Vice President for External Relations (VPER)

Bryn Mawr College was founded in 1885 as a women’s college. Throughout its history, it has encouraged students and alumnae/i to pursue academic excellence and research to have a profound impact on the world. President Wendy Cadge is early in her tenure, and her leadership and vision are guiding the college’s next chapter. Bryn Mawr College has a rich legacy, an ascendant future, and is poised for a vibrant transformation over the next decade as it looks to its sesquicentennial in 2035. A primary focus area for the college’s forthcoming strategic plan is “Enhancing visibility, reputation, and impact” with a call to broaden public awareness of Bryn Mawr’s impact, scholarly achievements, and expertise. To that end, the college seeks an inaugural Vice President for External Relations (VPER) to lead efforts to elevate Bryn Mawr’s profile and broadcast the college’s rich legacy to key and emerging external audiences.

In close partnership with President Cadge and other college leadership, the VPER will be responsible for identifying and building strategic relationships with external partners to raise the college’s visibility, reputation, and relationships locally, regionally, and nationally. Reporting directly to President Cadge, the VPER will serve as a member of her senior team and partner closely with the Chief of Staff, Vice President for Communications & Marketing, and Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development, among others. Leading through influence and relationship-building, the VPER will collaborate with their peers to advance the college’s mission, values, and strategic priorities with non-alum constituents.

In addition to external engagement, the VPER’s responsibilities include external communications initiatives and drafting a wide variety of presidential communications that address key issues and priorities. The VPER will also manage Bryn Mawr’s government relations efforts, including identifying coalitions and partnerships with peer and partner institutions; building and maintaining relationships with key elected officials; and advising President Cadge and the college on key local, state, and federal policies that may impact Bryn Mawr, small liberal arts colleges, and higher education at large.

Success for the VPER will be measured in large part by this leader’s ability to forge substantive connections with a wide range of constituencies whose partnership, opinions, and reach could make them valuable broadcasters of Bryn Mawr’s unique mission, ethos, and offering. Of equal importance, the successful candidate must actively partner with the president and her senior team in generating and evaluating new ideas for external relations, effectively operationalizing, prioritizing, and socializing those most promising. The VPER must also be a strong writer and gifted communicator, capable of serving as a college spokesperson and presidential representative when necessary. A deep and authentic commitment to the unique mission of Bryn Mawr College will also be critical to the VPER’s success.

The ideal candidate will have at least ten years of experience in external engagement and reputational elevation of an institution, ideally in a higher education setting with a national scope. This individual will demonstrate intellectual curiosity, a collegial and highly collaborative approach, excellence in written and spoken communications, and comfort with ambiguity in an entrepreneurial environment. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience interacting with a variety of external audiences in prior roles, as well as a track record of identifying new constituents. Prior experience working with other functions such as enrollment and advancement are a plus, as is an understanding of the cultural, political, and economic landscape of the greater Philadelphia region. A bachelor’s degree is required.

Bryn Mawr is a private liberal arts institution located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania region. The College serves a population of approximately 1,700 students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. It has a long tradition of educational excellence and offers a dynamic and challenging work environment plus highly competitive salaries and benefits. The campus is easily reached by public transportation as well as most major highways.

The College has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this recruitment. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed to their website. Grace Zakim is leading this search along with Elizabeth Neustaedter and Ryan Cheung.

Bryn Mawr College is an equal opportunity employer. Applications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.