Senior Director, Media Relations and Public Affairs

Chancellor's Office Statement

Join our team at the California State University, Office of the Chancellor, and make a difference in providing access to higher education. We are currently seeking experienced candidates for the position of Senior Director, Media Relations and Public Affairs. The CSU Chancellor's Office, located on the waterfront adjacent to the Aquarium of the Pacific in downtown Long Beach, is the headquarters for the nation's largest and most diverse system of higher education. The CSU Chancellor's Office offers a premium benefit package that includes outstanding vacation, health, and dental plans; a fee waiver education program; membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS); and 15 paid holidays a year.

Salary

The anticipated salary hiring range is up to $14,167 per month, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The salary range for this classification is $9,625 to $30,896 per month.

Classification

Administrator IV

Position Information

The California State University, Office of the Chancellor, is seeking a Senior Director, Media Relations and Public Affairs to be the chief spokesperson for the California State University Chancellor’s Office and leads a team of professionals responsible for strategic communications driven through media relations; developing, implementing, and assessing content strategy; crisis and issues management; and proactive public relations to advance the university’s reputation and priorities. The position also provides strategic and tactical guidance on local, regional, and national issues to executive leadership and serves as an advisor and mentor to campus-based peers and colleagues.

Responsibilities

Under the general direction of the Associate Vice Chancellor, Strategic Communications and Brand Marketing, the Senior Director, Media Relations and Public Affairs will:

-Build and maintain positive, constructive relationships with key contacts across the Chancellor’s Office and the CSU to aid in fulfilling media inquiries.

-Build and maintain positive, constructive relationships with news media contacts.

-Develop high-value story ideas and pitch to appropriate news outlets; proactively seek out media opportunities to position the CSU as a thought leader on key issues or emerging topics.

-Draft or review news releases and supervise news release distribution process.

-Field inquiries from the news media and act as a spokesperson when necessary.

-Identify appropriate subject-matter experts for media interviews and connect them with reporters.

-Draft talking points and counsel or coach interviewees in advance of interviews.

-Provide strategic communications counsel, particularly as it relates to media relations, to the Chancellor, vice chancellors, trustees, and, as requested, to campus leadership teams.

-Implement an issue management strategy that is proactive and identifies issues that could potentially impact the CSU, stakeholders or its constituents.

-Create communications plans, associated materials and responses.

-Provide updates, summaries, and post-event analysis and recommendations.

-Receive, fact-check, and research sensitive issues emerging from or confronting the institution.

-Collaborate with the Associate Vice Chancellor and others in crafting and implementing appropriate response plans.

-Draft issue-specific talking points and statements.

-Develop, implement, and assess a yearly strategic content plan with the goal of building understanding, trust and, ultimately, support for the university in alignment with the university’s goals and priorities.

-Monitors and analyzes key metrics to determine the reach and effectiveness of the university’s media relations efforts and devises strategies for improvement.

-Provide leadership and mentoring to the Media Relations and Public Affairs team, and to campus-based media and public affairs personnel.

-Work with campus-based public information personnel to integrate university messaging into campus communications.

-In partnership with the Associate Vice Chancellor, create and implement strategic communications plans in collaboration with colleagues in External Relations and Communications, and throughout the Chancellor’s Office.

-Integrate messaging with internal communications, owned media, marketing and brand management.

Qualifications

This position requires:

-A bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, or a closely related discipline is required. A master’s degree in a related area is preferred. A minimum of 8-to-10 years of pro