Director of Media Relations

at  University of WisconsinMadison

JOB SUMMARY:

The Office of Strategic Communication, the central communications and marketing office for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is seeking a Director of Media Relations to help tell the university’s story while enhancing our institutional brand and reputation. The Director of Media Relations will develop and implement a media relations strategy and lead a talented team of storytellers and media relations professionals.
This role is responsible for converting unit and institutional strategic priorities into a practical, proactive and dynamic media relations strategy. The ideal candidate will be highly collaborative, deeply curious, and flexible. They will have experience with news cycles and news content creation and respect for journalism and experience with or appreciation for the nuances of research communication. They must be able to supervise and provide robust support and oversight for a team of ambitious storytellers, possess enthusiasm for working in higher education and be willing to work closely with creative professionals across the unit and the university. This position reports directly to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Content Strategy but works collaboratively across functional areas within the unit to support strategic goals, and to support communications and marketing professionals across campus. The Media Relations Director may be called upon to serve as an institutional spokesperson.

Additionally, this position:

• Works closely with the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Content Strategy to monitor and respond to challenges to university mission in key subject matter areas, including student enrollment and belonging, animal research, biosafety
• Collaborates closely with functional teams within the content strategy vertical (marketing communications; planning, process and strategy; social media; magazine) to align goals, support storytelling and owned media functions, and inform paid media strategy in order to engage varied stakeholders, improve analytics and foster positive institutional sentiment
• Works with external media to improve positive, reputation-building placements aligned with content strategy and to provide public information
• Meets regularly with a team responsible for issues and crisis management to ensure alignment and to collaborate on media relations approaches
• Regularly meets with managers across the unit to plan, integrate and prioritize unit objectives and work collaboratively across functional areas

EDUCATION:

Preferred
Bachelor’s Degree

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• 7+ years of professional experience in a related field, including strategic communications, mass communications, journalism, public relations, science communication, etc.
• Experience working with news media and a strong commitment to journalistic principles
• A willingness to learn new skills and work collaboratively with varied and diverse professionals
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic plans, and to translate strategy into tactics

Preferred:

• 3+ years of supervisory experience
• Demonstrated experience writing, editing or producing news content (written, video, audio and podcast, press releases, etc.) for public audiences
• Experience developing or working with science and research-related content
• Curiosity, humility and an open mind
• Familiarity with crisis communications
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn content and project management systems, such as WordPress and Asana
• Commitment to the goals of higher education, including advancing a sense of belonging for students and employees

We recognize that qualified applicants come from a variety of backgrounds, life experiences, and levels of educational access. We encourage you to apply if you feel you would be a good match, even if you don’t have all of the qualifications listed above.

Directs communications strategic planning, and execution. Provides approval and guidance for communications including staffing and budgetary planning in support of institutional communication goals.

• 25% Develops, implements, and monitors strategic communication initiatives for designated audiences and internal stakeholders to maximize engagement and strengthen collaboration efforts
• 25% Identifies, establishes, and directs media relationships and partnerships with internal and external sources
• 10% Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revived operational policies and procedures
• 10% Audits and directs day-to-day operational plans to align with strategic initiatives and to meet established objectives
• 10% Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• 10% Supervises team of media relations professionals and storytellers, including science writers, to develop and monitor ideas and approaches to serve institutional and unit goals
• 10% Collaborates closely within the content strategy functional area and across functional areas within the Office of Strategic Communication