POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Director, Strategic Communication
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1720
GRADE 47
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Vice President for Marketing and Communication
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Director of Strategic Communication supervises all work of the strategic communication office, including public relations, media relations, crisis communication, social media and digital marketing. This position develops and supervises implementation of public relations and digital marketing plans for the colleges and administrative departments of the University and serves as a campus adviser on issues related to crisis communication and public relations; produces and disseminates University news products to campus, community, state-wide, and national news outlets, coordinates news conferences and related newsworthy events designed to present the University's story to its various constituencies.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Bachelor's degree in communication, journalism, public relations, English, or related area is required. A Master's degree in an appropriate field is preferred. An equivalent combination of years of experience and education may be considered for substitution of educational requirements.
Experience: A minimum of five years of experience in a professional position in media, media relations, and/or public relations is required. Experience at the college or university level, including the development and implementation of successful media relations and public relations plans, is preferred. Experience in coordinating special events such as news conferences and facility dedications is preferred. Management experience with crisis communication, social media management and digital marketing management is preferred.
Skills: A knowledge of word processing; organizational and management skills are required. Journalistic skills, including writing and editing news releases and feature stories, being interviewed by print and broadcast journalists, and coordinating news conferences are required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
Certification: Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Accredited in Public Relations (APR) certification is preferred.
Other: The scope of the job frequently requires some travel, working evenings and/or weekends, and attending events in the evening and/or weekend.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Oversees all work of the strategic communication office, including public relations, media relations, crisis communication, social media and digital marketing.
2. Promotes a positive image of the University by developing and implementing successful public relations and digital marketing campaigns for the academic colleges, administrative units, and other areas as needed.
3. Serves as a campus adviser who maximizes opportunities for placement of news stories at the local, state, and national level and identifies and links campus experts with appropriate news media.
4. Serves as an ad hoc member of the Core Crisis Communication Team and leads implementation of crisis communication messaging.
5. Writes and edits top-level communication such as long-range plan, emails to campus and crisis communication.
6. Manages and oversees daily operations of University-level social media accounts; including evening, weekend and holiday monitoring of all university-level accounts.
7. Manages and oversees the planning, execution, and measurement of university digital marketing campaigns to advance university strategic initiatives; and manages digital marketing budgets for university clients.
8. Ensures the quality of the Strategic Communication operation by developing and maintaining an effective office staff through hiring, training, and supervising professional staff, graduate assistants, and student employees, providing a challenging, productive work environment through ensuring that the office is technologically up-to-date, and supervising and evaluating Strategic Communication products including news releases, hometown stories, radio shows, social media posts, digital marketing and news conferences.
9. Promotes major news events by coordinating and/or supporting special events such as news conferences and facility dedications.
10. Provides public relations expertise, in the absence of the Vice President for Marketing and Communication, during situations involving the University by conferring with University administrators, recommending viable options for presenting the University's position, and serving as a spokesperson to the media.
11. Communicates information about the University to its students, prospective students, parents, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, and other constituencies and supports the University's priorities by writing stories for University publications and content for some top-level websites.
12. Promotes a better understanding of the role and importance of the news media and public relations by representing the Strategic Communication Office and the Vice President for Marketing and Communication on various University committees.
13. Promotes the University by representing it on various community committees, organizations, and boards and by reporting its accomplishments to a wide constituency.
14. Facilitates internal and campus communications by serving as co-editor of the employee newsletter.
15. Facilitates a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
16. Maintains professional competence and expands the knowledge base and ability of the Strategic Communication office to serve the University through involvement in professional organizations and attendance at professional development conferences/workshops and related activities.
17. Contributes to the overall success of the Office of Strategic Communication by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Vice President for Marketing and Communication.
SUPERVISION
The Director of Strategic Communication is supervised by the Vice President for Marketing and Communication and supervises the Strategic Communication Office staff, including the Assistant Director, Public Relations Specialist, Content Strategist, Digital Marketing Strategist, and Digital Marketing Coordinator, graduate assistants, and student employees.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED MAY 2022
