Job Description

Senior Vice President of Brand & Institutional Growth
California Lutheran University

The University
Founded in 1959 and formally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2016, Cal Lutheran is home to 2,297 undergraduate and 1,054 graduate students. Our students come from 67 countries and represent a wide spectrum of faiths and spirituality.

Our dedicated, accomplished faculty works with small classes of students who are open-minded about ideas, about people and about faith and are seeking to grow as individuals.

Both in and out of the classroom, everyone at Cal Lutheran is committed to helping each student pursue their passions to discover their purpose.

By following that purpose, our students can transform their communities and the world.

Schools and Colleges
Cal Lutheran is made up of six schools and colleges, which serve students across a range of academic departments and deliver the personalized classroom experience we are known for.

College of Arts & Sciences
The college offers 44 undergraduate majors in the creative arts, natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

School of Management
Both undergraduate and graduate programs are offered including management, public policy, technology, and economics.

Graduate School of Education
Offers certificates, masters, and doctoral degrees to prepare teachers, counselors, and administrators.

Graduate School of Psychology
Masters and Doctoral programs are offered in clinical and counseling psychology which include training in our community clinic.

School for Professional and Continuing Studies
Includes a Bachelors degree completion program as well as life?long learning and professional development offerings to the community.

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Certificates and graduate programs, including the Master of Arts and MDiv, are offered at our Berkeley campus and online.

FAST FACTS
3,351 Total Students
14:1 Student-Faculty Ratio
44 Undergraduate Majors

About California Lutheran University
California Lutheran University (Cal Lutheran) is a vibrant private institution located in scenic Thousand Oaks, Californianestled between Los Angeles and Santa Barbaraoffering an ideal blend of access to cultural and professional opportunities with the natural beauty and vibrancy of Southern California.

As part of the network of colleges and universities affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Cal Lutheran is known for its academic excellence, inclusive community, and strong commitment to service and ethical leadership. The university serves a diverse student population across a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. In addition to its main campus, Cal Lutheran is home to Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, located in Berkeley, Californiaone of eight ELCA seminaries nationwide.

With a mission to educate leaders for a global society who are strong in character and judgment, confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service and justice, Cal Lutheran fosters a close?knit academic community that emphasizes mentorship, hands?on learning, and purposeful engagement with the world.

Academic Excellence

• Offers programs across multiple schools: College of Arts & Sciences, School of Management, Graduate School of Education, Graduate School of Psychology, and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.
• Emphasizes small class sizes and personalized instruction, with a strong focus on experiential learning and community?based research.
• Recognized for innovative graduate programs in fields such as psychology, education, and business.

Mission and Values

• Rooted in the Lutheran tradition, welcoming students of all backgrounds while promoting interfaith dialogue, reflection, and spiritual growth.
• Deeply committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice across all aspects of campus life and academics.
• Encourages ethical leadership and community responsibility in a global context.

Student Life and Community Engagement

• More than 800 student?led activities and events annually, with 70+ clubs and organizations that enrich campus culture.
• Strong focus on service learning, civic engagement, and cross?cultural awareness through programs such as Alternative Breaks and community partnerships.
• Comprehensive support for student wellness, including mental health services, inclusive housing options, and leadership development programs.

Athletics and Recreation

• Competes in NCAA Division III within the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC).
• 22 varsity teams with a strong tradition of athletic achievement and student?athlete leadership.
• State?of?the?art athletic and recreational facilities support a wide range of programs, including intramural and club sports.

Professional Sports Affiliation

• Angel City Football Club (NWSL)
  Since 2022, Angel City FC (a professional womens soccer club) has used Cal Lutheran as its training site.
• Los Angeles Rams & Dallas Cowboys
  Cal Lutheran has been the training facility site for the Los Angeles Rams from 20162023.
• Olympic Training & Elite Sports
  The U.S. mens water polo teams for the 2008 and 2012 Olympics trained at Cal Lutherans Samuelson Aquatics Center
• Career Development & Exposure
  Cal Lutherans Sports Management program uses these partnerships to give students exposure to pro sports operations, guest lectures, internships, and networking opportunities. For example, organizations like the Los Angeles Rams, Kings, Red Bull, etc., participate in career fairs hosted by the university.

Position: Senior Vice President of Brand & Institutional Growth
Location: Thousand Oaks, California
Reporting Relationship: President, John A. Nunes
Website: California Lutheran University

The Opportunity
This is a pivotal moment of transformation at the university, marked by a bold rethinking of how we communicate our identity, engage our audiences, and support institutional growth. The newly created role of Senior Vice President of Brand & Institutional Growth (SVP) represents a rare and exciting opportunity to shape the universitys future by leading a unified and strategic approach to branding, marketing, and communication.

The SVP will serve as the universitys chief architect of messaging and market positioning, bringing together storytelling, data, and design to strengthen reputation, drive enrollment, and support philanthropic engagement. This leader will create a cohesive brand narrative that resonates across key audiencesincluding prospective students, donors, alumni, and community partnersand guide the strategies that amplify the universitys voice and visibility.

With a mandate to align marketing, communications, and data analytics across Enrollment and Advancement, the SVP will lead a high?impact effort to elevate the universitys public profile, support recruitment goals, and empower Advancement teams with compelling tools and messaging.

This is a significant opportunity to lead a centralized, insight?driven marketing strategy that enhances the universitys competitive position, fosters long?term brand loyalty, and contributes to institutional sustainability and success.

Purpose of the Position
Reporting to the President, the Senior Vice President of Brand & Institutional Growth provides visionary leadership to advance California Lutheran Universitys mission, visibility, reputation, fundraising, and enrollment goals. This innovative and forward?thinking leader integrates marketing expertise with strategic enrollment management and university advancement to drive revenue growth, student success, and long?term sustainability.

The SVP recruits and manages a highly trained professional staff; develops and manages the Enrollment Management, Marketing and Advancement budget and leads business development activities while actively engaging the Cal Lutheran faculty community and fostering cross?unit collaboration in the development and delivery of ideas and solutions. In support of the strategic direction of the university, the SVP is responsible for setting vision, developing and growing the business, and providing day?to?day leadership for the office and models and promotes larger university vision and values. The SVP must have a proven track record of developing business and managing strategic relationships while working in partnership with Cal Lutherans largest and most critical clients with a student?first ethos.

The successful candidate must bring extensive experience in establishing a compelling brand and in building and differentiating the Cal Lutheran identity in a competitive higher education landscape. As a member of the Presidents Cabinet, the Senior Vice President collaborates with university leadership and the Board of Regents to align marketing, enrollment, and advancement strategies in support of Cal Lutherans mission and strategic objectives. This leader must also possess a deep understanding of the role marketing and enrollment play in institutional growth, including how data analytics directly informs decision?making and drives revenue generation.

The university is in a transformative phase in its growth and identity, and the SVP will play a critical role in shaping its next chapter. With an opportunity to reimagine and rebuild the infrastructure that supports enrollment, marketing, and advancement, the SVP will bring strategic clarity, operational excellence, and a student?centered approach to all facets of their portfolio. As the University continues to evolve and expand its reach, this role offers a unique platform to elevate Cal Lutherans visibility, amplify its value proposition, and engage diverse audiencesfrom prospective students and families to alumni, donors, and community partners.

The ideal candidate will not only be a skilled strategist and relationship?builder but also a visible and trusted leader who can help tell the universitys compelling story with authenticity and impactreflecting the remarkable work and people that make Cal Lutheran a truly great place to learn and work.

The Candidate
Key Responsibilities and Desired Outcomes
Chief among the leadership responsibilities of the SVP is the ability to lead strategically, financially, and operationally while possessing an adept ability to work with academic & functional leadership with awareness of real?time market trends and the ability to cultivate and manage stakeholder relationships. The SVP must be entrepreneurial, professional, self?starting, future?oriented and a true coalition builder who can draw students and revenue to the university.

The SVP serves as the university?wide leader that fosters the growth of enrollment and revenue while building the identity and brand of Cal Lutheran. This role will help to generate new visibility, enthusiastic support, participation, and engagement with Cal Lutheran faculty & staff while building branding and reputation among business partners and industry leaders. The SVP directly manages a team of diverse personnel spanning enrollment management, marketing and advancement and works closely with the executive leadership team, faculty and staff across the university.

The SVP identifies and cultivates business relationships while creating innovative solutions to address enrollment and revenue needs through market research and data analytics to develop and diversify revenue generation. This leader will measure effectiveness of enrollment and revenue programming to ensure quality and efficacy and will report out to university executive leadership on growth opportunities and financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  
  • Serve as a senior advisor to the President and Cabinet on enrollment, marketing, and advancement strategies aligned with the Universitys mission and financial goals.
  • Develop, execute, and regularly update a multi?year strategic plan for enrollment, marketing, and advancement that supports institutional growth and financial sustainability.
  • Advise the President and Board of Regents on market trends, student demographics, and positioning in the higher education landscape.
  
  
  
• Marketing & Communications
  • Direct the Marketing and Communications team to develop and execute compelling, data?informed strategies that enhance brand awareness and reputation locally, regionally, and nationally.
  • Design and deliver integrated marketing campaigns that highlight Cal Lutherans distinctiveness, student outcomes and core values.
  • Promote the full student experience to support recruitment, engagement, and retention.
  • Serve as brand steward, ensuring consistency and clarity of institutional messaging across all channels and audiences.
  
  
  
• Enrollment Management
  • Lead the Enrollment Management division, overseeing recruitment, admissions, financial aid, enrollment systems, and analytics.
  • Manage student recruitment, admissions operations, and retention strategies across all academic modalities (student experience and academic advising) across undergraduate, graduate, professional, online.
  • Integrate data analytics and emerging digital tools to optimize enrollment outcomes and enhance decision?making.
  • Partner with Athletics and academic leadership to identify target populations and implement coordinated recruitment efforts.
  • Lead the Financial Aid team to align financial aid strategies with accessibility, net tuition revenue, and long?term planning.
  
  
  
• University Advancement
  • Lead Advancement strategy to secure philanthropic support in alignment with Cal Lutherans strategic priorities.
  • Design and implement strategic marketing and communication initiatives that inspire and equip Advancement staff to engage donors, alumni, community leaders, corporations, and foundations in support of fundraising goals.
  • Design and implement innovative fundraising campaigns, including principal and transformative gift strategies.
  • Provide strategic direction and collaboration to ensure Advancement operationssuch as budgeting, compliance, donor stewardship, and gift processingalign this set of priorities.
  • Establish metrics of success and accountability for advancement initiatives and fundraising performance.
  
  
  
  
  

Key Leadership Competencies

• Brand Strategy & Institutional Identity
  Expertise in articulating and elevating the universitys brand through cohesive storytelling, visual identity, and strategic messaging that reflect California Lutheran Universitys mission, vision, and values, aligning all communications with its Lutheran and faith?based heritage.
• Strategic Marketing & Audience Engagement
  Leadership in developing integrated marketing plans that drive awareness, reputation, and enrollment; tailoring campaigns to reach key audiences including prospective students, families, alumni, donors, and community stakeholders through inclusive, culturally responsive messaging.
• Digital Communications & Data?Driven Strategy
  Proficiency in leveraging CRM systems, digital media, social platforms, web content, and generative AI tools to expand reach and engagement; using analytics and performance metrics to inform decision?making and continuously improve communication effectiveness.
• Reputation Management & Executive Communications
  Skilled in leading crisis communication, media relations, and public affairs; experience preparing executive leaders for public speaking and media opportunities; ensuring consistency across internal and external channels to strengthen institutional credibility and visibility.
• Cross?Functional Leadership & Collaboration
  Proven ability to lead and inspire marketing and communications teams, collaborate across departments, and integrate brand strategy into advancement, enrollment, academics, and student life, aligning communications with broader institutional goals and strategic planning.
• Results?Driven Execution & Innovation
  Deliver measurable outcomes through bold, creative, and strategic actions; foster innovation while maintaining a focus on collaboration and shared success; implement data?informed imperatives across diverse leadership levels.

Strategic Focus Areas

• Strategic Visioning & Enrollment Leadership
  Develop and execute comprehensive strategic enrollment and brand plans aligned with institutional goals; identify key issues and lead data?informed responses to market trends, demographics, regulations, and student needs.
• Marketing, Communications & Public Representation
  Lead digital marketing, brand development, and crisis communications; compellingly represent the university to internal and external audiences; communicate a clear, distinctive vision to inspire action and alignment.
• Collaborative Leadership & Team Development
  Build and motivate cross?functional, creative teams; cultivate a leadership style that is transparent, inclusive, collegial, and mission?driven; empower others through accessible, entrepreneurial, and visionary leadership.
• Fundraising & Institutional Advancement
  Collaborate with university leadership and stakeholders to achieve ambitious fundraising goals; lead complex gift strategies and secure high?impact philanthropic support; drive campaigns with strategic negotiations and donor engagement.

Experience and Professional Qualifications
This is a pivotal opportunity for an inspiring and visionary leader to join a university community recognized for its exceptional people, vibrant campus, and deeply rooted values. The Senior Vice President of Brand & Institutional Growth will serve as a trusted partner across the institution, bringing fresh perspective and strategic insight to rebuild and enhance infrastructure in alignment with the universitys long?term goals. This high?visibility role offers the chance to shape and elevate the universitys value propositionreflecting the remarkable work and people that make Cal Lutheran a truly great place to learn and work.

The SVP provides all leadership and strategic management of enrollment management, marketing and communications, and advancement and will continue to position Cal Lutheran as a premier provider of flexible and impactful graduate programming with public and private sector organizations in the region, nationally, and internationally. This role is responsible for developing and implementing a clear strategic vision, aggressively identifying, and pursuing growth opportunities, managing resources, and overseeing the quality of brand establishment.

To meet these challenges, the university seeks an individual with the following experience and qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Any combination equivalent to: Masters degree, preferred in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of demonstrated leadership success with required expertise in marketing, along with experience in one or more of the following: sales, customer relations, enrollment management, fundraising, or public relations.
• At least five years in a senior leadership role within higher education or another complex organizational environment where customer service is a primary driver of revenue.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Innovative mindset with the ability to embrace and implement new technologies, and marketing and communication platforms.
• Higher Education leadership experience
• An advanced degree or a combination of education and substantial, relevant professional experience in a closely related field will be considered.

Working Environment

• Indoor and public engagement environment; travel

Physical Abilities
Detect to understand appropriate written correspondence; operate a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer; communicate to exchange information in person, in writing, on the telephone and by email; stationary position for extended periods of time; move or transport light objects; position self to store and/or retrieve file.

Compensation
The annual base salary range for this position is $250,000 $275,000

Application Process
Interested and qualified candidates are welcome to submit a resume and cover letter to: CalLutheranSVP@KornFerry.com

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