Senior Media Relations Specialist

Title: Senior Media Relations Specialist

Division: University Marketing and Communication

Department: University Strategic Communication

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $52,000 - 55,000/Annual Salary

EEO Job Group: 2 E2

Position Summary

With a dual focus on strategic media outreach and social media integration, the Senior Media Relations Specialist plays a vital role in enhancing and protecting the University of Southern Indiana’s visibility and reputation through proactive, strategic communication with the media and public. This position is responsible for managing and strengthening the University’s public image by cultivating strong relationships with journalists, media outlets and creating an earned media placement and engagement strategy for the University. This position also works with influencers and ambassadors and leads the strategy and coordination of the University’s primary social media accounts, ensuring alignment of messaging and strategic growth across all channels.

Duties/Responsibilities 

Media Relations:

• Develop and implement media relations strategies that align with the University’s long-term goals, academic priorities and brand position.
  
  
• Serve as a primary media contact for the University and a trusted advisor to leadership on media engagement.
  
  
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with local, regional and national media.
  
  
• Research, write and distribute press releases, media advisories, story pitches, statements and feature stories to secure earned media placements.
  
  
• Coordinate and respond to media requests, facilitate interviews with faculty, staff and University leadership and plan and lead University press conferences.
  
  
• Develop proactive strategies to promote academic, research and scholarly work through media channels.
  
  
• Monitor media coverage, higher education trends and reputational issues to provide awareness and recommendations to University leadership.
  
  
• Track key media metrics and compile regular reports to evaluate performance.
  
  
• Maintain the University’s Strategic Communication online Newsroom and Media Experts Guide.
  
  
• Assist with University-wide crisis communication planning and serve as a backup to the Chief Communications Officer during emergencies. Develop clear and confident messaging in response to reputational issues, crises or emerging challenges.
• Monitor and manage the University’s presence on online reputation platforms (e.g., Google Business, Wikipedia and college search sites).

Social Media Strategy and Management:

• Oversee strategy, planning and content creation for the University’s flagship social media accounts.
  
  
• Manage and monitor masthead platforms, crafting daily content and campaigns that support strategic initiatives, enrollment goals and institutional storytelling.
  
  
• Ensure alignment and integration between media relations and social media messaging for consistency and broader impact.
  
  
• Monitor performance metrics and audience engagement to refine strategy and improve reach.
  
  
• Stay current with platform trends, algorithm changes and digital communication best practices.
  
  
• Facilitate the University’s Social Media Administrators group and develop training resources for content creators.
  
  
• Lead and mentor student workers and interns in content creation, especially short-form video tailored for social platforms.

Content Development and Collaboration:

• Collaborate with University Administrators, Deans, Department Chairs and Content Marketing Specialists to gather content and help ensure consistency in messaging, including managing the President's presence on LinkedIn and developing strategic executive communications.
  
  
• Partner with Content Marketing Specialists to proof, publish and promote area-specific content across media and social platforms.
  
  
• Track projects and collaborations through Airtable project management software.
  
  
• Promote and uphold brand and editorial standards across all internal and external communications.
  
  
• Strengthen collaboration with departments such as Admissions and Student Affairs to enhance recruitment and retention messaging.
  
  
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations, marketing or related field.
  
  
• Minimum of 2 years of p