JOB
This is a Non-Classified position, performing the outlined duties with the Auraria Higher Education Center.
Who we are:
Welcome to the Auraria Campus located in the Platte River Valley in downtown Denver. The Auraria Campus is the service provider for 38,000 students and approximately 5,000 faculty and staff working at and attending the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the University of Colorado Denver. Learn more about us through this link: The Auraria Campus
Auraria employees enjoy an excellent benefits package which includes paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave, multiple medical, dental and vision options, discounted RTD Pass, BenefitHub and outstanding retirement plan. Learn more through this link: Non-Classified Benefits Package.
So, if you're interested in a great job working alongside great people, this may be the opportunity for which you've been waiting for.
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Job Summary:
Auraria Higher Education Center is seeking a Deputy Chief of Marketing & Communications (a Non-Classified position) reporting to the Chief of Staff. The Deputy Chief of Marketing and Communications serves as a senior strategic leader responsible for advancing institutional priorities through integrated marketing, communications, brand strategy, and stakeholder engagement. This role provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and governance for the Marketing & Communications function. Through subordinate managers, the Deputy Chief oversees communications, marketing, media relations, digital engagement, stakeholder communications, and brand strategy activities that advance organizational priorities and strengthen institutional reputation.
The Deputy Chief partners closely with executive leadership to translate organizational priorities into clear, compelling, and coordinated communications that strengthen institutional reputation, support campus-wide initiatives, and foster trust and engagement among internal and external stakeholders. In Auraria’s unique multi-institutional environment, this position also works in close partnership with institutional partners across campus to coordinate campus-wide messaging, align communications strategies, and support collaborative initiatives that impact the broader Auraria community.
This position supervises marketing and communications staff, drives cross-functional collaboration, and ensures timely, high-quality execution of campaigns and deliverables in a dynamic and collaborative environment.
Essential Job Functions:
Strategic Communication and Executive Counsel:-
Provides strategic leadership for the agency's integrated marketing and communications function, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, executive direction, and institutional goals.
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Advises the Senior Leadership Team on strategic communications, reputation management, stakeholder engagement, issues management, organizational change, and messaging strategy.
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Develops and oversees executive communications, including speeches, presentations, media advisories, talking points, briefing materials, key messages, and public-facing communications for executive leadership.
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Ensures communication strategies are proactive, coordinated, timely, accurate, audience-centered, and aligned with agency priorities.
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Serves as strategic advisor to the Chief of Staff and executive leadership on communications implications of organizational decisions, policy initiatives, operational changes, and emerging issues.
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Represents the agency on executive committees, cross-functional leadership teams, and external stakeholder groups as assigned.
Internal Communications:-
Oversees the strategy, editorial direction, content development, and distribution of agency-wide internal communications to foster employee engagement, transparency, and organizational alignment.
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Partners with department leaders to ensure internal communications are clear, strategic, accurate, and consistent across the agency.
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Identifies opportunities to inform and engage employees through multiple communication channels, including newsletters, digital platforms, web content, and targeted campaigns.
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Establishes and manages communication review and approval processes to ensure messaging is appropriately vetted and aligned with organizational priorities.
Campus Relations and Multi-institutional Communications:-
Leads collaboration and information-sharing between AHEC and partner institution communications leaders to coordinate campus-wide messaging, align communications strategies, and support timely, accurate communication regarding shared campus priorities, operations, and issues.
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Oversees communications related to campus operations, major events, incidents, and initiatives affecting multiple institutions or shared campus stakeholders.
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Leads and convenes campus communications forums and committees to foster collaboration, strengthen relationships, and support alignment on institution-specific and campus-wide initiatives.
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Negotiates and resolves communications issues involving multiple institutions, departments, or stakeholder groups where competing interests or priorities exist.
External Communications and Media Relations:-
Leads the development and dissemination of timely, accurate, and strategic external communications, including media statements, press releases, public announcements, website content, and executive messaging.
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Serves as a primary point of contact for media relations and manages responses to external inquiries, public information requests, and reputational issues.
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Develops and implements communication strategies to strengthen organizational reputation, public trust, and stakeholder awareness.
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Coordinates messaging with internal departments and external partners to ensure consistency, responsiveness, and strategic alignment.
Public Information and Crisis Communications:-
Serves as Public Information Officer (PIO) or designee during campus emergencies, incidents, crises, and high-profile issues requiring coordinate communication responses.
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Collaborates with the Auraria Campus Police Department, emergency preparedness personnel, executive leadership, and institutional partners to coordinate emergency messaging and public information dissemination.
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Develops and oversees internal and external communication strategies, including crisis communication protocols ensuring timely, accurate, and consistent messaging.
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Serves as agency spokesperson, and prepares executive-level talking points, speeches, and organizational announcements supporting executive leadership during crises, emergency situations, or reputational challenges.
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Coordinates activation of a Joint Information Center (JIC), when necessary, to support unified communications and interagency coordination during incidents.
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Develops communication protocols and response strategies for sensitive, high-profile, or potentially controversial issues.
Marketing, Brand Strategy, and Creative Services:-
Providing strategic oversight of marketing, branding, creative services, and campaign execution to support agency priorities, departmental initiatives, and campus engagement efforts.
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Establishes agency-wide marketing, branding, and audience engagement strategies and provides executive oversight of marketing initiatives to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
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Ensures consistent stewardship of the agency brand, visual identity, messaging standards, and audience strategy across all communication platforms and deliverables.
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Partners with departments and institutional stakeholders to identify objectives, develop marketing strategies, and implement create solutions that drive measurable outcomes.
Digital Communications, Website, and Social Media Strategy:-
Oversees digital communications strategy, including website governance, content management, usability, and brand consistency across digital platforms.
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Ensures agency websites, internal staff resources, and digital communication tools remain current, accessible, accurate, and strategically aligned with organizational priorities.
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Provides oversight of social media strategy, content planning, audience engagement, and performance analytics to strengthen public engagement and institutional visibility.
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Establishes metrics and evaluates communications and marketing performance through analytics, reporting, and continuous improvement practices.
Leadership, Governance, and Organizational Strategy:-
Establishes the strategic vision, priorities, goals, and performance measures for the Marketing & Communications function.
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Cultivates trusted partnerships with agency leadership, departments, institutional partners, vendors, and external stakeholders to advance agency priorities and collaborative initiatives.
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Supports organizational initiatives through strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, survey design and analysis, communications planning, and change management.
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Develops and manages departmental budgets, resources allocation strategies, contracts, and vendor relationships.
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Establishes communication policies, standards, governance processes, and brand guidelines to ensure consistency, compliance, and organizational effectiveness.
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Provides leadership and oversight to communications, marketing, and digital engagement functions through subordinate managers.
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Performs other duties as assigned.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act information
After careful review of this position and the duties that it performs, it has been designated in accordance with the Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act as a "Not Covered" position, it does not fall in the category of employees that are eligible for representation by COWINS, also known as the union. To learn more about this designation please visit this link: http://coloradowins.org/
Applicant Checklist & Minimum Qualifications
We request that you include the following in your application:
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Cover Letter detailing how your experience & education meet minimum and preferred qualifications.
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Resume detailing a summary of work history.
E-mail Address
All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted by email.
Minimum Qualifications
Your application as submitted is used to determine if you meet Minimum Qualifications. Please read the Minimum Qualifications and ensure that information in your application "draw correlations" to the Minimum Qualifications. Human Resources Analysts will not infer that you meet the Minimum Qualifications if information isn't detailed in your application.
*Years of experience will be expressed in terms of full-time equivalent service with full-time workload equal to one (1) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) year. No more than 1.00 FTE year may be credited in any twelve (12) month period. Positions working 40 hours or less per week will be pro-rated (30 hrs/wk=0.75 FTE=9 mos credit; 20 hrs/wk=0.5 FTE=6 mos credit; 10 hrs/wk=0.25 FTE=3 mos credit.)
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Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
Auraria Campus is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Nicole Yanez at
[email protected]