Job Posting Title:
Senior Director of Media Relations
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Hiring Department:
Dell Medical School
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Position Open To:
All Applicants
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Weekly Scheduled Hours:
40
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FLSA Status:
Exempt
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Earliest Start Date:
Jan 24, 2025
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Position Duration:
Expected to Continue
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Location:
UT MAIN CAMPUS
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Job Details:
General Notes
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Director of Media Relations to join our team at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. This role is pivotal in shaping and promoting the public image of our school and rapidly expanding academic medicine footprint at UT by developing and executing strategic media relations plans and relationships. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional communication skills, a deep understanding of the media landscape, development of strategic media content and outreach, and a proven record of managing media relationships in a healthcare or academic setting. In this role, you will build strong relationships as well as develop a robust understanding of Dell Med, UT’s comprehensive health care strategy, related strategic priorities, and supportive branding and messaging targets. You must be an active and engaged listener, a deft collaborator, a creative thinker, a savvy and empathetic communicator, and an effective strategist.
Finalists for this position may be asked to provide a portfolio of work or prepare other materials in support of their application. Online portfolios linked in résumés are helpful to the hiring mange in assessing qualifications and are encouraged.
Join our mission to revolutionize how people get and stay healthy, playing a highly impactful role in our work to set the standard for excellence in care, pioneer research with meaningful impact, lead innovation in medical education and catalyze life sciences entrepreneurship.
The University’s outstanding benefits package includes but is not limited to:
Competitive health benefits, with full-time employee premiums covered at 100%
Voluntary vision, dental, life and disability insurance
Generous paid vacation, sick time and holidays
A defined benefit retirement plan with employer matching funds
Additional voluntary retirement programs: 403(b) and 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Robust training through LinkedIn Learning, plus other professional development opportunities
Tuition assistance
An expansive employee discount program, including athletic tickets
Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID
Free rides on all Capital Metro buses with staff ID cad
For details, see:
Purpose
As part of the central Public Affairs team, the Senior Director of Media Relations is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive media relations strategy aimed at growing national awareness of the impact of academic medicine at the University of Texas at Austin and Dell Medical School. Working under the supervision of the Executive Director of Communications and in collaboration with University leaders and Public Affairs peers, you will play a vital role in ensuring that our organization effectively communicates key messages in a clear, compelling, and consistent manner — shaping the public image, reputation, and internal community of the medical center. This role will also be critical in building relationships with partners, peers, patients and community members to communicate the benefit and impact of academic medicine at UT Austin.
Responsibilities
Strategy & Planning:Develop and maintain a comprehensive media strategy to shape the image and enhance the national reputation of Dell Medical School and the emerging academic medical center it anchors while simultaneously promoting local and regional awareness of value and impact. Collaborate across campus to ensure alignment with University priorities and to ensure media relations strategy is broadly inclusive of transdisciplinary work supporting health and well-being. Maintain consistent contact with subject-matter experts to seek out communications opportunities and ensure appropriate media coverage. Monitor the news cycle for opportunities and threats and to analyze trends to inform communication strategies. Develop and maintain media plans and calendars.
Content Creation: Conceptualize, research, write, edit and distribute a range of products including press releases, media kits, briefing documents, blog posts, op-eds, official organizational statements and other media content aligned with strategy, branding and messaging. Coordinate across Public Affairs to integrate institutional messaging and to maximize integrated communications opportunities.
Relationships & Engagement: Proactively cultivate strategic relationships with local, regional and national journalists and influential media outlets to monitor and respond to their interests. Manage and grow database of relevant contacts. Organize and coordinate media events, interviews and press conferences. Manage media inquiries. As part of issues management, emergency response and other teams, serve as public information officer and spokesperson for Dell Med, the medical center, and/or the University as needed.
Training & Consultation:Supervise media relations associates, providing guidance, mentorship and support. Provide training and support to executives and subject-matter experts across the organization on issues related to topics such as media interaction, interviewing and public speaking. Serve as a strategic media advisor to organization leaders. Play a key role in issues management, collaborating with executives, campus communications leaders and other subject-matter experts.
Metrics & Evaluation: Develop and implement metrics and tools to measure the effectiveness of media relations activity. Analyze data and feedback to continually improve strategies and tactics. Conduct or consult with outside professionals to monitor brand awareness, message penetration, sentiment and other key performance indicators. As appropriate, communicate insights to executives, peers and other stakeholders.
Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism or a related field and ten (10) years of experience working as a professional communicator, including at least five (5) years in a managerial role and/or experience working as a journalist or other media role. Demonstrated understanding of media relations strategies, landscape, best practices, and emerging trends. Experience translating enterprise strategy to a comprehensive media relations plan considerate of trends, issues, media market and other key factors. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with organizational leaders to develop content, messaging and effective communications skills for use in the media environment. Demonstrated skill as a leader and manager in coaching teams to achieve clearly defined objectives and key results. Proven ability to use intelligence tools such as Meltwater to conduct media monitoring and to maximize the efficacy and reach of media relations. Demonstrated technical ability to produce accurate, grammatically sound written content, with ability to adapt messaging for different audiences and channels. Demonstrated technical ability to improve written content, including developmental, content, line and copyediting. Ability to analyze complex data sets and communicate key insights via presentations, dashboards, spreadsheets, et al. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and maintain schedules while working as a team player. Strong interpersonal skills, with a service-oriented mentality. Interest in meeting the demands of a rapidly growing organization with adaptability and eagerness to explore new communications opportunities.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
Preferred Qualifications
More than ten (10) years of experience working as a professional communicator, with more than five (5) years in a managerial role and/or experience working as a journalist or other media role. Experience in issues management and crisis communications, with a track record of good outcomes. Experience collaborating with government and community relations professionals to inform strategy and tactics. Robust knowledge of Associated Press style. Established relationships with national news and trade organizations, with a focus on health care. Familiarity with social media strategy and operations. Skill in using Adobe Creative Suite software, especially Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and/or Premiere. Skill in videography and/or video production to create media-oriented content. Experience in using project management software to organize work and enable multispecialty teams. Demonstrated experience interacting with university administrators, deans, faculty and staff in providing good client and customer service. Experience in medical education, higher education, health care or a related field.
Salary Range
OPEN
Working Conditions
May work around standard office conditions
Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
Occasional weekend, overtime, and evening work to meet deadlines
Required Materials
Resume/CV
3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
Letter of interest
Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.
Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.
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Employment Eligibility:
Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.
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Retirement Plan Eligibility:
The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.
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Background Checks:
A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.
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Equal Opportunity Employer:
The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
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Pay Transparency:
The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.
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Employment Eligibility Verification:
If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.
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E-Verify:
The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:
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Compliance:
Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.
The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.
Journalism (2)