Public Affairs and Communication

92296BR

Manager, Media Relations

None - Not included in the union (Yale Union Group)

Full time

Regular

Administration & Operations

Senior Manager; Senior Program Leader (M6)

Click here to see our Wage Ranges

Communications/Editing/Teaching

37.5

Standard (M-F equal number of hours per day)

Central Campus

2 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06510

On-site

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Communications in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications (OPAC), the Director of Media Relations is responsible for proactively implementing a comprehensive communications program that helps to raise the local, national, and international profile of Yale University. Primary responsibilities include helping to create and execute the university’s media-relations plan; managing crises; identifying opportunities for pitching the media; effectively responding to media inquiries; executing excellent measurement of Yale’s performance in the media, altering the strategy based on constant monitoring of key performance indicators; working closely with the editorial team to ensure alignment of work around both owned and earned media; and preparing and training faculty for media engagements. The successful incumbent will exemplify Yale’s mission and OPAC’s vision in serving as a spokesperson for the university in the absence of the Associate Vice President.

*Please include 3 writing samples at point of application*

1. Develops, organizes, and directs a comprehensive, data-driven, and proactive media relations strategy and program that supports the long-term goals of the Office of Public Affairs and Communications and Yale University.
2. Serve as the senior member of the media relations team responsible for managing junior members of the team; helping to motivate the team and help to instill in them best practices and a desire to see Yale excel in media coverage.
3. Play a key role in the university’s crisis communications plans and responses
4. Manage a set number of departmental and unit beats and serve as the primary media contact for those beats.
5. Serve as university spokesperson as appropriate.
6. Build and maintain relationships with local, national, and international media outlets as well as individual journalists poised to tell various aspects of Yale’s story, individually and through the media-relations team. Facilitate the connection between key Yale faculty and relevant journalists.
7. Create and recommend a strategic media-relations strategy for the university.
8. Prepare media briefings for important interviews, inclusive of issue framing and relevant talking points.
9. Triage the daily influx of media inquiries to Yale.
10. Write distinct media plans for specific programs, projects, or events (e.g., major new appointments, new buildings, programs, partnerships/collaborations).
11. Manage the daily monitoring of key performance indicators bearing on Yale’s performance in the media; constantly adjust tactics based on this data.
12. Provide research and analysis of reporter coverage of Yale.
13. Manage the creation and distribution of media clips (frequency and audience to be established by the Associate Vice President).
14. Serve as a senior team member on the media relations team and steps in to manage all media relations employees in the absence of the Associate Vice President to high performance.
15. Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field and 7 years of media/public relations experience or an equivalent combination of experience and education.

Metrics-driven/results-oriented proactive media relations skills. Excellent grasp of all primary media channels, including broadcast, digital/social, and print. Solid grasp of crisis-communication fundamentals.

Excellent written and verbal communications skills. Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain a high level of discretion with sensitive, confidential information.

Experience with digital communications and social media. Highly developed ability to deal with all media issues, from routine to highly contentious.

Proven ability to lead, inspire and motivate the team to generate proactive results as well as champion change, align people to a shared purpose. Strong organizational skills and a demonstrated ability to produce outstanding results on deadline.

Experience in proactive media relations and crisis management for a large and influential organization. Experience leading media relations campaigns. Proven ability as a strategic thinker and long-range planner with ability to incorporate social, editorial, and digital communications initiatives. Experience with inspiring creativity and innovation.

No

No

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.

University policy is committed to affirmative action under law in employment of women, minority group members, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. Additionally, in accordance with Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment, and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

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