1277 Director, University Communications and External Relations - West Plains

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Director, University Communications and External Relations - West Plains

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1277

GRADE 46

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Chancellor

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Director, University Communications and External Relations – West Plains is the chief communications and marketing officer for Missouri State University - West Plains and serves as a liaison with MSU’s Office of University Advancement. The Director, University Communications and External Relations – West Plains is a member of the leadership team and provides public relations counsel to the Chancellor and other campus officials as needed and requested. The Director, University Communications and External Relations – West Plains oversees the area of University Communications, including public relations, marketing, news services, publications, social media, and webpage management and works cooperatively with the Office of University Advancement on the Springfield campus in the oversight and supervision of personnel in the West Plains Office of Development toward the accomplishment of the office’s joint goals and objectives.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A bachelor’s degree in marketing, journalism, communications, public relations or a relevant field is required. A master’s degree is preferred.

Experience: At least five years of experience in marketing, communications, branding, and/or public relations, preferably with management experience, is required. Experience in a college setting is preferred. Experience in fundraising and/or development work in a college setting is preferred.

Skills: Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communications skills are required. A working knowledge of various computer software applications, including word processing and database applications is required. Knowledge and expertise in the use of marketing communication tools, including the use of digital marketing and social media is required. Strong decision-making skills, the ability to prioritize tasks, and the ability to leverage and manage resources, both internal and external, are required. The ability to balance multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines is required. Proven management skills in areas such as projects, goal setting, staff supervision and evaluation, and budgeting are required.

Other: The scope of the job frequently requires some travel, working evenings and/or weekends, and attending events in the evening and/or weekends.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provides leadership and vision for the University’s strategic and integrated marketing and communication functions.

2. Ensures that the central administration is aware of the implications of a variety of issues from by providing public relations counsel to the Chancellor and other campus officials.

3. Develops and manages an annual marketing and communications plan that includes public relations, news services, publications, social media, webpage management, student recruitment, community relations, alumni relations, special events, marketing, and other communications initiatives in support of the overall strategic plan for the campus.

4. Manages the creation and use of internal and external branding for the campus, including print advertising, print marketing materials, video, digital advertising, website, and static displays.

5. Manages internal and external communication including oversight and content creation of mass communication with current students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

6. Ensures accuracy and consistency in all campus publications produced by the office by establishing standards for writing style, copy development, and design and encouraging other departments throughout the campus to comply with the same standards and guidelines.

7. Expands the campus’s constituency, strengthens existing affiliations, and ensures positive media exposure by coordinating and/or supporting special events for Missouri State University – West Plains, ranging from building dedications to awards programs.

8. Communicates the campus’s position and policies on a variety of issues to specific media and to various campus constituencies by serving as the Missouri State University – West Plains’ contact person with the media and, as appropriate, developing position papers and background materials for the Chancellor.

9. Assists departments with their projects and events by coordinating advertising and providing resources and expertise related to student recruitment, community relations, alumni relations, marketing and promotions, etc.

10. Serves as a liaison with the MSU Office of University Advancement in Springfield to oversee, evaluate, and coordinate the work of the full-time and part-time staff in the Office of Development on the West Plains campus.

11. Represents the Office of University Communications by chairing and serving on various campus committees.

12. Ensures the quality of the University Communications department’s operation by recruiting and hiring qualified applicants, providing training in departmental operations and individual duties, assigning work projects as appropriate, supervising and evaluating University Communications’ products, including news releases, publications, social media posts, and webpage content.

13. Ensures fiscally-sound operation of the University Communications department by exercising management practices which result in operating within allocated budget.

14. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues and attendance at professional development conferences/workshops and related activities.

15. Contributes to the overall success of the campus by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned the by the Chancellor.

SUPERVISION

The Director of Communications and External Relations reports to the Missouri State University-West Plains Chancellor and directly supervises full-time and part-time staff in the Office of University Communications. In conjunction with the MSU Office of University Advancement, the Director, University Communications and External Relations – West Plains co-directs and co-evaluates the work of the Assistant Director of Development – West Plains, the Events Coordinator, and an Administrative Assistant.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED JANUARY 2025

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 4.0 - 2300 Points: Knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, methods and techniques of an administrative, managerial, or professional field such as accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, engineering, social sciences, communications, education, law, or medicine. Knowledge permits the employee to complete assignments by applying established methods to recurring types of projects/problems susceptible to well-documented precedents or to schedule, plan, and carry out precedented projects. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out precedented projects requiring considerable experience in specific areas within higher education. Knowledge at this level is typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience that includes a requirement for a college degree in a specific technical or professional specialty along with significant related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with substantial work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with substantial work experience. Knowledge requirements generally also include a significant amount of related work experience and may include administrative or supervisory experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 4.0 - 470 Points: Supervision of (a) a moderate number of operative, administrative support, or paraprofessional employees who do not exercise a full range of supervisory responsibilities over other full-time employees, (b) a small number of professional employees who exercise limited supervision of others, or (c) large numbers of student workers or graduate assistants, or some equivalent combination of the above. The incumbent performs a full range of supervisory responsibilities including performance reviews of subordinates. The incumbent is responsible for training, planning, and directing the work of permanent employees, and generally controls hiring decisions. Supervisory responsibilities consume moderate amounts of work time and may include general work planning tasks.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 4.0 - 500 Points: Interactions with others are somewhat unstructured. The purpose may be to influence or motivate others, to obtain information, or to control situations and resolve problems. Interactions may be with individuals or groups of co-workers, students, or the general public, may be moderately unstructured, and may involve persons who hold differing goals and objectives. Individuals at this level often act as a liaison between groups with a focus on solving particular unstructured problems. Interactions at this level require considerable interpersonal skill and the ability to resolve conflict.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 4.0 - 850 Points: The employee operates under administrative supervision and makes decisions based on broadly-stated University objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are expressed in terms of project or program outcomes and deadlines with few comprehensive guidelines. Decisions are based on inadequate guidelines that require considerable interpretation and force the employee to plan all phases of the assignment. Assignments may be unrelated in function and the work requires many different processes and methods and a great deal of analysis to identify the nature and extent of problems. The work may require the employee to develop new methods and to deal with many variables, including some that are unclear or conflicting. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing large and/or complex programs, projects, or departments in which the work cuts across functional lines or requires dealing with unprecedented issues.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 4.0 - 1500 Points: Work involves the primary accountability for a smaller department, program, or process. Work activities involve managerial decisions that directly affect the efficiency, costs, reputation, and service quality of the department, program, or process. Work affects a limited range of professional projects or administrative activities of the University. Work activities have a direct and substantial impact on the department. While work activities do have some effect on the efficiency and reputation of the cost center, departments, programs, or processes at this level represent a relatively minor function within the cost center. Employees in jobs at this level may have responsibility for developing budgets, distributing budgeted funds, and exercising the primary control over a relatively small budget.