Potomac Flacks: Former Presidents

The George W. Bush Presidential Center (the Bush Center) is a dynamic hub of ideas, innovation, and action that includes: a presidential library to preserve and present the history of the Bush presidency; a unique physical and virtual presence to convene and connect neighbors and visitors from across the country and around the world; and an action oriented institute to develop practical and measurable solutions to challenging public problems. The Bush Center will officially open in the spring of 2013.

Reporting to the Managing Director of the Bush Center and serving as an integral member of the Bush Center Operations Team, the Director of Communications and Marketing is responsible for developing and managing all aspects of the Bush Center’s communications and marketing efforts across all areas of the Bush Center, including the Presidential Library and the Bush Institute.

The Director of Communications and Marketing will contribute to the Bush Center’s strategic planning process and develop a world-class communications and marketing plan for the Bush Center, directly managing these activities to promote, enhance, and protect the organization’s reputation. The Director of Communications and Marketing is responsible for the development, integration, and implementation of a broad range of marketing and communications functions including: marketing (including reputation management), public relations, publishing, social media and web content, and internal communications. This individual will be a public representative of the Bush Center and will need to build and maintain strong relationships with the media, Bush Center partners, industry thought leaders, and community leaders.

The Director of Communications and Marketing is accountable for the design, planning, and production of all integrated communications products across the Bush Center including: printed marketing and fundraising materials and collateral; books, papers, articles, and other publications; co-marketing efforts with partners; websites and social media outlets; email newsletters, blogs, and other online communications; video programming; digital marketing and online fundraising; and media and public relations relationships, coverage, and placement.

Responsibilities

Strategy, Vision and Leadership

Lead the marketing and communications team for the George W. Bush Presidential Center, including the George W. Bush Presidential Library and the George W. Bush Institute, as well as the activities supporting the construction, opening, and dedication of the Bush Center
Craft and recommend to the leadership team an integrated strategic communications plan to advance the Bush Center’s reputation; broaden awareness of its programs and priorities; and increase the visibility of its programs across key stakeholder audiences including donors and prospective donors, supporters, and partners across all areas of the Bush Center
Create a marketing/public relations strategy that will allow the Bush Center leadership team to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted, high-level external audiences, including the media and key influencers
Identify communication challenges and emerging issues faced by the organization. Work with the leadership team and staff to recognize internal and external communications opportunities and solutions, and define and execute appropriate strategies to support them
Understand the organizations’ strategies and goals—Overall, Institute, Development, Library, Center—and support these efforts with a robust communication and marketing capacity
Assess and characterize all Bush Center key audiences, understanding their profile, needs, preferred communications channels and customizing communications plans and strategies accordingly
Serve as communications advisor by providing guidance and subject matter expertise to the Bush Center leadership team and contributing to the development of the organizations’ strategic plan, goals, and marketplace positioning

Operations

Oversee the teams that plan and produce all internal and external Bush Center communications: Marketing, Social media, Public relations, Publishing, Video Production.
Be accountable to a set of shared Bush Center goals, ensuring delivery of communications and marketing products and services that meet deadlines, contribute to overall results, and fulfill the overall communications plan
Collaborate with all areas across the Bush Center to ensure smooth processes for the design and approval of all communications and marketing products and services
Oversee relationships with all associated vendors
Serve as spokesperson and lead point person on media interactions that help promote and/or impact the organization and actively engage, cultivate, and manage select press relationships
Prioritize media opportunities, and counsel on the development of talking points, speeches, presentations, briefings and other supporting materials as needed
Prioritize marketing activities and focus resources on deliverables that contribute to the promotion and extension of the organization’s reputation
Lead efforts with Bush Center partners to develop and execute co-marketing plansEnsure consistent look and feel of all communication and marketing deliverables across all platforms while encouraging customization as needed to meet goals and serve variety of audiences
Lead efforts with Bush Center content experts to develop publishing plans that help meet organizational goals
Oversee the day-to-day activities of the communications function including budgeting, planning and staff recruitment and development
Work with the Evaluation Director to define meaningful measures of communications and marketing success, including overall reputation indices, satisfaction scores from key audiences, and other indicators
Lead the adoption of appropriate communication and marketing innovations, including digital technologies, member/friend databases, and other advancements to enable the Bush Center to work smarter and more productively

Team Development and Management

Recruit and manage a communications and marketing team to support the development and execution of the communications strategy
Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality
Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach on a consistent basis
Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, and conduct performance appraisals

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, marketing or related field is required, and advanced degree is preferred
10 years of experience in a senior management role either in-house or with an agency.
Demonstrated skill and comfort in a proactively building relationships with top tier reporters and editors, and in successfully positioning subject matter with the media to achieve high-impact placements
Extensive successful writing and editing experience (externally focused) with a variety of print and online communications media
Demonstrated experience and leadership in managing a comprehensive strategic communications, media relations, and marketing program to advance and organization’s mission and goals
Creative and thoughtful on how new media technologies can be utilized
Innovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and output
Successful track record creating effective communications and messaging for multiple audiences, including policy communications, broad consumer marketing, journal/media publications, and donor relations.
Experience developing and managing multiple complex co-marketing relationships with partner organizations in the public, private, and NGO sectors
Experience in building, mentoring, and coaching a team of communications specialists
Excellent judgment and creative problem solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skills
Superior management skills; ability to influence and engage direct and indirect reports and peers
Stature, gravitas, and confidence to gain the credibility and respect of a high-performing leadership team, board of directors, and founders
Self reliant, good problem solver, results oriented
Ability to make decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs
Excellent and persuasive communicator
Energetic, flexible, collaborative and proactive; a team leader who can positively and productively impact both strategic and tactical finance, and administrative initiatives
Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with the leadership team, the board of directors, and the founders
Ability to operate as an effective tactical and strategic thinker
Passion for the mission of the Bush Center

In addition, the ideal candidate for this position will demonstrate:

Strong organizational skills, attention to detail and follow up
A make-it-happen spirit and a collaborative, team-oriented style
Ability to multi-process and balance demands of multiple priorities
Proven ability to thrive in a team-based environment—sharing duties, pitching in to help, building trust, engaging in productive conflict, holding one another accountable
Political savvy and discernment related to confidentiality
Courteous and professional demeanor

TO APPLY: Please go to www.bushcenter.com and follow the instructions in the “Employment” link. The George W. Bush Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position. (PF reporting)

First exclusively reported in Politico’s “Playbook this morning, Rob Saliterman has “joined Google to run its sales and outreach efforts to Republican campaigns. Rob will be the political ads team’s point person in Washington, building relationships with campaign managers, digital agencies and advocacy groups to drive adoption of online advertising.”

Saliterman was most recently Chief of Staff for Public Affairs at Bloomberg LP in New York, where he reported to former New York City Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey.

Before joining Bloomberg LP, Saliterman served as Communications Director for the office of former President George W. Bush in Dallas. Earlier in his career he served in theBush administration at both the White House ant the Treasury Department, and as well as in roles with the Republican National Committee and the Bush-Cheney 2004 reelection committee.

Saliterman earned an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 2011 and a degree in History from Columbia University in 2004. He is a native of Minnetonka, MN. (Politico’s “Playbook”)