Chief of External Affairs

Chief of External Affairs

Salary

$90,000.00 - $115,000.00 Annually

Location

Richland County, SC

Job Type

FTE - Full-Time

Job Number

192006

Agency

State Museum Commission

Division

Marketing

Opening Date

08/20/2026

Closing Date

9/21/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Agency Specific Application Procedures:

Online applications only.

Residency Requirement

No

Class Code:

BC52

Slot Number:

0001

Position Number:

600129611

Normal Work Schedule:

Monday - Friday (8:30 - 5:00)

Pay Grade

GEN12

Hiring Range - Min.

$90,000.00

Hiring Range - Max.

$115,000.00

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity Employer

Veteran Preference Statement

South Carolina is making our Veterans a priority for employment in state agencies and institutions.

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Responsibilities

Overview

Are you looking to be part of an innovative team of professionals dedicated to telling South Carolinas many stories? As the storytellers of South Carolina, the South Carolina State Museum (SCSM) staff share the rich natural and multiculturalism of the state through the museum's permanent collections, educational programs, exhibitions, and digital resources.

This is an exciting moment for the State Museum as it embarks on a $75 million capital campaign to reimagine the museum experience for our visitors and expand our educational impact statewide. This collaborative project will allow the museum to share more of its extensive collection of over 1.1 million objects and specimens and renew over 150,000 square feet with updated permanent exhibitions and immersive multimedia experiences highlighting the important stories of people and communities throughout South Carolina's history.

Come be a part of our team reimagining what the South Carolina State Museum can be for our current and next generation of visitors, students, and scholars. Enjoy living in South Carolina's capital or surrounding cities where beaches, lakes, marshlands, and the Blue Ridge Mountains are all within a few hours.

The museum is seeking an innovative and strategic Chief of External Affairs to lead our efforts to strengthen the museum's public presence and expand connections with audiences across South Carolina. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role will oversee all external communications, brand management, media relations, digital strategy, and public information functions to elevate the museum's voice during a pivotal period of growth and transformation.

Core Responsibilities

Institutional Marketing & Brand Growth

• Flagship Branding: Directs brand positioning to showcase the museums educational and cultural value and vast collection of 1 million+ artifacts.
• Audience Generation: Builds data-driven campaigns to boost general museum, programmatic and outreach attendance state-wide.
• Exhibition and Programming Promotion: Develops and executes promotional strategies for permanent, changing, and traveling statewide exhibitions and public programs.
• Digital Strategy: Oversees digital strategy and engagement, including website and social media platforms

Communications & Media Relations

• Public Relations: Oversees media development and communications, including pitching stories on new acquisitions and milestones.
• Crisis Management: Leads communications regarding facility updates, safety protocols, and emergency messaging.
• Community Advocacy: Supports the museum's accessibility initiatives including programs such as Museums for All, Blue Star Summer and first-Sunday discounts to the public.
• Internal Communications: Aligns staff, volunteers, the State Museum Commission and the SCSM Foundation staff and Board on internal goals and priorities.

Private Rentals & Special Events Marketing Strategy

• Sales & Marketing Strategy: Drives a comprehensive B2B sales funnel to attract high-value corporate clients and event planners regionally and statewide.
• Revenue Strategy: Works in collaboration with the Chief Operations and Revenue Office and Director of Visitor Services on the strategic development and monetization of the museums premier facility spaces for corporate events, weddings, galas, and private conferences.
• Stakeholder Strategy: Works in collaboration with the Chief of Staff and Head of Strategic Initiatives, Executive Director of the SCSM Foundation and Operations Leadership to maximize the strategic and philanthropic value of museum rentals and special events by deliberately designing, executing, and leveraging private and internal events to cultivate stakeholder relationships, elevate the museums institutional profile, and directly support foundation fundraising goals.

Creative Direction & Graphic Design Team Management

• Visual Identity Custodian: Sets and enforces the museum's comprehensive visual identity guidelines across all physical and digital platforms.
• Team Leadership: Provides oversight, professional development, and performance management for the internal graphic design team.
• Exhibition and Programming Collaborations: Partners with education, curatorial and design staff to ensure exhibition and program signage, environmental graphics, and wayfinding meet institutional standards.
• Production Management: Oversees the end-to-end creative pipeline, including project scoping, designer assignment, and final print/digital asset production.
• Vendor & Agency Relations: Manages relationships and contracts with external printers, fabricators, and creative agencies to maintain production quality.

Fundraising Advancement & Liaison to the SCSM Foundation

• Strategic Collaboration: Partners with South Carolina State Museum Foundation executive leadership to design integrated marketing campaigns for annual giving, capital campaigns, and major donor initiatives.
• Donor Communications: Partners with the South Carolina State Museum Foundation executive leadership on the creation of tailored development communications, including case for support materials, impact reports, grant collateral, and the museums quarterly member magazine and annual report.
• Stakeholder Stewardship: Collaborates on communication plans for donor, stakeholder and partner appreciation, ensuring corporate sponsors, foundations, and private benefactors receive appropriate, high-visibility brand recognition.
• Joint Event Marketing: Leads promotional, invitation, and public relations efforts for high-profile fundraising events, gala openings, and exclusive member-only preview nights.
• Membership Conversion: Designs strategic marketing flows in collaboration with the Foundation's membership staff that successfully transition general museum visitors and event attendees into active Foundation members and recurring donors.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Creative Pipeline Efficiency: On-time and on-budget delivery of design assets across marketing, exhibition, and foundation requests.
• Attendance Growth: Annual percentage increase in general admission, theater/planetarium ticket sales, program and outreach initiatives, and special exhibition foot traffic.
• Earned Income Metrics: Total revenue generated from private rentals and corporate special events against baseline annual goals.
• Membership Conversion: Year-over-year growth in the museum membership base driven by visitor-to-member marketing funnels.
• Fundraising Support: Successful delivery of marketing and communication collateral meeting the Foundations campaign timelines and revenue goals.
• Brand Consistency: High audit alignment across all departments regarding approved visual identity guidelines, tone, and strategic messaging.

Minimum and Additional Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications, business, digital media, or a related field.
• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated knowledge of journalistic principles and best practices for effective information dissemination.
• Proven ability to serve as an organizational spokesperson, including participation in on-camera interviews.
• Excellent writing, editing, and content-production skills across multiple formats and mediums.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication abilities.
• Ability to supervise, mentor, and develop staff to achieve high-quality communication outcomes.
• Some travel, evening and weekend work is required.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk, working on a computer, and filing documents.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in communications, business, digital media, or a related field.
• Ten years of relevant experience, preferably in a museum or nonprofit institution.
• Ability to uphold and consistently apply organizational branding standards across all marketing and communication materials.
• Experience overseeing FOIA response processes and related public information requirements.

Additional Comments

Additional Requirements

• Successful experience building and maintaining relationships with local, state, and national media partners.
• Strong understanding of social media platforms and effective strategies for public communication and engagement.
• Knowledge of methods and practices used to plan, execute, and oversee large-scale public relations initiatives.

Benefits for State Employees

The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.

Insurance Benefits

Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.

Retirement Benefits

State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.

Workplace Benefits

State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.

Note: The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.

01

Do you have at least a bachelor's degree in communications, business, digital media, or a related field?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have at least seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, or a related discipline?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have demonstrated knowledge of journalistic principles and best practices for effective information dissemination?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have proven ability to serve as an organizational spokesperson, including participation in on camera interviews?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you have excellent writing, editing, and content production skills across multiple formats and mediums?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have exceptional verbal and written communication abilities?

• Yes
• No

07

Do you have the ability to supervise, mentor, and develop staff to achieve high-quality communication outcomes?

• Yes
• No

08

Are you able to travel and work some evenings and weekends?

• Yes
• No

09

Do you have a strong understanding of social media platforms and effective strategies for public communication and engagement?

• Yes
• No

10

Do you have experience overseeing FOIA response processes and related public information requirements?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer State of South Carolina

Agency State Museum Commission Address 301 Gervais Street

Columbia, South Carolina, 29202

Phone 803-898-4939

The language used in this document does not create an employment contract between the employee and the agency. This document does not create any contractual rights or entitlements. The agency reserves the right to revise the content of this document, in whole or in part. No promises or assurances, whether written or oral, which are contrary to or inconsistent with the terms of this paragraph create any contract of employment.