Senior Communications Officer
Emory University seeks a seasoned communications professional with a sharp news sense, superb writing skills and keen analytic abilities to help advance the vision and strategic priorities of a major liberal arts and research institution of discovery and learning.
The successful candidate, reporting to and working in partnership with the Associate Vice President of University Communications, will oversee a broad communications portfolio and must possess demonstrated skills and success in issues management and national media placement.
Specific responsibilities include:
• Covering a higher education issues beat on a variety of topics, including Emory’s leadership role in financial stewardship and issues of vital national interest and debate including innovation, accountability, evaluation and the future of higher education. Through in-depth reporting, the successful candidate will help interpret complex issues for internal and external audiences with the goal of fostering understanding of and building support for the university’s priorities and mission.
• Working with the University Communications team to develop creative and effective ways to tell Emory’s story across multimedia platforms
• Cultivating strong relations with major local and national media representatives and identifying and leveraging media opportunities for the university
• Handling selected issues including research/monitoring, preparation of backgrounders/message platforms, spokesperson preparation and serving as university spokesperson
• Playing a key role in working with the University Communications team to develop a comprehensive crisis communications program for the institution
Essential requirements include: Ten or more years of senior-level communications management experience. The successful candidate will possess superb writing skills, a sharp news sense, keen analytic abilities; a proven track record in successful national media placement; demonstrated knowledge of/experience in mainstream and new media; demonstrated ability to apply research and strategy in planning; experience in crisis communications; ability to work effectively as both a team member and a team leader; understanding of higher education issues
• Bachelor’s degree is required; master’s degree is a plus.
Preferred requirements include: Experience in working for a large, complex organization; experience working for an institution of higher education
