Director of Strategic Communications

Role Summary: This role is responsible for enhancing the university's reputation, managing institutional messaging, and ensuring effective communications with internal and external stakeholders. The role also works closely with the marketing director to ensure integrated programs. At Ahmedabad University, we are building a different kind of institution — one that reimagines higher education in India through the lens of liberal education, research, and societal purpose. To help us tell this story with the depth and conviction it deserves, We are looking for a Head of Strategic Communications to join our leadership team. This role will be central to shaping how Ahmedabad University engages with its community — both internally, with our Board, faculty, and students, and externally, with industry, government, and society. It calls for a thoughtful communicator who can translate vision into narrative, and narrative into influence. About us: Ahmedabad University is a private, non-profit University that offers students a liberal education with a focus on research-driven and project-based learning. https://www.ahduni.edu.in/ Key Responsibilities: Strategic Communications Leadership - Design and execute a University-wide communications strategy aligned with institutional priorities, ensuring a consistent, high-quality voice across all internal and external channels. - Serve as a strategic communications advisor to the Vice Chancellor and senior leadership, offering counsel on institutional messaging, visibility, and reputational positioning. - Lead the development and stewardship of the University's brand identity and core messaging, reinforcing a unified institutional narrative that resonates across audiences. - Oversee cross-channel communication standards, ensuring excellence, alignment, and coherence in tone, content, and delivery across all touchpoints. Public Relations & Media Relations - Lead the University's media relations strategy to shape public perception and proactively position the institution on issues of academic, societal, and global relevance. - Oversee the development of press releases, media kits, and related content, ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and alignment with institutional messaging. - Cultivate and sustain relationships with influential national and international media to secure meaningful visibility and thought leadership opportunities. - Manage crisis communications and sensitive issues, providing timely, transparent, and strategic responses to safeguard institutional reputation. - Drive the University's presence in key media markets, enhancing brand awareness, academic reputation, and stakeholder trust. - Supervise the relationship with the public relations agency, setting clear objectives, ensuring performance, and maximizing media outcomes. Executive Communication - Develop communications for the Vice Chancellor and senior leadership. Write and edit speeches, presentations, and key messages. - Prepare leadership for media interviews and public appearances and ensure consistent messaging from University Leadership. - Create talking points for important institutional announcements Content Strategy & Development - Oversee development of high-quality content that tells the University's story. - Ensure content quality meets the standards - Direct creation of major university publications and reports - Guide development of thought leadership content for faculty and leadership - Ensure consistent editorial standards across all content Brand Leadership - Define and articulate the Brand Promise, Identity, and Tone of Voice, ensuring they reflect the University's distinct positioning and long-term vision. - Develop and maintain core brand assets to support consistent visual and narrative representation across all internal and external touchpoints. - Champion brand consistency across schools, departments, and initiatives by establishing clear guidelines and governance protocols. - Identify and lead programs that enhance brand equity, leveraging academic, cultural, and institutional strengths to reinforce brand credibility. - Collaborate closely with the Marketing team to integrate brand strategy across campaigns, digital platforms, and stakeholder communications. Cross-Functional Collaboration - Collaborate with the Marketing Director to drive a cohesive and integrated communications strategy across all platforms and audiences. - Liaise with school-based coordinators to assess, prioritise, and support their ongoing communications and branding needs. - Align efforts with Advancement, Admissions, and Alumni Relations teams to ensure consistency in messaging and enhance stakeholder engagement. - Foster strong faculty partnerships to uncover, articulate, and amplify impactful research, academic achievements, and thought leadership. - Work alongside academic leadership to shape strategic communications that reflect the vision, initiatives, and strengths of their schools and programs. Qualification: - MBA/Masters in Media, Marketing & Communications or related field from a reputed institution. - An accomplished professional with a minimum of 15 years of communications experience and having led teams that have delivered on some or all of the above activities. - Extensive experience in providing strategic and operational advice/guidance to executives on internal and external communication matters - Strong digital vision and capabilities