Responsibilities

• In coordination with the Senior Director, creates and executes media relations strategies and tactics that include helping media fill requests for interviews with campus experts and proactively placing stories in the local and national news media about topics that are important to the university.
• Writes news and features for Trinity platforms, including the News Center, that focus on strategic objectives; works with SCM team members on best methods to promote these stories across platforms.
• Tracks media coverage daily of Trinity and its students, faculty, staff, and alumni and writes short summaries of coverage.
• Develops relationships with local, regional, and national media contacts.
• Works with the Senior Director to address and manage crisis communications. This could include participating in crisis management planning meetings, writing and/or editing responses to the media, and arranging media interviews.
• Continually builds relationships with university faculty, staff, and students to identify stories and people worth sharing and understanding campus issues.
• Plans and oversees press events in coordination and at the direction of the Senior Director.
• Stays current on national and local news related to Trinity University specifically and higher education in general.
• Cooperates and collaborates with other employees in the spirit of teamwork and collegiality and interacts with confidence, patience and integrity to provide professional leadership during emergencies.
• Some weekend and evening work required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or related field.
• Seven (7) years of experience in communications related field, especially in news writing or higher ed communications.
• Excellent understanding of the best practices and technical implementation of news writing, strategic communications, and media relations.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Experience working in complex environments with multiple stakeholders who work outside of communications.
• Working knowledge of content management systems to be able to post stories on university news site.
• Excellent proofing and copy-editing skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively and creatively, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Calm under pressure, dependable, diplomatic, proactive, and strategic.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in journalism, communications, or related field.