Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive communications strategies that advance university priorities, including enrollment, student success, research, advancement, community engagement, and institutional reputation.
• Establish and maintain a cohesive institutional voice and messaging framework across communications channels.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to university leadership on institutional initiatives, announcements, sensitive issues, and emerging opportunities.
• Develop executive communications, including speeches, talking points, presentations, statements, correspondence, and other leadership messaging.
• Oversee institutional communications and major publications, ensuring content is accurate, compelling, audience-focused, and aligned with university priorities.
• Collaborate with colleges, divisions, and university leadership to identify communications opportunities and coordinate messaging across the institution.
• Develop an overarching strategic communication plan and toolkit to support major university initiatives, announcements, events, and milestones.
• Provide communications guidance and standards to campus communicators to strengthen consistency and coordination across the university.
• Serve as the university’s primary media relations contact and spokesperson, as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, national, and industry-specific media.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a closely related field.
• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, public relations, media relations, journalism, or a related field, including at least three (3) years of supervisory or leadership experience.
• Additional education/experience may be considered as a substitute for the minimum requirements:
• Master’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a closely related field with eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, public relations, media relations, journalism, or a related field, including at least three (3) years of supervisory or leadership experience
• Doctoral degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a closely related field with six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, public relations, media relations, journalism, or a related field, including at least three (3) years of supervisory or leadership experience
• Exceptional written, verbal, editing, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategic communications plans for complex organizations.
• Demonstrated experience working with media and developing successful media relations strategies.
• Experience managing sensitive, high-profile, or crisis communications.
• Strong judgment and demonstrated ability to advise leaders on complex communications matters.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, higher education administration, or a related field.
• Communications or public relations experience within higher education or another large, complex organization.
• Experience leading crisis and issues communications.
• Experience providing communications counsel to executive leadership.
• Experience developing regional or national media relationships and successfully pitching stories.
• Knowledge of emerging communications trends, media monitoring, digital communications, and reputation management.

Benefits

• From our generous benefits package and professional development opportunities, to our retirement programs and our commitment to service excellence, the Island University is an engaging and rewarding place to work.
• Insurance
• - Medical
• - $0 - $30 per month for Employee Only coverage after university contribution ($920 value).
• - Up to 83% of premium covered by the university:
• - Employee and Spouse
• - Employee and Children
• - Employee and Family coverage
• - Dental & Vision
• - Life Insurance, Accidental D&D, Long Term Disability, Flexible Spending Account and Day Care Spending Account