Director of Talbot Marketing and Communications

Position Summary Talbot School of Theology at Biola University seeks a full-time Director of Marketing Communications to provide leadership for the development, coordination, and execution of marketing and communications initiatives across Talbot's academic programs and strategic priorities. This role provides leadership for Talbot's marketing and communications efforts across residential, online, regional, and extension programs. Working in close partnership with the Associate Vice President of Admissions Marketing, the Director will help align Talbot’s communications, enrollment marketing, and audience engagement strategies with broader university enrollment objectives. The Director will develop strategy, execute key initiatives, and coordinate the work of contractors, student workers, and shared university resources to support enrollment, engagement, and institutional visibility. The Director serves as a key representative of Talbot's mission, helping cultivate a clear and compelling voice in service to the Church and within the broader evangelical community. Alignment with Theological Positions The person who fills this position must be someone who personally agrees with Biola’s Articles of Faith and Statement of Biblical Principles and who is supportive of the positions taken by Biola as contained in its Eschatology Teaching Position. As such, this person may not speak against or act in a manner inconsistent with these positions during the course of their employment at Biola. Department Talbot School of Theology Supervisors Reports directly to the Dean of Talbot School of Theology, with a strong dotted line to the Associate Vice President of Admissions Marketing to ensure alignment between Talbot’s marketing and communications efforts and university enrollment strategy. Educational Requirements Bachelor's degree required; marketing, communications, public relations, or related field preferred. Master’s degree in a theological field preferred. Work Requirements Full-time, exempt position (40 hours per week). This position requires some personal attendance at Biola’s campus in La Mirada, CA. Essential Duties Marketing, Brand Communications Strategy Develop and execute integrated marketing and communications strategies that advance Talbot’s mission, strengthen institutional visibility, support enrollment objectives, and leverage compelling storytelling to communicate Talbot’s distinct voice and mission. Maintain a clear, consistent, and compelling brand presence across all communication channels. Develop messaging frameworks for academic programs, strategic initiatives, institutional priorities, and Dean-led communications. Ensure alignment with Biola University brand standards while preserving Talbot’s distinct voice and theological identity. Employ strategic creativity and audience-centered communication approaches to increase engagement, awareness, and impact across key constituencies. Digital Marketing, Social Media Analytics Lead Talbot’s digital presence across website, email communications, and social media platforms. Manage and grow engagement across platforms including Meta (Facebook and Instagram), LinkedIn, YouTube, and emerging digital channels as appropriate, while coordinating messaging and content strategy in support of the Dean’s Office and Talbot’s strategic priorities. Develop and oversee content strategies highlighting academic programs, faculty scholarship, student experiences, alumni stories, ministry impact, and institutional thought leadership. Collaborate with the Dean and senior leadership to amplify key initiatives, institutional messaging, and strategic communications through Talbot’s digital channels. Utilize digital marketing tools and CRM systems to support audience engagement, lead generation, and enrollment pipeline development. Monitor and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs), including audience growth, engagement rates, click-through rates (CTR), website traffic, lead generation, and conversion metrics. Use analytics (including tools such as Google Analytics/GA4 and platform-native insights) to inform strategy, optimize campaigns, and improve performance. Enrollment, Church External Engagement Support recruitment and enrollment marketing efforts across bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, certificate, online, and extension programs. Collaborate with Admissions, faculty, and program leaders to align messaging with enrollment priorities and audience needs. Lead marketing and communications for external engagement initiatives, including church partnerships, ministry relationships, and Talbot on Tour. Represent Talbot at churches, conferences, ministry gatherings, and other external events as appropriate. Strengthen engagement with alumni, churches, ministry organizations, strategic partners, and key external audiences to expand Talbot’s visibility and impact. Cultivate and steward relationships with marketing partners, media outlets, influencers, podcast hosts, publishers, ministry organizations, and other strategic collaborators to expand Talbot’s reach, visibility, and impact. Identify and pursue partnership opportunities, media placements, content collaborations, and audience-development initiatives that support Talbot’s mission and enrollment objectives. Collaboration Project Management Partner with faculty, program directors, Admissions personnel, the Dean’s Office, the Associate Vice President of Admissions Marketing, and Biola University Marketing Communications to ensure alignment and coordination. Coordinate contractors, vendors, and student workers to execute marketing initiatives and extend organizational capacity. Provide leadership, mentorship, and professional development for student workers, interns, contractors, and future communications staff, as appropriate. Manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously while maintaining quality, consistency, and timely execution. Support marketing and communications across Talbot’s residential, online, regional, and extension-based programs. Foster a collaborative culture that engages creativity, professional growth, and excellence in communication. Perform other duties as assigned. Required Skills and Qualifications Commitment to the mission and values of Talbot School of Theology and Biola University. Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree, theological education, or equivalent ministry experience preferred. 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, public relations, or related fields. Demonstrated ability to develop and execute integrated marketing and communications initiatives. Exceptional written communication, storytelling, and message-development skills across multiple platforms and audiences. Strong understanding of digital marketing, social media strategy, audience engagement, and content development. Experience managing or coordinating campaigns across platforms such as Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google, and related digital channels. Familiarity with CRM systems, marketing automation tools, and digital content management systems. Demonstrated ability to analyze and apply marketing performance data, including KPIs such as engagement rates, CTR, lead generation, and conversion metrics. Experience cultivating productive relationships with media, ministry, nonprofit, educational, or industry partners preferred. Strong project management, organizational, and time-management skills. Demonstrated leadership experience supervising, mentoring, or developing student workers, interns, staff, contractors, or volunteers preferred. Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams and departments. Ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative, and follow through with minimal supervision. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships across diverse internal and external constituencies. Collaborative, service-oriented, and professional approach to work. Dependability, integrity, adaptability, and a teachable spirit. Familiarity with or ability to engage effectively within Protestant, evangelical, and theologically conservative contexts. Evidence of a mature Christian faith and active participation in a local church. Maintain a lifestyle consistent with sound Christian principles and the standards of conduct of Biola University. Willingness to travel regionally and nationally as needed. Willingness to work occasional evening and weekend events. Salary: $70,304 - $83,570* ($61,868 - $73,542 - AZ) *Pursuant to California pay transparency requirements, a salary range is provided for this position. Actual compensation will be determined based on qualifications, experience, education, skills, and other factors permitted by law. Salary ranges may vary depending on the employee's primary work location. Accordingly, the salary range posted for positions located in California may differ from the salary range applicable to positions located in Arizona or other states. Candidates will be informed of the salary range applicable to their work location during the recruitment process.