Skip to main content

This job has expired

Director, Publications & Media Relations (School of Theology)

Employer
Sewanee: The University of the South
Location
Sewanee, TN

View more

Job Details

Position Overview

Primary Function: The Director of Publications and Media Relations creates and implements all publications of the School of Theology and media relations for the purpose of increasing the visibility of the University of the South, with a focus on the School of Theology, both the seminary and the Beecken Center, and its personnel, alumni, and programs.
Opportunities for Leadership:
This position reports to the Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications and the Vice President and Dean of the School of Theology and will be responsible for supervising multiple work-study students with task-oriented supervision and work-flow management.
Career Band: 2E

Position Description

Typical Duties & Responsibilities:

Directs all School of Theology related publications:

Serves as editor of Features, the School of Theology’s monthly digital newsletter/online magazine.

Produces printed material that support/promote the School’s admission efforts and other public awareness needs.

Functions as the content director for the School of Theology website. Creates, collects, edits, and manages content, keeping the site’s content and look consistent with the University style.

Maintains an active presence for the School of Theology in all social media channels.

Works with the admissions and recruiting office to support and increase admissions at the seminary. Creates, in coordination with University resources, all print and online materials and advertising for recruitment.

Provides support for University advancement and church relations upon request from the assistant director of church relations, advancement, and alumni relations in the following areas—posting content to the website, the School's social media channels, and inclusion in the magazine and newsletter.

Functions as the external communications director. Produces Episcopal-related and School of Theology news releases for Anglican, Episcopal, and religious media representing the University of the South, the seminary, and the Beecken Center.

Works with the School of Theology's deans, faculty, senior staff, and other members of the marketing and communications staff to publicize and promote programs and accomplishments, to the 28 owning dioceses and the broader Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion.

Serves on multiple committees within the seminary. Participates in the planning, promotion, and execution of the committees’ efforts.

Serves as the School of Theology’s proof-reader and editor for all printed, online, or published materials.


Budgetary Responsibility: Develops the budget, monitors expenditures against budget, and analyzes budgetary data for the two departments.
Personal Interaction/Communication:
  • Student Contact: Daily; work-study management of multiple students
  • Internal: Daily; staff and faculty of the seminary, Beecken Center, marketing and communications staff, executive office staff
  • External: Daily; Regents & Trustees, visitors, representatives from other institutions, lecturers, contracted service providers, campaign cabinets, and perspective students
  • Attributes of a Successful Candidate

    Education: Bachelor’s degree preferred
    Experience: 5-7 years experience in public relations/communications/marketing and/or journalism required
    Job Related Skills:

    Ability to think strategically and creatively

    Ability to work collegially

    Ability to write and edit with clarity and skill

    Ability to work independently

    Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and project management skills

    Ability to function as a spokesperson for the seminary

    Ability to maintain a consistently high quality communications program to various constituencies, including donors, alumni/ae, students, potential students, and faculty

    Demonstrated competence in electronic and social media

    Being a communicant member of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, and being well-informed about both, is a plus

    Supplemental Information

    Confidential Information: Varies with department: information such as donor giving histories, student grades, student health records, employee information, staff wages.
    Working Environment: Normal office environment
    Any additional requirements specific to this position:

    Must be able to wear an approved mask for prolonged periods while performing job duties and responsibilities.

    Employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to an approved medical or religious exemption.

    Organization

    Working at Sewanee: The University of the South

    Known familiarly as “Sewanee” by its students, faculty, staff and friends, The University of the South offers an unmatched educational experience. The university remains purposefully small and dedicated to building a sense of community. All classes are taught by professors, not graduate teaching assistants, and close faculty-student interaction ensures that each student enjoys a rich and personal educational experience. It is not unusual for students and faculty members to work shoulder to shoulder on research projects and journal articles, to meet for coffee at a local eatery, or to serve together as members of the university orchestra, volunteer fire department, and other civic groups.

    The result of such individualized education is clear in the academic success of Sewanee students and alumni. The university has had 26 Rhodes Scholars—a number that puts Sewanee in the top four nationally among American liberal arts colleges—as well as 27 NCAA Postgraduate Fellows, 43 Watson Fellows, and dozens of Fulbright Scholars, and has an acceptance rate to graduate and professional schools that far outpaces its peers. The School of Theology has added to its alumni ranks countless bishops, including three of the last four presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church.

    Sewanee offers 36 majors, 32 minors, and 15 special programs, along with pre-medicine, pre-nursing, pre-law, and pre-business. More than 40 percent of students participate in study-abroad programs, and a comprehensive endowed program that provides financial support for summer internships has greatly strengthened career development for undergraduates. See more about Sewanee in the "Sewanee Snapshot" here.

    In an era of specialization, Sewanee upholds the broad-based ideals of liberal education as a surer means to success. At the University of the South, the adherence to outstanding liberal arts education and enduring traditions of honor, community, and respect have transformed many generations of students, and have earned the abiding loyalty and support of alumni who are enjoying lives of integrity, leadership, and service.

    The University is located atop the Cumberland Plateau between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Sewanee’s physical environment, which includes the 13,000–acre Domain (as the campus and surrounding area is known), provides a remarkable academic and recreational resource, and an unparalleled place in which to study and reflect. It invites students to engage in both a multitude of outdoor activities and careful study of the natural environment.

    As the University celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding in 2007–2008, it looked back on a rich history and forward to new opportunities for the next generations. “The essence of Sewanee is consistent from generation to generation,” said Vice Chancellor emeritus Joel Cunningham. “We are a university dedicated to liberal education, to time-honored traditions, and to our commitment to serve our students and this nation. We have been successful in advancing our mission, and I believe we have the resources and the will to ensure that Sewanee’s best years are still to come.”

    Get job alerts

    Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

    Create alert