Media Relations Director
Pima Community College

Pima Community College

Pima Community College Named 5th Best Employer to Work for in Arizona

Position Title: Media Relations Director

Department: District Office

Starting Rate: Band 9 - $84,800 - $112,400

Closed Date: April 7, 2023, 5:00 PM Arizona Time

Position Summary:

The Media Relations Director is a key member of the External Relations communications team and is responsible for elevating the PCC brand through proactive outreach of PCC-related news and information to traditional and digital media channels. This person serves as one of the spokespersons for the College and reports directly to the Vice Chancellor of External Relations.

This role supports the college's efforts related to planning, execution and measurement of external communications to drive awareness and understanding of PCC through exceptional storytelling, timely articles, managing crisis communications and developing innovative approaches to media pitching.

The Media Relations Director finds and creates content for news articles, press releases, posts and key messages that are deployed across various traditional and digital news platforms and social media channels. The position demonstrates exceptional writing and editing skills for both traditional and broadcast media, the ability to build strong relationships with college staff, faculty and students, as well as local, state, national and higher education trade media.

This position will interact frequently with the College Chancellor and senior leadership to glean story ideas and offer counsel on media relations strategy and tactics. The Media Relations Director also monitors news coverage and develops and reports media relations metrics on a regular basis to the department, senior leadership and the Governing Board.

The work schedule for this position is flexible and may include working evenings and weekends.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Proactively pitches local, state, national and higher education trade media on PCC-related stories that elevate the College's brand and highlight student success, innovative programs and exceptional faculty and staff
• Acts as one of the spokespersons for the College.
• Leads and directs the External Relations media team who write and pitch stories external and internally on behalf of the College.
• Builds strong and trusted relationships with College staff, faculty and students to develop enterprise stories on a regular basis to pitch to traditional and digital media as well as social media channels.
• In collaboration with the Vice Chancellor of External Relations, develops an editorial calendar for regular and timely outreach to news and social media outlets.
• Develops strong working relationships with local, state, national and higher education trade reporters and editors as well as social media channel producers, bloggers and influencers
• In collaboration with the Vice Chancellor of External Relations, develops and implements media training for College staff, faculty and senior leadership
• Offers counseling to the Chancellor, senior leadership on media outreach strategies and tactics
• Develops and implements tools to effectively track and report on effectiveness of the College's media relations efforts
• In collaboration with the Vice Chancellor of External Relations and the PCC Police Department, develops a comprehensive crisis communication plan

• Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Communication, Marketing, or Journalism Marketing or a closely related field of study and
• Five to eight years of related experience and
• Three plus years of supervisory experience

• An equivalent combination of certification, education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above

• Master's degree in Public Relations, Communication, Marketing, or Journalism Marketing or a closely related field of study
• More than eight years of related experience in marketing, social media, and data analysis

• Supervisory, Program management, Journalism, Advanced marketing principles
• Public relations, Presentation, Research, Budgeting, Monitoring and evaluating employees, Prioritizing and assigning work and Public speaking
• Designing, implementing and evaluating marketing or public relations strategies and Conflict resolution
• Establishing and maintaining local and national media relations
• Persuading and influencing through presentations and reports
• Developing and administering budgets
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public