Senior Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs
Bowdoin College (“Bowdoin” or the “College”) is a private liberal arts college founded in 1794. It is a premier undergraduate institution with a vibrant intellectual community that transforms lives and develops “leaders in all walks of life.” Its exceptional faculty, students, and staff are united in their commitment to a liberal arts education that prepares citizens to thrive and adapt to a world in flux, “at home in all lands and in all ages.”
Bowdoin’s commitment to the common good, the belief that the development of our minds and imaginations should benefit society, is a cherished value that connects the community across generations. It provides a frame for the residential education experience that awaits Bowdoin students and for the lives and careers of its more than 23,000 alumni. It is the frame that has helped Bowdoin maintain a deep sense of purpose and community for over two centuries and that has spurred bold choices necessary to be a leader in higher education. Half a century ago, the College was the first college or university to eliminate the requirement for standardized tests; more recently, it instituted policies for need-blind admissions, transformed any loan-based financial aid into scholarships and grants, and prides itself on its inclusive culture.
Safa R. Zaki is the sixteenth president of Bowdoin College. She took office in July 2023, after serving most recently as dean of the faculty and the John B. McCoy and John T. McCoy Professor of Psychology at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. She is a renowned psychologist and cognitive scientist, and the first woman to lead the College since its founding in 1794.
Bowdoin is situated on Maine’s midcoast, one of America’s most scenic and desirable natural settings. The College’s history and identity are inextricably tied to that of the state. Both Maine and the College are fiercely independent, historic, and humble, and both welcome and attract straightforward, community-minded, and hardworking people. Opportunities abound for students to experience the natural world, whether exploring Maine’s rocky coast, its woods and rivers, or the many mountains across the state. Bowdoin students enjoy the welcoming environment of Brunswick (population 22,000), and many faculty and staff live between Brunswick and the vibrant city of Portland, the largest city in the state, thirty minutes south of campus. Brunswick is a coastal community in Cumberland County (population 310,000) and it blends the beauty of Maine’s coast and harbors with active art, music, restaurant, and cultural scenes. Transportation options include five daily Amtrak trains from downtown Brunswick to
Boston’s North Station and direct flights from the Portland Jetport (PWM) to more than a dozen cities in the United States.
Bowdoin is one of the most selective colleges or universities in the country, and its academic programs are core to the mission of the College. More than two hundred outstanding and dedicated faculty members contribute to groundbreaking work in their fields, and the College offers forty-three majors and forty-five minors, new coastal science facilities—unmatched among peer institutions—and a unique nexus of work in Arctic studies, environmental studies, and coastal studies that places Bowdoin at the center of the search for climate change solutions, one of this era’s most pressing needs.
Bowdoin’s two thousand students are curious and driven. They are willing to take intellectual risks, they welcome challenges, and they engage in debate with respect for different viewpoints, opinions, and backgrounds. The 207-acre central campus includes modern classrooms and academic spaces, comfortable residence halls, state-of-the-art research laboratories, and athletic facilities. Students train and compete in a wide range of varsity and club sports, and their rich extracurricular life is supported by nearly two hundred clubs and organizations. Students also have ample opportunities to explore civic issues and engage with the community on campus, in town, and beyond.
Bowdoin is able to achieve its priorities through responsible budgeting and planning. It is supported by an annual giving program that has participation and giving rates consistently among the highest in the nation and by a robust endowment that ranks among the largest in the country on a per-student basis. The College is in a strong financial position.
For more information about Bowdoin College, visit the website.
Bowdoin College complies with applicable provisions of federal and state laws that prohibit unlawful discrimination in employment, admission, or access to its educational or extracurricular programs, activities, or facilities based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry and national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, marital status, place of birth, genetic predisposition, veteran status, or against qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities on the basis of disability, or any other legally protected statuses.
For further information about the College please visit our website: http://www.bowdoin.edu.
Position:
Senior Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs
Reports to:
Safa R. Zaki
President of Bowdoin College
Opportunity Proposition:
This opportunity comes at an exciting time for Bowdoin as the College forges an innovative path forward and prepares students for personal, social, and professional success in what is being described as “the innovation era.” The senior vice president for communications and public affairs (SVP) will have the opportunity to tell this unique story.
This position will play a central role in amplifying Bowdoin’s evolving institutional identity, positioning the College at the cutting edge of liberal arts higher education while maintaining its international reputation for academic excellence and welcoming culture.
Principal Responsibilities:
Bowdoin seeks an accomplished, sophisticated, and hands-on leader to propel its college- wide strategic communications program into a new era of success. As a senior officer and member of the College’s leadership team, the SVP will lead and advance the communications strategy, department, and programs for Bowdoin College, and help achieve institution-wide priorities in partnership with key college leaders and stakeholders.
The SVP will support Bowdoin’s communications activities and operations with the overarching goals of maximizing potential, fostering growth, and achieving Bowdoin’s institutional priorities.
The SVP will ensure that a consistent and compelling narrative and image of Bowdoin is presented to all internal and external audiences, while increasing engagement across all channels. They will serve as a key advisor to the College president and a partner to senior leadership, and will spearhead and direct enhanced public relations and stakeholder communications campaigns across all traditional and digital channels, including press relations, web, social media, multimedia, print and collateral, speechwriting and executive communications, email content and events.
Some of the core areas for opportunity include:
Strategic Leadership and Advising
Communications Strategy and Content Development
Department Management and Talent Development
Crisis and Issues Management
Executive Communications and Speechwriting
Internal Communications
External Relations
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To apply, please fill out the below form and upload your cover letter and resume.