The Assistant Director of Athletic Communications is responsible for all communications initiatives for assigned sports and/or department initiatives among a wide variety of external media and stakeholders. Other assignments will be based on applicant's experience, skill sets, interests and department needs - potentially encompassing women's soccer, men's lacrosse, men's gymnastics, spirit programs and/or other sport assignments, depending on experience. This individual has a range of responsibilities which include: customer service, writing, editing, graphic design, social media, archiving, event management, proactive media pitching and the facilitation of interview requests. The Assistant Director will also be directly responsible for advising and executing the department's university messaging and partnerships initiatives, while assisting in other original content and coverage needs.
60% Communications
Proactively communicate and solicit national media coverage for events and feature stories on Michigan athletes, teams and other department milestones/accomplishments of interest.
Direct game coverage for assigned sports and assist in game and other coverage for additional sports. Supervise and coordinate game day communications operations and supervision of game day staff in press areas for selected sports.
Communicate proactively and effectively with athletes, coaches, administrators, other athletic department members and University constituents to inform and educate on effective methods of media interaction.
Develop and maintain positive working relationships with local, regional and national media covering U-M Athletics.
Directly responsible for maintenance of current and historical team information (rosters, statistics, records, photos, videos) in assigned sports, including proper naming and meta data assignments.
Write and edit various department communication materials, record books, student-athlete bios; postseason publications, press releases (previews, recaps, advisories), feature stories, game notes and daily sport specific content for the department's website.
Write, edit, and design professional online and printed information guides for several sports as well as printed game programs, special event publications and press releases.
Contribute to a dynamic department website, which is an important source of information regarding University of Michigan Athletics. (www.MGoBlue.com).
Team travel with selected sports as directed.
Promote student-athletes for various national and conference awards.
30% Cross-Functional Utilization of Multimedia, Digital, New and Social Media Strategies
Assist in department's social media communication efforts while directing certain executions for assigned sports; collaborate with sport programs and external relations partners on strategy, objectives, goals, maintenance and posting of content.
Promote the events, ticketing and development-related initiatives of the Athletic Department.
Become an early adopter of initiatives led by other administrative areas in order to provide excellent customer service.
Maintain statistics, facilitate player interviews, and initiate proactive social and emerging media coverage and coordinating multimedia initiatives in coordination with the creative team.
Actively refines and evolves with emergent technologies (hardware and software) in the promotion of department programs.
Collaborate with Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Networks to ensure mutually beneficial relationships.
10% Administrative
Assist in one or more administrative operational areas such as game day staffing, administrative communications, internship programs, special events and projects in support of 29 teams.
Champion department initiatives and drive enthusiasm and professionalism among a large and diverse staff with complimentary skill sets and experiences.
Provide exemplary customer service to internal and external constituencies.
About The University of Michigan Athletic Department
The University of Michigan athletics date back to 1866 when baseball became the school’s first varsity athletic team. Now, 150 years later, the athletic department fully supports 31 varsity athletic teams and annually ranks among the premiere collegiate athletic programs in the nation, both on the competition field and in the classroom.
The Wolverines have accumulated 52 national team titles along the way, with ice hockey and men’s swimming and diving claiming more national championships in their respective sports than any other Division I program. In 2001, the field hockey team won Michigan’s first women’s NCAA title, followed four years later by softball who claimed the first Women’s College World Series title east of the Mississippi in 2005.
At the Big Ten Conference level, Michigan is far and away the preeminent athletic program. Upon the conclusion of the 2007-08 academic year, the Wolverines claimed a Big Ten record 343 conference team titles, 117 more than their closest competitor. One of the original member institutions from 1896, Michigan teams have won more Big Ten titles than any other conference member in nine sports: baseball (35), football (42), women’s gymnas...tics (16), women’s rowing (4), softball (12), men’s swimming and diving (33), women’s swimming and diving (14), men’s tennis (36) and men’s track and field (57).
Dynasties have been developed over the years in sports such as football who boasts more all-time victories, and the highest winning percentage, in the history of collegiate football. The Michigan women’s gymnastics team has won 15 Big Ten titles in the last 17 years. The women’s swimming and diving team, who won a record 11 consecutive conference titles from 1987-1998, and women’s gymnastics also claim more total championships (14) than any other women’s program – in any sport – in the history of the conference.
Academically, Michigan is just as proud of its 71 student-athletes who have combined for 96 Academic All-America honors, including fullback Dick Balzhiser who was initiated into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2002.
Our website – MGoBlue.com – is one of the most unique and heavily visited collegiate sites in the world.
