Deputy Director of Media Relations (Communications Generalist)

VP COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING (UA-VPCM-IUBLA)

The Office of the Vice President for Communications and Marketing is the central Communications and Marketing unit at Indiana University and includes the University Events and Conferences teams. Our insights and technology-driven teams serve as strategic consultants throughout the university, with a central mission to advance the university's reputation as a driver of student success, transformational research and creativity, and impact within the State of Indiana, nationally and globally, while creating experiences that lead to a lifelong love for IU. University Communications leads university-wide communications efforts with workstreams ranging from internal communication to issues management, media relations, research communication and storytelling, social media, state impact communication and executive communication.

Indiana University seeks an experienced communications professional to serve as deputy director of media relations within the Office of University Communications and Marketing. The Deputy Director will help advance the university's mission through the execution of a university-wide media strategy designed to elevate the university's national reputation as a leading public research university committed to student success, transformative research and creative activity, and impact within the state of Indiana, nationally and globally. The strategy executed by the Deputy Director will include local, statewide, national and international media.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Reports to the Executive Director for Media Relations.
• Collaborates with other communications personnel and contributes to content development, research communication, social media and executive communication (among others) to ensure a unified strategy.
• Helps execute a comprehensive media strategy encompassing campus, local, national and international media that results in increasing the breadth and depth of earned media coverage for the university.
• Provides training and advice on university media relations to schools and entities throughout the university.
• Cultivates international, national, local and on-campus media relationships (with key reporters, news editors and opinion editors) that reflect university priorities and objectives.
• Responds to media inquiries and conducts proactive outreach to reporters, consistent with aforementioned media strategy.
• Participates in the tracking of media reports on the university, its students, faculty and staff, including coordinating media monitoring platforms and tools. Coordinates media access and provides media management for special events.
• Coordinates with campus partners across IU's core campuses, regional campuses, education centers and medical school campuses across the state of Indiana on media relations.
• Maintains relationships with various internal and external stakeholders; helps determine communications needs, projects, and programs to align with objectives and goals.
• Responds to escalated and highly complex inquiries and requests and explains policies, procedures, and context of communications.
• Monitors industry trends and best practices and implements strategic process and policy changes to optimize operations and progress toward objectives.
• Helps assemble communications outcomes to be presented to university leadership.

General Responsibilities

• Independently creates basic and complex communications for print and e-distribution on behalf of department or large multi-faceted department and in support of departmental goals and objectives; communications may be interdepartmental; staff, faculty, or student-focused; or external.
• Responds to inquiries and requests and explains policies, procedures, and context of communications.
• Manages relationships with various internal and external stakeholders and creates communications coverage for relevant initiatives, events, and programs.
• Prepares communications timelines and shares progress of communications toward relevant deadlines with manager, team members, and other relevant constituents.
• Regularly monitors relevant social media and news sites; researches relevant subject matter to increase knowledge in area(s) of specialty.
• Utilizes various communications software programs and delivers communications in multiple formats to a variety of audiences.
• Monitors industry trends and best practices and makes process and operational recommendations to manager.
• May provide guidance to lower-level Communications Generalists.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, English, public relations, or related field

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 5 years in relevant field

SKILLS

Required

• Proficient communication skills
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure
• Effective conflict management skills
• Ability to represent the university with external constituents
• Ability to drive multiple projects to successful completion
• Highly thorough and dependable
• Possesses a high degree of initiative
• Ability to influence internal and/or external constituents

Preferred

• Ability to simultaneously handle multiple priorities
• Strong verbal communication and listening skills
• Demonstrates ability to maintain confidential information
• Strong tact and diplomacy skills
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Proven on-the-record and on-camera experience
• Management experience
• Demonstrates portfolio of successful earned media coverage including op-ed placements
• Skilled at managing multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment, while keeping leadership informed and seeking appropriate input before acting
• Ability to exercise discretion when handling confidential communication and information and have experience managing teams
• Experience within higher education or demonstrated familiarity with the higher education landscape.
• Experience collaborating with faculty and research teams on communications efforts.
• Experience with issues management / crisis communication.

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Bloomington, Indiana and Indianapolis, Indiana

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Multiple plan options for medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Health Savings Account with generous IU contribution
• Life insurance, LTD, and AD&D options
• Base retirement plan contribution from IU, subject to vesting
• Additional supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition benefit for IU classes
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing our online Benefits Brochure .

Career Level: Advanced

FLSA: Exempt

Job Function: Marketing & Communications

Job Family: Communications Generalist

This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.

If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.

Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Indiana University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admission, as required by Title IX. Questions or complaints regarding Title IX may be referred to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or the university Title IX Coordinator. See Indiana University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information .

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online . You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at [email protected] or by visiting IUPD.

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