Responsibilities

• Provide strategic communications support to the College President, executive leadership, and Board of Trustees, including drafting emails, letters, speeches, talking points, presentations, quotes, media materials, announcements, articles, reports, and video scripts for internal and external audiences.
• Lead the development and execution of the College's internal communications strategy, including presidential updates, employee communications, institutional announcements, webinars, all-college meetings, and major campus presentations and events.
• Manage and create external communications content, including press releases, web content, magazine articles, feature stories, email and text campaigns, community and institutional reports, and stakeholder communications, ensuring consistency with Associated Press (AP) style guidelines.
• Lead writing and development of major institutional publications and reports, including annual reports, special reports, and the Institutional Accountability Report.
• Serve as the College's primary media relations contact by coordinating press conferences, managing media inquiries, drafting statements and press materials, organizing interviews, and proactively pitching stories that enhance the College's visibility and reputation.
• Co-develop and implement media relations and public affairs strategies, measure outcomes, and provide leadership with regular updates on media coverage and public perception.
• Create compelling content highlighting student success, alumni achievements, employee accomplishments, donor impact, foundation initiatives, and grant-funded programs to engage key stakeholders.
• Serve as a communications resource to the Illinois Central College Educational Foundation and other institutional partners.
• Lead crisis and emergency communications efforts, maintain the College Crisis Communication Plan, and serve as Chief Public Information Officer on a 24/7 on-call basis.
• Supervise communications staff and freelance writers, manage project workflows through departmental project management systems, maintain communication calendars, and ensure timely completion and organization of all communications projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, or related program.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in communications, marketing, or related professional experience.
• Minimum of two (2) years of media or public relations experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including grammatical, copywriting, and editing skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to organize work and set priorities in order to meet deadlines.
• Ability to maintain professionalism and confidentiality with all levels of staff.

Preferred

• Experience in higher education.
• Strong PowerPoint skills.
• Strong photography skills.
• Experience using a CRM or mass email distribution software.
• Knowledge of Associated Press writing guidelines.
• Knowledge of Freedom of Information Act, Open Meetings Act, and Family Education and Privacy Act and how to apply them to appropriate publicity materials.

Benefits

• paid time off;
• 11 paid holidays;  2 floating holidays
• medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance;
• tuition waivers for employee, spouse and dependent children;
• on-site childcare center;
• 403(b) retirement plans; and
• State University Retirement System pension plan.
• To learn more about full-time health care benefits at ICC.