Director of Content and News Media

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Director of Content and News Media

Job Profile Title

Associate Director D, Arts and Media, Communications and Marketing

Job Description Summary

The Director of Content and News Media is a critical member of the School of Veterinary Medicine’s (Penn Vet) communications organization. Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, the Director of Content and News Media serves as the principal news and science news creator for Penn Vet. The candidate will maintain broad awareness of the School’s curricular, co-curricular, clinical and research news, and the Dean’s activities, and translate them into strategic content plans and formats that are accessible to the media, science media, and the public; and distributed through Penn Vet’s website, social platforms, and digital and print publications.

Job Description

Must have a demonstrated understanding of veterinary medicine, science, health, and environmental health topics are key to success in this role. This will be accomplished by maintaining relationships with School, departmental and clinical leadership, faculty, post-docs, and students; interviewing subjects, writing and editing press releases and other public-facing stories, and working with the Chief Communications Officer, Web Editor, Associate Director of Marketing, Assistant Director of Social Media, and central University Communications, to ensure content reaches the appropriate audiences. This position will elevate the public’s knowledge and understanding of the relative impact of Penn Vet’s mission on animal and human health, as well as on environmental health.

The Director of Content and News Media will be a strategic, creative storyteller with an ability to translate the scholarly activities of faculty in ways that engage internal and external audiences. The Director must develop a strong appreciation of the School's goals, priorities, and key messages and understand how to use every assignment as an opportunity to promote them. The ideal candidate