Brandeis University is delighted to announce a career opportunity for Director, Strategic Communications and Public Relations. If you are looking for an opportunity to work at a beautiful university campus with lots of perks including free parking and access to a top of the line athletic facility, look no further! At Brandeis we offer a competitive benefits and compensation package which includes medical, dental and life insurances.  If you hope to advance your career through educational opportunities, Brandeis offers tuition benefits for employees, dependents and spouses. Our 403b retirement savings plan includes a generous match.

The Director, Strategic Communications & Public Relations is responsible for leading the communications efforts of the university, working to enhance the reputation and increase name recognition of Brandeis around the world. The Director is responsible for media relations, strategic communications, crisis communications, and internal communications. They provide oversight of the Senior content and marketing communications specialist and advise other members of the Office of Marketing Communications. The director reports to the Senior VP for Marketing Communications. Their efforts will further the universityâ™s marketing goals, which focus on admissions and advancement.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated record of success in developing and deploying communications strategies within complex, matrixed organizations, of delivering sound advice to senior leaders, and using excellent judgement in proactive and reactive communications. The Director will be comfortable working within a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment, able to pivot when the situation requires. Must be discreet in handling confidential information. The Director will foresee issues and generate communications strategies to address them proactively. Must be respectful and collaborative in working with leadership, faculty, staff and students.

As the supervisor of one staff member, the Director should be prepared to provide structure, support and actionable feedback for this direct report. As a senior member of the Marketing Communications team, the Director will be collaborative, supportive, transparent and accountable to other team members. The ideal candidate will think creatively to use communications strategies and tools to enhance the reputation of the university.

Core Responsibilities:

• The Director, Strategic Communications & Public Relations is responsible for crisis communications and issues management - identifying issues before they become crises in collaboration with the Senior VP of Marketing Communications, Director of Presidential Communications, General Counsel, and other leaders. They provide counsel to top university leaders. They manage internal communications related to challenging topics and are adept at using the universityâ™s broadcast email systems. 30%

• Responsible for proactive media relations. This includes pitching stories to the media, developing news releases and developing digital content that will be of interest to media. They collaborate with the Senior VP, Marketing Communications and the VP, Marketing, to ensure consistent messaging across platforms. 30%

• Oversees a senior content and marketing communications specialist, and plans, coordinates, edits and at time writes content for Brandeis Stories, the universityâ™s news and features website. They guide the specialist in creating content that appeals to prospective students and parents, and prospective donors. They will become familiar with the universityâ™s content management system used to post content, and with software used to send newsletters. 25%

• Provides guidance and counsel on communications across the university. Will assist faculty and administrators with media requests, providing media training when needed. Will help subject matter experts respond to media requests and will work to position scholars and administrators as thought leaders in the media. 15%

We invite applicants to upload their portfolios as part of the application process to showcase their work and qualifications.

Requirements:

• BA/BS in communications, journalism, marketing or related field required.

• Evening and weekend work occasionally required.

• 8 or more years of related work experience; at least 3-5 years of progressively responsible supervisory experience.

About Brandeis University

As a medium-sized private research university with global reach, we are dedicated to first-rate undergraduate education while making groundbreaking discoveries. Four major academic units with 3,600 undergraduates and 2,050 graduate students comprise the University: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, the International Business School, and the Rabb School of Continuing Studies. In 1985, Brandeis was elected to membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), which represents the 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. Brandeis has been ranked among the top 35 national universities by U.S. News & World Report every year since the rankings’ inception. Our 235-acre campus is located in the suburbs of Boston, a global hub for higher education and innovation. Our faculty are leaders in their fields, as passionate about teaching and mentorship as they are about pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Our students are motivated, compassionate, curious and open to exploring new and challenging experiences. Brandeis was founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian university under the sponsorship of th...e American Jewish community to embody its highest ethical and cultural values and to express its gratitude to the United States through the traditional Jewish commitment to education. By being a nonsectarian university that welcomes students, teachers and staff of every nationality, religion and orientation, Brandeis renews the American heritage of cultural diversity, equal access to opportunity and freedom of expression.

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