Chief Branding Officer

The Chief Branding Officer will lead the university's brand strategy as a leading private institution in Malaysia and Asia, focused on technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and future-ready education. The role will build a distinctive, trusted brand across domestic and international markets and strengthen the university's reputation among stakeholders.

Working with the Vice-Chancellor, senior leadership, faculties, research centres, innovation hubs and commercial units, the role will translate academic strengths, research achievements, graduate outcomes and industry partnerships into a compelling brand proposition. The successful candidate will combine strategic leadership, strong execution, digital fluency and commercial awareness.

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Employment Type: Full-time Executive Leadership

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Brand Strategy and Positioning

• Develop and lead the institutional brand strategy in alignment with the university's vision, mission, strategic plan and growth objectives.
• Define positioning, value proposition, narrative and key messages, differentiating the university from competing institutions.
• Strengthen reputation across priority markets and ensure the brand reflects academic excellence, employability, innovation, inclusivity, integrity and social impact.

2. Integrated Marketing and Communications

• Provide strategic direction for institutional marketing, corporate communications, public relations, digital marketing, content, social media, creative services and student recruitment campaigns.
• Lead integrated campaigns supporting recruitment, postgraduate enrolment, executive education, research visibility, partnerships, fundraising and internationalisation.
• Ensure consistent brand messaging and oversee content, website, digital platforms, social media, publications, advertising, events and promotional materials.
• Promote technology and innovation achievements through compelling storytelling.

3. Technology and Innovation Branding

• Build a distinctive brand platform around strengths in AI, data science, cybersecurity, engineering, digital technologies, entrepreneurship and emerging industries.
• Showcase research, start-ups, commercialisation, innovation labs, technology partnerships and industry collaborations, positioning the university as a trusted partner for business, government, technology companies and investors.
• Translate complex academic and technological concepts into clear communications and strengthen the visibility of researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, alumni and students.
• Support signature platforms, conferences, showcases, awards and thought-leadership programmes.

4. Reputation and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead strategies to enhance institutional reputation and public confidence and build strong relationships with media, industry leaders, government stakeholders, education partners, professional bodies, alumni and community organisations.
• Establish proactive media and thought-leadership programmes for the Vice-Chancellor, senior leadership, academics and subject-matter experts.
• Monitor public perception, media coverage, competitor activity, market trends and reputational risks, and lead or support crisis communications when required.

5. Student Recruitment and Experience

• Partner with admissions, student recruitment, internationalisation, faculties and academic leadership to develop brand-led recruitment strategies.
• Ensure the brand promise is reflected throughout the student journey from awareness to alumni engagement.
• Develop domestic and international campaigns using market insights, student research, analytics and conversion data.
• Promote graduate employability, industry connections, entrepreneurship opportunities, facilities and student outcomes.

6. Digital, Data and Emerging Channels

• Lead the digital brand strategy across websites, social media, search, online advertising, video, email, mobile and emerging channels.
• Drive data-informed decisions through brand tracking, audience insights, campaign analytics, sentiment analysis and market intelligence.
• Explore responsible use of AI, automation, personalisation, immersive media and emerging technologies.
• Ensure digital experiences are accessible, secure, mobile-optimised and aligned with brand standards, using dashboards to evaluate performance and ROI.

7. Brand Governance

• Develop and enforce brand architecture, identity systems, guidelines, tone of voice and approval processes.
• Ensure consistent use of the university's name, logo, visual identity, messaging, sub-brands and affiliated entities.
• Establish governance for partnerships, sponsorships, co-branding, events and external representations, and manage brand-related intellectual property and trademarks.
• Provide brand guidance and training to relevant teams.

8. Leadership and Team Management

• Build, lead and develop a high-performing brand, marketing, communications, digital, creative, media and content team.
• Establish clear objectives, performance standards, workflows and service expectations while fostering creativity, collaboration, innovation, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Manage external agencies, consultants, suppliers, media partners and strategic communications advisers.
• Develop and manage the department's annual operating plan and budget and ensure effective resource allocation against measurable outcomes.

9. Executive and Institutional Support

• Serve as a strategic adviser to the Vice-Chancellor and senior management on brand, reputation, positioning, communications and market perception.
• Contribute to university-wide strategic planning and institutional transformation and provide reports, presentations, recommendations and performance updates to senior leadership and governing bodies.
• Represent the university at national and international conferences, forums, industry events and partner engagements.
• Undertake other responsibilities appropriate to the seniority and strategic nature of the position.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Performance may be assessed against:

• Brand awareness, reputation, media visibility and stakeholder perception.
• Visibility of technology, innovation, research and industry-impact achievements.
• Contribution to student recruitment, enrolment conversion, internationalisation and postgraduate growth.
• Digital engagement, campaign effectiveness, audience conversion and ROI.
• Consistency of brand implementation, reputation/crisis communications and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Team performance, capability development, budget management and operational efficiency.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, public relations, business, branding, media or a related discipline.
• Significant senior-level experience in brand leadership, corporate marketing, institutional communications, reputation management or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing integrated brand and communications strategies.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing substantial budgets.
• Strong understanding of digital marketing, content strategy, media relations, social media, audience insights and data-driven marketing.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Experience working with senior executives, boards, governing bodies, media, industry partners and external agencies.
• Ability to translate complex ideas into compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
• Strong understanding of brand governance, reputation management and communications planning.

Desirable

• Experience in higher education, technology, innovation, research, professional services or another knowledge-intensive sector.
• Experience in a private university or multi-campus educational organisation and familiarity with the Malaysian higher education and media environment.
• Experience promoting science, technology, engineering, research, entrepreneurship or digital transformation.
• Experience in international student recruitment or global brand development.
• Postgraduate qualification or professional certification in a related field.

Core Competencies

• Strategic brand leadership, institutional positioning and reputation management.
• Technology and innovation storytelling.
• Integrated marketing, communications, digital and data-driven marketing.
• Executive communication, influence, stakeholder management and media relations.
• Creative direction, content leadership and crisis communication.
• Commercial and financial acumen.
• Team leadership, talent development and change management.
• Cultural intelligence, international outlook, ethical judgment and professional integrity.

Personal Attributes

• The successful candidate will be visionary, strategic and commercially minded; passionate about education, technology, innovation and societal impact; creative yet disciplined and outcome-focused; confident engaging with academics, executives, students, industry leaders and government stakeholders; curious about emerging technologies and audience behaviours; collaborative, diplomatic, decisive and resilient; and committed to diversity, inclusion, academic values and responsible communication.

Authority and Accountability

• The Chief Branding Officer is accountable for the strategic direction and performance of the university's brand and institutional communications, with authority to oversee brand implementation and standards, recommend positioning, communications priorities, budgets and resource allocation, manage external agencies and suppliers, and escalate significant reputational issues to the Chief Executive Officer, Vice-Chancellor and relevant governance bodies.

We thank you for your application. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.