Assistant Director, Media Relations

Company: James Madison University
Location: Harrisonburg
Posted on: February 23, 2021

Job Description:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives. Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world. Who We Are
Established in 1908, James Madison University is a comprehensive public institution offering undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs to more than 20,000 students. JMU is regarded as one of the finest regional universities in the nation and has been continuously cited in U.S. News and World Report, Changing Times and Money Magazine as an outstanding public university. Located in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. Known for its livability, diversity, local food, arts and natural surroundings, this Virginia Main Street community is a great place to live and work. General Information University Advancement at James Madison University is accepting applications for Assistant Director, Media Relations and Deputy Spokesperson. Within University Communications and Marketing, this position leads the team of media relations professionals, assists in managing the university's public profile through the media and implements strategic communications plans aimed at generating public awareness and positive perception of JMU for the fulfillment of the university's mission. Duties and Responsibilities Media Relations Management
--- Develop and execute a strategic plan for campus media relations.
--- Identify key performance indicators and produce quarterly and annual reports detailing the effectiveness of earned media efforts.
--- Establish and maintain effective relationships with faculty, staff and administrators across campus to identify story ideas and provide counsel. Develop media training curriculum and initiate training as needed.
--- Pitch stories to media via news releases, editorials, opinion pieces, advisories, experts' lists, video stories, social media and other tactics that advance university priorities.
--- Oversee and maintain the university's online newsroom; ensure that the university's subject matter expert, media hits and construction update web pages are accurate and optimized.
--- Supervise and mentor Media Relations staff by assigning work, evaluating performance and recommending professional development plans.
--- Lead strategy for the university's media monitoring and press release distribution software.
--- Collaborate with marketing colleagues and other campus partners to use video and photos to package and pitch stories in new and interesting ways.
--- Stay up-to-date on new PR systems, best practices, applications and technologies.
--- Perform other duties as assigned.
--- Serve as a back-up to receiving and responding to Freedom of Information Act requests. Issues Management and Emergency Communications
--- Exercise the highest level of confidentiality and discretion with sensitive issues.
--- Serve as a member of the Crisis Communications Team. Duties can include giving guidance, writing statements, serving as a resource for journalists and/or managing messages during emergencies and reputational crises.
--- Implement inclement weather and emergency notifications. Deputy Spokesperson
--- Respond to requests from media for information and access to administrators.
--- Manage media requests that require on-campus interaction and presence.
--- Speak on behalf of the university on a number of topics, in counsel and partnership with division and senior leadership. Qualifications Bachelor's degree and range of three to five years of experience or more in relevant field;
Excellent oral and written communication skills;
Experience in dealing with web, broadcast, print, social and emerging media;
Ability to serve as an institutional spokesperson on a variety of issues;
Experience in managing emergency communications;
Demonstrated ability to work successfully with multiple constituencies, both internal and external to an organization; and
Thorough knowledge of principles and methods of planning and conducting a comprehensive public relations program. Criminal Background Check and E-Verify Notice Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check. E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization. Posting Date 01/15/2021 Beginning Review Date 03/11/2021 Closing Date Open Until Filled Yes Proposed Starting Date EEO Statement James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality. Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991. Reasonable Accommodation Request If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu . You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you. Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report Notice of Availability - Annual Security and Fire Safety Report The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety including topics such as: crime prevention, the university police law enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures, protocols for the immediate notification of students and staff upon confirmation of a significant emergency on campus and other matters of importance related to security and safety. The report includes statistics for the most recent three-year period of reported crimes that have occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by JMU or its affiliates; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes campus housing fire statistics for the most recent three-year period, a description of each on-campus student housing facility fire safety system, the number of fire drills held during the previous calendar year, policies or rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking, and open flames in student housing; and procedures for student housing evacuation in the event of fire along with other fire safety information. The JMU Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes the Harrisonburg campus and the three overseas branch campuses; Florence, Antwerp, and London. It is available electronically http://www.jmu.edu/publicsafety/clerycompliance/2018Annual-Security-and-Fire-Safety-Report.shtml You can obtain a copy of any of this report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, MSC 6810, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 or request that a copy be mailed to you by calling (540)568-6769/6913. JMU's Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG. Documents Needed to Apply Required Documents

• Cover Letter
• Resume Optional Documents Supplemental Questions Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How did you learn about this position?
  • Charlottesville Daily Progress
  • Chronicle of Higher Education
  • Diverse Issues in Higher Education
  • Employee Referral
  • Harrisonburg Daily News Record
  • HigherEdJobs.com
  • Hispanic Outlook
  • Indeed.com
  • INSIGHT Into Diversity
  • JMU Dual Career and Community Resources Program
  • JMU JobLink
  • Job Fair
  • NCAA
  • Northern Virginia Daily
  • Nuevas Raices
  • Other Referral
  • Phone Inquiry
  • Radio
  • Richmond Times Dispatch
  • Roanoke Times
  • Social Media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)
  • US Military Pipeline
  • VA Jobs Website
  • VEC (Virginia Employment Commission)
  • Walk-in
  • Washington Post
  • Winchester Star
  • Other
  • * If you selected a source above please type "N/A" in the following box. If you selected "Other" please indicate where you heard about the position. (Open Ended Question)

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