POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Public Relations Strategist
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1723
GRADE 42
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Director, Strategic Communication
MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR Vice President for Marketing and Communications
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Public Relations Strategist helps gather and disseminate University news to the news media and develops and implements public relations activities to promote the University’s public affairs mission, faculty research, and academic theme areas while focusing on developing expert sources and topics of immediate interest to media. The Public Relations Strategist assists in the supervision of the staff of the Office of Strategic Communication and contributes to the production of various print and online materials.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related area is required. An equivalent combination of years of experience and education may be considered for substitution of educational requirements.
Experience: Either one year of work experience in a professional position in public relations, media, and/or media relations or a minimum of three semesters experience in a part-time position in a similar professional setting is required. Work experience in higher education is preferred. Experience with web page maintenance, audio and video recording and editing, and writing for the web are preferred.
Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required, including an ability to write for external publications. Strong proofreading and editing skills are required. Organizational and planning skills are required. Knowledge of word processing is required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required. Knowledge of database and/or spreadsheet software is preferred.
Other: The scope of the job requires some evening and weekend work and occasional traveling.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Facilitates the achievement of specific goals and objectives of the University’s colleges and administrative departments by developing and implementing public relations activities that are designed to meet those specific goals and objectives.
2. Promotes a positive image of the University and facilitates coverage of the University by the news media by gathering and placing University news stories in targeted news media at the local, state, and national level, identifying expert contacts on news events, arranging interviews between faculty and appropriate news media, and overseeing and maintaining a media database and an online database of campus expert sources.
3. Helps promote the University to alumni, donor, and internal audiences by preparing feature stories for University publications including alumni and employee publications and assisting in the gathering and editing of material for those publications.
4. Cultivates expert sources within the University to help promote the faculty, staff, and programs on campus, providing visibility to the University locally, regionally, and nationally.
5. Promotes academic accomplishments and expertise by producing weekly radio programs for dissemination to regional radio stations.
6. Facilitates the operation of the Office of Strategic Communication by helping to train and supervise student employees and editing and approving the work of graduate assistants and student staff.
7. Supports academic instruction by working with interns in the Office of Strategic Communication.
8. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
9. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the Director of Strategic Communication.
10. Contributes to the overall success of the Strategic Communication by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Public Relations Strategist is supervised by the Director and Assistant Director and assists in supervising an office staff of graduate assistants and student employees.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED FEBRUARY 2023
