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POSITION SUMMARY

The Communication Department at Vanguard University invites applications for a professional or tenure track position in public relations/digital marketing. This faculty position will help lead a newly crafted joint Public Relations and Digital Marketing degree that emphasizes professor-student interaction, experiential learning, digital skills and interdisciplinary collaboration. The ideal candidate is a team player who embraces diversity, innovation and out-of-the-box thinking.

Vanguard is a teaching institution, and as such, requires that the successful candidate have a developed pedagogical approach and experience with both in-person and online delivery methods, as well as a passion for mentoring students. Vanguard seeks professionals of Christian faith who are committed to integration of faith and learning in their respective fields.

The Communication program at Vanguard University is part of the Patty Arvielo School of Business and Management and currently offers a BA in Communication with three distinct concentration options: Public Relations, Film & Visual Storytelling and Technology & Emerging Media. The department houses the MediaHub, a center for digital skills training and development, a campus chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, and a thriving chapter of PRSSA. The department fosters a collaborative, supportive environment for faculty with room for creative thinking and opportunities for personal growth and leadership.

ABOUT VANGUARD UNIVERSITY AND THE PATTY ARVIELO SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Orange County's first four-year college, Vanguard has been equipping students since 1920 for a Spirit-empowered life of Christ-centered leadership and service. Today we continue to offer a top-rated Christian education, combined with practical skills and training in liberal arts, sciences and professional programs, to prepare students for the next chapter in their life. With a tight-knit community of 2,200 students, Vanguard is a campus where each student is known, where their story matters.

The Patty Arvielo School of Business and Management at Vanguard University, launched in fall 2024, is the first U.S. business school named after a Latina. Honoring Patty Arvielo, co-founder of New American Funding, the school benefits from a significant donation that supports graduate program development, endowed faculty chairs, and scholarships. Founding dean Thomas Arnold, with extensive experience from with extensive experience from Chapman University, the University of Florida, 18 years on Wall Street and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, aims to develop a cutting-edge curriculum, strengthen the institution’s ties with the local business community, and expand the school’s offerings in high-demand areas such as real estate, accounting, finance and creative technologies.

Patty Arvielo’s inspiring story as a first-generation Latina resonates with Vanguard’s diverse student body. Today, nearly half of our undergraduate students are Hispanic and Vanguard is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution. A strong commitment to cultural diversity, racial reconciliation, and gender equality is a consequence of Vanguard being deeply grounded in the faith tradition that brought the University into existence. Moreover, these core values continue to define the institutional vision that pulls the Vanguard community forward toward its mission and educational targets and goals. Within this Christian context of inclusiveness, the University aims to provide a quality educational experience by promoting academic excellence that integrates faith and life and providing professor-mentors in a dynamic community environment.

Vanguard is located in beautiful Orange County, CA and enjoys easy proximity to Southern California beaches, Disneyland and the media, real estate, finance and creative technology industries in Los Angeles and environs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Teach undergraduate-level courses in public relations, crisis communication, data analytics & SEO, strategic communication, customer insights/behavior, AI-assisted marketing techniques, and other digital marketing topics.
• Transfer knowledge including theory, practical skills, methods and techniques.
• Develop the ability of students to engage in critical discourse and thinking, including critical evaluation of peer-reviewed articles, case studies, simulations and other published sources.
• Provide opportunities for students to practice essential job skills.
• Collaborate with department faculty in curriculum implementation, program promotion/marketing, student support, and continuous program improvement.
• Imagine, promote and lead new initiatives.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Terminal degree in related field. Qualified individuals with M.A. in related areas and significant professional and teaching experience will be considered.
• Current practical professional experience in public relations/marketing.
• Competency in written, oral and visual communication.
• Functional knowledge/usage of industry-standard digital applications.
• Proficiency or strong familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of applications and the Canvas learning management system or equivalent LMS.
• Engagement with the sociopolitical and ethical aspects of digitally-mediated marketing and communication.
• Understanding of current trends and required skills sets in the job field.
• Demonstrated teaching ability at the undergraduate level. Experience with flexible and online delivery methods preferred.
• A vibrant Christian faith, and commitment to an integration of faith and learning.

SALARY

Full-time position. Rank and salary are commensurate with qualifications and experience. Highly qualified candidates may be considered for an appointment to an endowed professorship with additional compensation.

Assistant Professor: $58,242 to $78,336 Associate Professor: $67,932 to $91,494 Professor: $78,846 to $109,548

Placement at appropriate rank (e.g., Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor) and initial salary is dependent upon education, experience, and based on Vanguard’s faculty compensation schedule. The upper range is reserved for candidates that demonstrate the highest level of proficiency within a particular rank. Vanguard University also offers a very competitive and generous benefits package.

Vanguard offers both tenure track and term faculty contracts; the type of contract offered will be determined based on the candidate’s qualifications at the time of hire.

Questions about this position may be directed to the Search Committee Chair: Dr. James Woodrow (jwoodrow@vanguard.edu).

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Please complete the application and upload the required documents below. Please do not send your documents directly to the Department Chair.

Accompanying Essays:

• Personal Testimony of Relationship with Jesus Christ. Please provide a brief account of your experience of coming to faith in Christ. Include current church attendance, ministry, outreach and service involvement, any experience you have had with the Assemblies of God or other Pentecostal churches.

• Philosophy of Christian Education and Role of a Christian University. Explain what you believe to be the elements essential to the educational theory & practice of a Christian University.

• Integration of Faith, Teaching and Scholarship. Explain how you integrate your faith with your discipline & in your teaching and scholarship.

Curriculum vitae includes:

• Colleges/universities attended, location, & degree or units earned.
• Majors or fields of study, undergrad & graduate majors, minors, & areas of concentration.
• With the most recent, a chronological listing of teaching experience - name and location of institutions, title/academic rank, full/part-time, dates of employment
• A specific listing of courses previously taught
• Publications, presentations, honors, awards, and memberships in professional organizations
• With the most recent employment, position/title, full/part-time, dates of employment
• Any other qualifying experience, paid/voluntary, other.

References - Names, e-mail, and phone numbers of at least 3 people not related to you whom we may contact for an evaluation of your professional abilities.

Pastoral reference letter - Pastor or church leader.

Transcripts - Unofficial transcripts accepted to apply. If selected, notarized transcripts are required prior to employment.

• All of the above requested attachments must be included with your application in order to be considered. Applications will be accepted until position is filled or until there are a sufficient number of applicants.

EOE Statement

Vanguard University is committed to ensure that all candidates have an equitable opportunity to apply for and participate in the selection process. As a university, we hold firm to the application of the reasonable accommodation process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you require an accommodation because of a disability in order to participate in any phase of the application process, or if you would like to request this information in an alternative format, please call Ken Bott, Sr. Director of Human Resources, at 714-662-5287.


Vanguard University is an equal opportunity employer that is not just committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, but celebrates it. To that end, we prohibit and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind against individuals of race, color, national origin, disability, pregnancy or any other characteristic outlined by federal, state, and local laws. Where permitted by law and in relation to the school’s heritage and mission, Vanguard does exercise religious preference throughout the University, and therefore employs individuals who are compatible with the institution’s mission and statement of faith. This applies to all employment practices within the university. Vanguard is committed to a hiring process that is based on candidate’s qualifications, merit, and operational needs of the university.

This position is currently accepting applications.

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