External Affairs Strategist

Purpose of the Role

The Director of Brand, Reputation & External Engagement will lead the universitys global reputation and visibility strategy. The role focuses on enhancing the institutions performance in international and national rankings, strengthening strategic partnerships, and amplifying the universitys voice across academic, media, and industry ecosystems. This is a high-impact leadership role that bridges academic excellence and external perception.

Key Responsibilities

1. Reputation Management

Design and execute a comprehensive global reputation strategy aligned with university priorities.

Track, analyze, and report on reputation metrics, sentiment, and performance indicators to senior leadership.

2. External Engagement

Build and nurture strategic partnerships with industry, government, and academic institutions (national and international).

Identify and coordinate opportunities for collaborations, MoUs, and joint initiatives that strengthen institutional visibility.

3. Media & Thought Leadership

Position university leadership and faculty as recognized voices in academia and industry through media, conferences, and panels.

Oversee media relations, press releases, content strategy, and crisis communication.

Strengthen the university's public narrative and storytelling across digital and print platforms.

4. Rankings Strategy

Collaborate with the IQAC office to develop and implement a multi-year roadmap for improving performance in QS, THE, FT, NIRF, and ARWU rankings.

Monitor ranking methodologies and provide strategic recommendations to university leadership.

5. Data & Insights

Lead analytics and research on rankings performance, visibility indicators, and reputation metrics.

Present quarterly dashboards and insights to the President and Governing Board for informed decision-making.

Essential Skills & Experience

Proven leadership experience in brand management, reputation strategy, or strategic communications.

Strong understanding of global university rankings and their methodologies.

Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across academic and administrative teams.

Expertise in media relations, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven strategy.

Excellent communication, leadership, and project management skills.

Desirable

Experience in higher education or global institutions.

Established professional network across academia, industry, and government (India / international).

Role : Corporate Communication - Other

CTC : 23 LPA - 27 LPA

Industry Type : Education / Training

Department : Marketing & Communication

Employment Type : Full Time, Permanent

Role Category : Corporate Communication

Education

PG : MBA / PGDM in Advertising / Mass Communication