Associate Director - Hyderabad - Indian School of Business

Description

The Indian School of Business (ISB), founded in 2001, is a top-ranked, world-class business school in India with campuses in Mohali and Hyderabad. ISB is perhaps one of the largest and finest examples of philanthropic endeavours and impact in recent times. ISB has gained the unique distinction of receiving accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA), EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), making it only the 100th School in the world to achieve this 'triple crown' of accreditations. ISB is committed to hiring and developing staff who want to work in a high-performing culture that supports the outstanding work of our alumni, faculty, staff, and students. In deciding whether to apply for a staff position at the ISB, candidates are strongly encouraged to consider their alignment with ISB's mission and values.

We are currently seeking a candidate to join our team as Associate Director - Brand and Content who will be responsible for shaping, and amplifying the School's brand and reputation across all owned, earned, and shared channels. This role will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight to the Brand and Social Media teams, ensuring consistency, quality, and impact in all external and internal communications.

The role requires a strong blend of strategic thinking, execution rigour, people leadership, and institutional sensitivity, with a clear understanding of how brand and content supports the School's academic mission, admissions, research visibility, executive education and alumni engagement.

The position holder will report to the Senior Associate Director, Marketing and Communications.

Key Responsibilities

1. Brand Strategy & Stewardship

• Serve as brand custodian for the brand ISB, it's architecture, tone of voice, visual and verbal identity across all touchpoints.
• Commission and interpret brand and audience insights to asses brand health, perception and effectiveness and use findings to inform decision-making.
• Lead the development and execution of the integrated marketing strategy for the School's master brand across various touchpoints.
• Lead the creation of brand narratives in line with institutional priorities and long-term strategy.
• Ensure accuracy, consistency, and quality in all brand output across internal and external communications.
• Oversee development of brand guidelines, toolkits, and quality-control frameworks.

2. Social Media & Digital Presence

• Provide strategic direction for the School's social media presence across platforms.
• Guide content strategy across platforms to align institutional goals, audience needs, and brand standards.
• Oversee the use of analytics and performance insights to drive data-informed optimisation of content and campaignS.

3. People Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop high-performing teams across brand and social media.
• Set clear strategic priorities, performance standards, and accountability mechanisms.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, rigour, and continuous improvement.
• Identify skill gaps and drive training, tools, or process improvements to enhance team effectiveness.

4. Execution Excellence & Governance

• Work closely with internal stakeholders to shape brand-aligned communication approaches for key institutional initiatives.
• Set up robust workflows, approval structures, and quality controls to deliver high quality output at scale.
• Manage agency and vendor relationships effectively and ensure compliance with institutional, legal, and ethical standards.
• Balance strategic oversight with hands-on engagement on high-impact / high-risk initiatives.

Candidate Profile

• Postgraduate degree in Management, Communications, Marketing, or a related field preferred.
• 10–12 years of progressive experience in brand or integrated communications roles.
• Prior experience in higher education, consumer goods, professional services or large, complex organisations.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in institutional, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Desired Attributes

Technical & Functional Skills

• Deep understanding of brand management, digital communications, content strategy and reputation management.
• Comfort with data analytics, reporting, and performance measurement.
• Experience managing agencies and external partners.

Leadership & Behavioural Skills

• Strong people management and coaching capabilities.
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into execution.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Sound judgement and calm decision-making in high-stakes situations.