mentor directors and associate/assistant directors responsible for content creation, digital engagement, and editorial strategy.

       Recruit, train, and evaluate performance for direct reports.

       Oversee content budget allocations.

       Build organizational capacity for storytelling excellence through training and best practices.

8.    Innovation & Analytics

       Leverage data insights to refine messaging and optimize donor engagement.

       Explore new technologies and platforms to enhance the reach and effectiveness of storytelling.

9.    Affect and maintain a professional, proactive, positive, highly collaborative, and performance-centric work environment.

10.   Perform other related duties as assigned by the Vice President of Strategic Communications.

Duties and responsibilities may change at any time.

Complete job description & application are available online at www.msuaf.org/careers.

Requirements

Preferred Experience:  10+ years of progressive experience in strategic communications, with at least 5 years in senior leadership, including leading content teams.

Education Preferred:  Advanced degree in Communications, Marketing, Fundraising Content Development, Journalism, or related field.

SPECIAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated success in shaping enterprise-level messaging for fundraising or nonprofit organizations.
• Experience serving as a primary magazine or publications editor.
• Exceptional ability to collaborate, influence, and lead across complex organizations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, donors, various university personnel, volunteers, service providers, and the general public.
• High standard of professional ethics with demonstrated ability in respecting the confidential nature of donor information and university matters.
• Exceptional leadership, management, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Proven track record of leading and managing content-creating teams and cross-functional projects in fast-paced environments.
• Deep understanding of brand strategy and integrated marketing.