Paul Andrew, the current acting vice president of Harvard Public Affairs and Communications, the University’s public relations and lobbying apparatus, will take over leadership of HPAC on a permanent basis according to an announcement from President Drew G. Faust on Thursday.

Andrew replaces Christine Heenan, who announced her departure from HPAC in October and took a job at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“I’m really honored by the opportunity [to serve] a really remarkable institution and to work with faculty, students, staff to fulfill the mission of the University,” Andrew said.  “Harvard does incredible things and our faculty is doing amazing things, and we want to make sure the world understands that.”

Andrew, who has been with HPAC since 2012, will assume the top position there during the middle of a multi-year fundraising campaign that Faust launched in September 2013. Harvard has raised at least $5 billion in gifts and pledges that will go toward its $6.5 billion goal. Andrew will now also oversee Harvard’s government and community relations strategy.

“Paul has done an outstanding job since coming to Harvard, and I’m very pleased to have him lead our public affairs and communications efforts,” Faust said in a press release. “He thinks creatively and strategically, he knows Harvard, he cares deeply about higher education, and he has a thoughtful, collaborative style that colleagues value and admire.”

Charged with overseeing the University’s communications in public, government, and community affairs in his new role, Andrew said he hopes to continue Heenan’s work, crediting his predecessor with doing “a remarkable job at HPAC” and building “a very strong organization.”

—Staff writer Mariel A. Klein can be reached at mariel.klein@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @mariel_klein.