Director of Marketing & Communications

Help shape how Montreat College tells its story.

Montreat College is seeking a strategic, creative, and highly collaborative marketing and communications leader to serve as a key member of the College’s Marketing and Communications team.

The Director of Marketing & Communications is a senior leader within the Marketing and Communications Office and the primary strategic partner to the Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Working closely with the VP, this individual will help lead the day-to-day marketing and communications function, translate institutional priorities into actionable strategies, and ensure the College communicates with clarity, creativity, consistency, and purpose.

This is a role for a communicator who can move confidently between strategy and execution. The Director will help determine what Montreat needs to say, who needs to hear it, and what we want them to do as a result—and will then help turn that strategy into compelling stories, campaigns, messaging, and content.

The Director will provide leadership, editorial direction, and strategic guidance to a talented team of marketing and communications professionals while collaborating closely with colleagues responsible for project management, graphic design, web and CRM, social media, photography, video, and internal communications.

This is not primarily a project management role. It is a strategy, storytelling, content, and leadership role.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and communicator, a strategic thinker, a creative problem-solver, and a trusted collaborator who can build strong relationships across the College while holding themselves and others to a high standard of excellence.

Successful candidates will affirm and support the Faith Statement and Community Life Covenant of Montreat College.

The Role

The Director of Marketing & Communications will help lead the College’s integrated marketing and communications efforts across audiences, channels, and institutional priorities.

Working closely with the Vice President of Marketing and Communications and senior College leadership, the Director will develop strategies that strengthen Montreat’s brand, support enrollment and advancement, elevate the College’s reputation, and deepen engagement with the people and communities Montreat serves.

The Director will be both strategist and practitioner. While providing direction and leadership to other team members, this person will also be an active writer, editor, storyteller, and content creator.

The successful candidate will bring excellent judgment, strong writing skills, creative instincts, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to move fluidly between strategic conversations and hands-on execution.

Key Responsibilities

Marketing & Communications Strategy

Serve as a primary strategic partner to the Vice President of Marketing and Communications in developing and executing the College’s marketing and communications strategy.
Help translate institutional priorities and strategic initiatives into clear, compelling, audience-focused marketing and communications plans.
Develop messaging strategies for prospective students, current students, parents and families, alumni, donors, faculty and staff, churches, community partners, and other key audiences.
Help position Montreat clearly and compellingly within Christian higher education and the broader higher education marketplace.
Identify opportunities to strengthen the College’s visibility, reputation, brand, and relationships with key audiences.
Advise campus leaders and departments on communications strategy, messaging, audiences, timing, and appropriate channels.
Help develop and execute integrated campaigns supporting enrollment, advancement, institutional initiatives, events, and other strategic priorities.
Use audience insights, research, performance data, and industry trends to inform strategy and decision-making.
Contribute to crisis and issues communications as needed.
Monitor developments in marketing, communications, higher education, digital media, and emerging technologies and identify opportunities for Montreat to innovate.

Storytelling & Content Creation

Serve as a primary writer and storyteller for the College.
Identify and develop stories that communicate the impact, distinctiveness, and mission of a Montreat education.
Interview students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, community leaders, and other members of the Montreat community to develop compelling stories.
Write and edit feature stories, news releases, web content, email communications, campaign materials, executive communications, talking points, speeches, social content, and other institutional communications.
Develop messaging frameworks, campaign concepts, creative briefs, and editorial strategies.
Translate complex academic, institutional, or technical information into clear, engaging content for broad audiences.
Establish and maintain a distinctive editorial voice for Montreat College.
Edit and elevate content produced by members of the Marketing and Communications team and campus partners.
Ensure communications are accurate, audience-focused, strategically purposeful, and consistent with the College’s brand and voice.
Collaborate with the Senior Graphic Designer and Marketing & Communications Coordinator to develop integrated storytelling across written, visual, photographic, video, and digital formats.

Creative Direction & Integrated Campaigns

Develop creative concepts and messaging for integrated marketing and communications campaigns.
Establish the strategic and editorial direction for major campaigns and communications initiatives.
Develop creative briefs and clear objectives for team members responsible for design, photography, video, social media, web, and digital execution.
Provide thoughtful creative and editorial direction throughout the development of major marketing and communications initiatives.
Collaborate with the Project Manager to establish priorities and ensure strategic initiatives move efficiently from concept to completion.
Partner with the Web and CRM Specialist to connect messaging and content with appropriate digital channels, audiences, and conversion opportunities.
Evaluate creative work and provide constructive feedback that strengthens the final product.
Help ensure that marketing and communications efforts work together as an integrated whole rather than functioning as disconnected individual projects.

Team Leadership

Serve as a senior leader and strategic contributor within the Marketing and Communications Office.
Supervise, mentor, and develop assigned team members, including the Marketing & Communications Coordinator and other positions as assigned.
Provide strategic direction and context to team members responsible for social media, photography, video, internal communications, and other content production.
Help establish team priorities and ensure work is aligned with institutional goals and strategic priorities.
Provide clear direction, constructive feedback, and creative leadership that enables team members to produce their best work.
Foster a team culture characterized by creativity, excellence, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Encourage team members to bring forward ideas, challenge assumptions, and pursue better ways of communicating with Montreat’s audiences.
Serve as a resource and sounding board for colleagues across the Marketing and Communications team.
Represent the Marketing and Communications Office professionally and collaboratively across campus.

Brand & Institutional Voice

Help steward the Montreat College brand across audiences and channels.
Ensure messaging reflects the College’s mission, values, personality, and strategic positioning.
Maintain and strengthen consistency in institutional voice, messaging, and editorial standards.
Provide guidance to campus partners regarding messaging, brand standards, and effective communications practices.
Identify opportunities to strengthen and evolve Montreat’s brand and messaging as the College grows and its audiences change.

Digital & Emerging Communications

Provide strategic direction for content across the College’s digital communication ecosystem.
Partner with the Web and CRM Specialist to develop effective web, email, CRM, and digital communication strategies.
Ensure content and messaging are developed with audience needs, engagement, and desired actions in mind.
Review digital performance and audience insights to identify opportunities for improvement.
Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications Coordinator on social media and other day-to-day content channels, providing strategic direction while allowing appropriate ownership of execution.
Explore thoughtful and effective uses of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to improve content development, audience engagement, research, and marketing effectiveness.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who is:

A strategist. You can look beyond the immediate request and understand the institutional goal behind it. You know how to turn broad priorities into focused marketing and communications strategies.

A storyteller. You know how to find the human story inside an institutional message and make people care.

A writer. You are an exceptional communicator who can write everything from a compelling feature story to executive messaging, campaign copy, web content, and a thoughtful institutional announcement.

A creative thinker. You generate ideas, recognize strong creative work, and know how to make good ideas better.

A collaborator. You build trust, ask good questions, give thoughtful feedback, and know how to work across organizational boundaries.

A leader. You can provide direction without micromanaging. You know how to develop talented people and create an environment where good work gets better.

A doer. You aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves and write the story, conduct the interview, develop the messaging, or solve the problem yourself.

A connector. You understand how strategy, storytelling, design, social media, web, CRM, and project management work together to create effective marketing and communications.

Mission aligned. You understand and enthusiastically support the role of Christ-centered higher education and are committed to advancing Montreat College’s mission.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic marketing and communications initiatives.
Strong storytelling and editorial judgment.
Ability to develop messaging for diverse audiences and communication channels.
Experience developing integrated marketing or communications campaigns.
Strong understanding of content strategy, digital marketing, social media, email, web, and audience engagement.
Ability to work effectively with senior leaders and organizational stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to provide creative direction and constructive feedback.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusted relationships across an organization.
Excellent judgment, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
Curiosity about emerging technologies and their application to marketing and communications.
Familiarity with CMS platforms, CRM and/or marketing automation systems, email marketing platforms, analytics tools, and social media platforms.
Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative team.
Commitment to high standards of quality and continuous improvement.
Christian faith and a strong commitment to the mission of Montreat College.

Education & Experience

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, journalism, public relations, English, or a related field.
5–7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, content strategy, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategic marketing or communications initiatives.
Significant professional writing and editing experience.
Experience creating content and communications across multiple channels.
Experience working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in higher education, nonprofit, faith-based, or other mission-driven organizations.
Experience supervising, mentoring, or leading creative or communications professionals.
Experience developing integrated marketing campaigns.
Experience with higher education enrollment, advancement, or institutional communications.
Experience with WordPress or another CMS, CRM and marketing automation platforms, and digital analytics.
Experience using AI tools thoughtfully and effectively in marketing and communications.
Familiarity with Christian higher education and its audiences.

Position Details

Position: Director of Marketing & Communications
Status: Full-time, 12-month, exempt
Reports to: Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Location: Montreat, North Carolina

How to Apply

Please this link Job Application to provide the required application materials. Select Sara Smith from the supervisor drop-down menu.

Applicants should submit:

Cover letter explaining how their training and experience prepare them for this position
Resume
3 Writing Samples
Personal Faith Statement
List of three professional references with contact information

About Montreat College

Montreat College is a Christian liberal arts college committed to educating students through Christ-centered teaching and learning. The College offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains just 15 miles east of Asheville, North Carolina, Montreat’s historic main campus provides a distinctive setting for a community committed to intellectual inquiry, spiritual formation, calling, and career.

Montreat also serves students through locations and programs beyond its residential campus, including locations in Asheville and Charlotte and a growing portfolio of online programs.

A member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, Montreat College is committed to preparing students to use their gifts and education in service to Christ and the common good.