The Opportunity

Texas Christian University seeks its next Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communication to lead the university’s award-winning marketing, communication and branding efforts and continue strengthening the university’s positive relationships with external partners both in the thriving Fort Worth-Dallas region and around the United States.

About TCU

Founded in 1873, TCU consistently ranks among the top universities and colleges in the nation and has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top 100 national university for 14 years in a row. Students, faculty and staff from TCU’s nine schools and colleges present valuable research, scholarly activity, artistic and cultural assets, diverse talent and significant economic benefit to the region, state and world. TCU offers 117 areas of undergraduate study, 61 master’s level programs and 39 areas of doctoral study. Total enrollment stands at 12,273, including 10,523 undergraduates and 1,750 graduate students. The student/faculty ratio is 13.5:1, and 86% of TCU’s 709 full-time faculty members hold the highest degree in their discipline. The Horned Frog family consists of more than 100,000 living alumni worldwide.

Nearly half of all undergraduates live on TCU’s 302-acre tree-lined suburban campus, located just five miles from downtown Fort Worth. The Princeton Review ranks TCU as No. 1 for Happiest Students; No. 4 for Best-Run Colleges; No. 7 for Best Quality of Life; No. 9 for Best College Dorms; and No. 9 for Town and Gown Relations. The university has been recognized with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for six consecutive years.

Since its earliest years, TCU has embraced a rich tradition of athletic excellence. The university is proud to compete at the highest level of NCAA Division I sports as a member of the Big 12 Conference, with nine sports for men and 13 for women. The Horned Frogs have won 20 Big 12 championships since joining the league in 2012. During the 2022-23 athletics season, TCU became the only school in the nation to reach the College Football Playoff, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and College World Series in the same academic year.

In 2023, TCU’s endowment was $2.6 billion, and the university surpassed its $1 billion goal for Lead On: A Campaign for TCU, the most ambitious philanthropic campaign in its 150-year history, thanks to the support of 57,000 generous donors. The university’s healthy financial position has enabled it to significantly increase scholarships and financial aid, endowed chairs and professorships, and support for new programs and academic initiatives, as well as vigorous development and maintenance of residential and academic buildings.

Qualifications for the Vice Chancellor Position

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Advertising/Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or related field or equivalent experience. Master’s degree preferred.
• Twelve plus (12+) years of progressively responsible experience in strategy and management in advertising, public relations, journalism, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience and success leading high-performing teams.
• A track record of visionary, innovative and nimble leadership in a rapidly evolving communication landscape.

Key Responsibilities

The Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communication provides executive leadership, vision, strategic direction and accountability for the marketing and communication team.

The team is responsible for public and media relations, internal and crisis communications, graphic design, marketing, branding, admission materials and promotions, national, regional, and local promotions and advertising, social media, websites, major campus and community events and editorial content development (writing and video production) for various TCU print and digital publications.

The Vice Chancellor reports to the President and sits on the President’s Cabinet as the university’s chief marketing and communication strategist. The key roles and responsibilities of the next Vice Chancellor include the following:

• Manages the development and implementation of integrated, strategic marketing and communication plans and activities for the university and its administration, including but not limited to the activities listed above, that serve to advance the institution in its entirety, build and enhance the institution’s reputation and visibility, ensure a clear understanding of TCU, maintain connections, support, and engagement of key internal and external constituents, and assist in the recruitment of students and other university supporters.
• Manages crisis and situational communication in collaboration with other key administrators and university staff by serving as key officer responsible for developing communication and marketing strategies and tactics, including key messages, as well as branding and advertising campaigns, to mitigate the crisis or issue on and off campus.
• Initiates and maintains research and analytics to keep informed of TCU’s current brand position relative to competitors, the effectiveness of marketing and communication activities, including review, approval, and measurement of the university’s national advertising campaign, and stays informed of potential marketing and brand challenges to the university and higher education; assists in the development of student recruiting and fund-raising materials to ensure integration with university brand; monitors communication and marketing trends to identify and appropriately implement strategies to ensure the university’s continued visibility with key audiences.
• Selects, develops, and gives feedback to 39 staff members in the marketing and communication division through four direct reports; reviews performance, ensures best-practice professional development opportunities for staff and engages in mentoring.
• Plans, directs and implements marketing and communication budgets according to organizational goals and brand positioning efforts.
• Assists the Office of the Chancellor and President in marketing and communications-related matters such as advertising or TCU brand promotional initiatives; works closely with the Chief of Staff and Director of Executive Communication on messages from the Chancellor and President.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

The University’s Leadership Team

Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr., TCU’s Chief Executive Officer, has led TCU since 2003 and is its 10th Chancellor. TCU has experienced unprecedented growth under the Chancellor’s leadership, enabling the university to flourish as a world-class, values-centered university.

The Board of Trustees established the position of President to support the Chancellor’s continued prioritization and advancement of TCU’s academic mission, strategic goals, and a myriad of operational demands of a large and complex university. TCU President Daniel W. Pullin began his role in February 2023. The President operates as the Chief Operations Officer and reports to the Chancellor. The President convenes a cabinet composed of 15 members, including the Provost, Vice Chancellors for Student Affairs, Finance and Administration, Human Resources, Marking and Communication, Advancement, the General Counsel, the Chief Officers for Investment, Inclusion, Technology, University Compliance, the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Director of Programs and Executive Initiatives.

About Fort Worth

Fort Worth is the 13th-largest city in the United States, known for Texas hospitality and a dozen remarkable districts full of culture and fun. Of the top 30 most populous cities, Fort Worth is the fastest growing, at 4.1% population growth since 2020. As of July 1, 2022, Fort Worth’s population is 956,709.

The city boasts three world-class art museums in the Cultural District—the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, plus the nearby Botanic Gardens and the Fort Worth Zoo. Fort Worth’s connected downtown includes the 37-block Sundance Square entertainment district. Premier performance venues include Bass Performance Hall, Dickies Arena, and Texas Motor Speedway. The Historic Stockyards features western heritage with the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive. The Dallas-Fort Worth Airport is #1 for U.S. domestic flights and connects to downtown by commuter rail.

About the DFW Metroplex

Fort Worth, Texas, is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metropolitan area, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States and one of the most vibrant economic regions in the country. The DFW Metroplex was the fastest growing metro area in the U.S. during the 2010s. As of the year 2022, over 20 Fortune 500 company headquarters and over 10,000 corporate headquarters call the DFW Metroplex home. In the past year, DFW has gained 172,000 jobs and leads all major urban areas in rate of job growth at 4.2% (compared to 2.6% nationally).

Other universities within the DFW Metroplex include Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of North Texas, Texas Wesleyan University and Tarrant County College.

Application and Nomination Process

The preferred start date for the next Vice Chancellor is June 1, 2024. Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2024, and continue until a suitable candidate is found. Please submit nominations or expressions of interest (including a current resume/CV, a letter of interest and a DEI statement) to our consultant at the address below:

TCU Vice Chancellor Search
R. William Funk & Associates
2911 Turtle Creek Blvd., Suite 300
Dallas, Texas 75219
Email: krisha.creal@rwilliamfunk.com
Fax: 214/295-3312

Executive Search Committee

Search Timeline

Candidate Presentation/Open Forum Dates