Responsibilities

• Working with deans, faculty, staff, and students in academic/administrative departments to develop strategic communications initiatives that involve media relations, special events, and content development for social media, website and other digital storytelling platforms.
• Developing and disseminating press releases, media advisories, op-ed pieces, student-written columns, and story pitches to local, regional and national news media that support and advance the university brand.
• Identifying and training deans and faculty in academic/administrative departments for media relations work including interviewing skills, op-ed writing, and the importance of developing a digital presence including social media.
• Working with the Executive Director of Communications to develop digital communication strategies via university websites and social media channels. Creating and sharing content that supports those strategies, the university brand and strategic university priorities.
• Working with academic/administrative departments to develop new, and strengthen existing, special events to maximize their potential to attract prospective students and news media as part of strategic communications initiatives.
• Writing for and/or editing university publications including Widener Insider and the Daily News Briefing.
• Working with the Office of Development & Alumni Engagement and University Relations, manage all editorial, production and distribution processes of the Widener alumni magazine.
• Developing statistical reports on university news media coverage.
• Shooting and editing video content for social media and other digital publications and platforms.
• Supporting university events by attending, gathering information, taking photographs and generating news content which positions them as part of a vibrant university community.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and one to three years of Public Relations, Communications or Journalism experience. An equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered.
• Excellent writing and copy-editing skills, and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks on deadline.
• A creative approach to storytelling.
• The ability to shoot and edit digital photography.
• Position requires some evening and weekend assignments.
• Moderate amount of standing, walking, climbing stairs, bending and kneeling.
• Occasional travel between university campuses required.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a vehicle.

Preferred

• Previous website content maintenance experience.
• Experience using Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for on-brand strategic messaging.
• The ability to shoot and edit video.
• Higher education experience.