Vice President for External Relations
Professional & Scientific
Master's degree and 10 years of related experience.
Iowa State University, one of the nation’s leading land grant institutions, invites applicants to apply for the position of Vice President for External Relations. This newly created role reporting directly to the President serves as a key member of the university's senior leadership team and is responsible for advancing the institution's reputation, influence, and strategic interests through comprehensive external engagement. The Vice President provides vision, leadership, and direction for government relations, strategic communications, marketing, community engagement, and strategic partnerships, with a focus on advancing a “one university” approach that aligns messaging, strengthens institutional identity, and helps tell Iowa State’s story to internal and external audiences. On matters of state legislative policy and advocacy, the Vice President will work in close coordination with the Board of Regents' State Relations Officer. This role serves as a trusted advisor to the President and senior leadership while representing the university with the Board of Regents, policymakers, industry leaders, community stakeholders, media organizations, and other external audiences.
The successful candidate will:
Demonstrate Interpersonal Savvy – Builds and sustains positive, productive relationships with constituencies and effectively engages stakeholders at all levels, including elected officials, B oard of R egents members and staff, community leaders, industry partners, and university leadership.
Build Networks – Establishes and leverages broad internal and external networks to align and advance institutional priorities, cultivate partnerships, and enhance the university's visibility and impact.
Balance Stakeholders – Skillfully navigates competing priorities and perspectives while fostering alignment among university, governmental, community, and industry partners.
Instill Trust – Demonstrates integrity, credibility, and transparency, earning the confidence of the President, senior leaders, governing bodies, and external stakeholders.
Communicate Effectively – Crafts and delivers clear, compelling, and audience-centered communications that influence, inform, and inspire action across a variety of constituencies.
Demonstrate Political Savvy – Understands and effectively navigates complex political, governmental, institutional, and community environments while advancing the university's strategic objectives .
Minimum Required Qualifications
Master's degree and 10 years of related experience.
Demonstrated success developing, sustaining, and leveraging executive-level relationships with government officials, governing boards, industry leaders, community stakeholders, peer institutions, and external partners, resulting in partnerships, policy outcomes, funding opportunities, or enhanced institutional visibility.
Experience advising presidents, executives, or senior leaders on public policy, government relations, communications, stakeholder engagement, and reputation management, including examples of recommendations that informed decisions, reduced risk, or advanced strategic priorities.
Demonstrated success developing and executing advocacy strategies aligned with institutional priorities, including influencing outcomes in complex or politically sensitive environments through policy engagement, issue resolution, coalition-building, relationship management, and advancement of measurable policy, funding, partnership, or strategic outcomes.
Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-management skills, demonstrated by successfully engaging with a variety of internal and external constituencies, resolving competing stakeholder needs, and building sustained trust across multiple audiences.
Experience leading teams or cross-functional initiatives that achieved defined goals, improved processes, strengthened collaboration, or delivered measurable outcomes across organizational boundaries.
Proven success developing and implementing integrated branding, marketing, public relations, communications, and visibility strategies that strengthen organizational reputation and stakeholder engagement.
This position serves at the pleasure of university administration and is exempt from certain P&S policies.
For more information or questions regarding the posted position, please contact Dawn Kepley, Associate Director of Talent Acquisition , at dkepley @iastate.edu.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.
Application Instructions:
To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
Why Choose Iowa State University?
Iowa State employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:
Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
Paid parental leave
Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
Life insurance and long-term disability
Flexible Spending Accounts
Various voluntary benefits and discounts
Employee Assistance Program
Wellbeing program
If you have technical issues with the application process, please email [email protected], or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
This position serves at the pleasure of university administration and is exempt from certain P&S policies.
Regular
12 Month Work Period
Full time
PS816
August 1, 2026
August 16, 2026
R19681
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email [email protected] .
General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.
