Head of Communications & Marketing, The Harry Ransom Center

Job Posting Title:

Head of Communications & Marketing, The Harry Ransom Center

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Hiring Department:

Harry Ransom Center

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Aug 01, 2026

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

About the Harry Ransom Center

The Ransom Center is an internationally renowned humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin. Its extensive collections provide unique insight into the creative process of writers and artists, deepening our understanding and appreciation of literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts. Visitors engage with the Center's collections through research and study, exhibitions, publications, and a rich variety of program offerings including readings, talks, symposia, and film screenings.

The Ransom Center encourages discovery, inspires creativity, and advances understanding of the humanities for a broad audience through the preservation and sharing of its extraordinary collections.

Purpose

Develops and manages a comprehensive communications and marketing program to increase media and public awareness and understanding of the Ransom Center's work and its value to local, state, national, and international audiences. Ensures consistency of the Ransom Center's brand

Responsibilities

• Plans and implements internal and external communications for the Ransom Center. Coordinates and executes the Center’s media strategy, including promoting news coverage of major announcements, cultivating media relations, and coordinating the Center’s response to media inquiries. Ensures these activities are aligned with the University’s public affairs strategy.
• Manages the development and implementation of all marketing strategies for the Ransom Center, in print and online, in support of exhibitions, membership, and programs, and demonstrates effectiveness against clearly articulated and measurable goals. Manages all advertising for the Ransom Center, including media planning and placement and creating copy for print, digital, and broadcast media. Manages budget for marketing and advertising initiatives.
• Manages the editorial coordination, design, production, and completion of the biannual Ransom Center Magazine, the Center’s annual report, and other collateral materials, ensuring consistent communication about the Ransom Center. Works closely with all departments within the Ransom Center and externally with designers, printers, external contributors, and vendors.
• Manages institutional branding for the Ransom Center, ensuring consistency in communications and design, and developing a strong, clear visual identity.
• With the assistance of the webmaster and in collaboration with Ransom Center stakeholders manages the Center's website ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of online content.
• Under the guidance of the Director and in collaboration with the Director of Development establishes goals and develops strategies to increase membership and philanthropic support for the Ransom Center including membership recruitment and development of marketing collateral in support of the capital campaign.
• Serves on the Ransom Center’s leadership team and provides regular updates to the Center's senior leadership on the effectiveness of the Center's communications and marketing initiatives.
• With the assistance of the Manager of Communications and Marketing manages the Center’s social media presence and monitors the public image of the Ransom Center.
• Cultivates community partnerships and sponsorships that enhance the Ransom Center's role within the wider Austin community, including media sponsors, cultural peers, and local tourism. Responsible for overseeing the Ransom Center's constituent database, including individual and organizational contacts.
• Other related functions as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in marketing, business, or communications with a demonstrated commitment to the humanities.
• Five years of experience in public affairs and promoting media coverage.
• Five years of experience in a marketing or communications position, including experience developing a marketing campaign, managing a brand, using marketing and email platforms, working in traditional and digital advertising, working with web design and video production, managing staff and budgets.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Fluency with digital and social media platforms.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in a library, museum, other cultural institution, or non-profit.

Salary Range

$75k + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Standard office conditions including repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.

• Moving and lifting of up to 40 lbs.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Importantfor applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.