POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1725
GRADE 46
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Vice President for Marketing and Communications
MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR President
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications develops and implements a comprehensive public relations program to help the University achieve the goals established for Intercollegiate Athletics. The Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications achieves these goals by providing public relations advice and counsel to the Director of Athletics, other athletics administrators, coaches, and student-athletes, providing information to electronic and print media outlets, developing publications for all sports programs, maintaining statistical data, records, and history on current and past University student-athletes and teams, and developing and maintaining an effective presence with web and new media.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Bachelor's degree is required, with an emphasis in English, Communications, Journalism, or Public Relations preferred.
Experience: At least six years of progressively responsible experience in athletics communications is required, preferably in the role as director in athletics communication at a school competing at the NCAA Division I level. Experience in printing, publication design, and desktop publishing is required, as is an understanding of and appreciation for web and new media. Knowledge of radio and television sports broadcasting and production and the use of the internet as a communication outlet is required.
Skills: Public relations skills, management skills, strong oral and written communication skills, and effective interpersonal skills, particularly in working with media representatives from print and electronic outlets at the local, regional, and national level, are required. Computer literacy, particularly in word processing, statistical software applications, and desktop publishing programs, is required. An understanding of the use of web and new media to provide information, establish a presence, and promote Missouri State University athletic teams is required. Established sports journalism skills, particularly in the intercollegiate area, are required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
Effort: Frequently required to lift and carry equipment and materials weighing up to thirty pounds.
Other: The scope of the position frequently requires extended workdays and work weeks, including weekends, as well as overnight, out-of-town travel, particularly during the fall and spring semesters to attend athletics events, league meetings, and workshops.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.Develops and implements a comprehensive public relations program to help the University achieve the goals established for Intercollegiate Athletics by building and maintaining positive relationships with key constituencies (alumni, donors, friends, current student-athletes, prospective student-athletes, members of the campus community, and the public at-large), helping create an atmosphere among the public that is conducive for effective fund-raising, and developing and maintaining positive relationships with media.
2. Ensures that information about the University's intercollegiate athletics programs is available to the public in a timely and effective manner by developing and directing a comprehensive program of sports coverage which focuses on both competitive and non-competitive activities and includes information on student-athletes and teams in the University's intercollegiate athletics program.
3. Establishes and maintains a comprehensive and timely presence on the internet, including new media, for Missouri State University Intercollegiate Athletics Programs.
4. Expands the opportunities for publicizing the University's intercollegiate athletics program by serving as a liaison between the University and the media, responding to requests from the media for information regarding individuals and teams, initiating communications, as appropriate, with the media and providing information which could result in additional coverage of athletics, and coordinating media needs and reporting functions for all events so that material for publication or broadcast is available as desired.
5. Works with event coverage and promotion by performing duties as assigned in the area of game analysis commentary on radio and/or television game broadcasts of Missouri State University athletic events.
6. Provides a comprehensive package of materials for public dissemination by developing and distributing publications for all sports, including annual media guides for each sport which contain schedules, rosters, statistics, results, records, season outlook, and sketches on individual student-athletes and staff members, individual event programs containing an update of the material published in the respective media guides, schedule cards, schedule posters, ticket flyers, newsletters, alumni publications, special event publications, and post‑season media guides.
7. Ensures that necessary individual and team statistical data for University teams and their opponents are gathered and disseminated through regular sports information channels by developing, organizing, and managing a program for staffing athletics events with Athletic Communications personnel at competitive events hosted by the University and staffing or providing liaison, as necessary, for those competitive events which occur away from the University.
8. Promotes a positive image of the University by responding to inquiries and requests for materials from individuals and organizations, formulating replies or providing materials appropriate and consistent with University policies and guidelines and presented in a manner favorable to the University, and serving as the spokesperson, when appropriate, for the University on athletics related matters, regarding both University teams and other activities within the University's intercollegiate athletics community.
9. Ensures that major special events such as the Athletics Hall of Fame induction, annual All-Sports Auction, graduation honors for student-athletes, major conference and national event participation by Missouri State University, and other special events reflect positively on the University by conducting research of records to identify and verify the accomplishments of teams and individuals, writing scripts for speeches or public announcements, and providing background material which lend historical significance and perspective to the accomplishments of current events.
10. Manages funds by planning and developing the departmental budget and exercising approval authority for expenditures.
11. Develops a competent, effective Athletics Communications staff by recruiting and hiring qualified applicants for full-time and part-time positions, providing appropriate training, supervising activities, and evaluating performance.
12. Manages the daily operations of the Athletics Communications Office by establishing activity priorities, goals, and objectives, determining resource allocation, assigning activity responsibilities, developing policies and procedures regarding operational performances, and evaluating progress toward achievement of established goals and objectives.
13. Promotes a positive image of the University through participation in community and professional organizations, representing the University at professional meetings and community committees, and establishing and maintaining credible relations with various news media and other collegiate sports information offices.
14. Abides by and complies with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Missouri Valley Conference rules, academic standards, requirements, and policies of the University, and all guidelines and policies of the Athletics department and reports any concerns of compromise or violation of rules, standards, guidelines or policies to the Director of Athletics or the Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance.
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. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses required by the Vice President for Marketing and Communications.
17. Contributes to the overall success of the Division of Marketing and Communications, as well as the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Vice President for Marketing and Communications.
SUPERVISION
The Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications is supervised by the Vice President for Marketing and Communications and supervises a staff of full‑time professional employees, as well as graduate assistants and undergraduate students. The Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications also is part of the Director of Athletics’ management team and works closely with coaches and other athletics administrators.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED DECEMBER 2014
