Abstract
Rebranding has become an increasingly strategic response to shifting societal, political, and market pressures across higher education institutions (HEIs). Yet the leadership role of senior communications professionals in these processes remains underexamined. This study investigates how these leaders experience and enact strategic leadership during rebranding initiatives. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), the study explored the lived experiences of nine senior communications leaders from diverse HEIs in the United States. Cross case analysis generated six themes illuminating how participants secured institutional legitimacy, centered students as primary meaning makers, translated strategy into coherent brand architecture, balanced mission and history with risk tolerance, enabled organization wide adoption, and built relational trust. Overall, the findings show that communications leaders act as strategic partners who steward institutional identity and broker alignment during periods of significant change, offering insights that can guide future rebranding practice.