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• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

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POSITION SPECIFICS​

Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications—the University’s central public relations and marketing division—seeks an experienced public relations leader to serve as the Director of Public Relations and Media Strategy and help promote Penn State as a top, global public research university.

The director will help develop and implement a proactive media strategy as a part of an overarching strategic communications plan that supports the University’s mission and objectives. This role is responsible for driving high-profile media placements in influential local, regional, national, and international news outlets and helping to protect the brand through issues monitoring and response. The director will serve as part of the cross-leadership team in Strategic Communications, providing counsel on media relations to communications leaders across Penn State.

This is a hybrid position that combines remote and on-campus working.

Reporting to the assistant vice president of media and external engagement, this position will lead a high-performing team responsible for developing storytelling opportunities around student success, thought leadership, and general expertise; assist in managing larger strategic projects for the unit related to Presidential priorities; and advise on optimal media monitoring and reporting practices, including thoughtful analysis and feedback on results.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Lead all components of proactive top-tier media strategy, from planning to pitch development to media placements
• Drive in-depth relationships with a variety of national, regional, and local media, as well as high-profile online influencers, to generate coverage to enhance the University’s appeal and prestige
• Identify current trends and topical issues that could potentially elevate the reputation of the University through visible engagement
• Help position Penn State and its faculty as thought leaders in their respective fields
• Highlight the University’s commitment to research, working with the director of research communications to bring science to the forefront and creatively plan how to disseminate key research and commercialization efforts taking place at the University
• Partner with colleagues throughout the University to identi