Director of Internal Communications and Government Relations Manager

About SUNY Empire State College:

SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 by Dr. Ernest Boyer as a distinctive statewide institution focused on innovative, nontraditional teaching and learning.

SUNY Empire is part of the State University of New York system and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. With headquarters in Saratoga Springs, New York, SUNY Empire primarily serves working adults pursuing associate, bachelor's and master's degrees online and onsite at locations in every region of the state and abroad.

The college's 50-year commitment to flexible, individualized learning is represented by faculty mentors who guide students throughout their academic studies, the ability for students to build individualized degree plans, the award of credit for learning gained from life and work experience, world-class academic and social student-support communities, and flexible course delivery methods that meet students' diverse learning preferences. The college boasts more than 89,000 successful alumni and partners with nearly 16,000 students each year who want to expand their personal and professional horizons.

SUNY Empire State College is committed to creating a multicultural, inclusive academic and work environment. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We believe that a diverse faculty is critical to academic excellence and prepares students to live and work in an increasingly global world.

We are pleased to offer our employees a generous compensation and benefits package. We also offer professional-development activities for professionals and support staff, as well as faculty-development opportunities that encourage pursuit of disciplinary and community-focused research, scholarship of teaching and learning, and leadership development. Faculty-development opportunities include our annual Fall Academic Conference and the annual Institute on Mentoring, Teaching and Learning.

Job Description:

The internal communications director and government relations manager at SUNY Empire State College will oversee the college's internal communications channels and initiatives to reinforce the college's strategic goals, mission, and values. This position will be responsible for developing a comprehensive internal communications plan and managing daily internal communications from departments across the college to ensure quality and consistency of internal news and messaging.

The internal communications director and government relations manager will form close relationships with stakeholders across the college to collect and curate critical information and help foster a positive workplace culture, as well as with the director of communications and director of marketing to ensure alignment of messaging. As head copywriter, this position will be responsible for maintaining and enforcing the official college writing standards. In this role, there may be occasion to support the department with work performed outside of regular office hours.

The internal communications director and government relations manager will serve as the official SUNY Empire point of contact for all government officials and their staff and advocate for SUNY Empire priorities with local, state, and federal government officials and their staff - at the direction of the President/Officer in Charge and AVP of Communications and Marketing. As primary contact, the individual will coordinate interactions with and visits from elected and government officials. The incumbent will also be responsible for ensuring compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and SUNY policies related to intergovernmental relations and lobbying.

The position will report to the assistant vice president of communications and marketing.  

Responsibilities:

• Develop, lead, and execute a comprehensive internal communications plan that aligns with and articulates SUNY Empire's goals, mission, and values.
• Plan and execute internal communications programs to engage internal audiences and create a positive workplace culture.
• Develop, maintain, and enforce the official college style guide for writing standards.
• Identify and use multiple platforms and channels (email, intranet, website) to deliver compelling content.
• Plan, edit, and write content for a variety of internal communications mediums, such as a staff intranet, monthly newsletters, alumni magazine, and regular email bulletins.
• Ensure internal messaging aligns with and supports external messaging.
• Provide copywriting and proofreading support for marketing and communications teams as needed to help ensure consistency of tone and messaging, including but not limited to press releases, brochures, ads, web pages, and other promotional materials.
• Oversee planning and production of official college publications. Work with other departments and offices across the college, such as OAA and Advancement, to ensure quality and consistency of publications.
• Provide internal communications support to departments and schools across the college.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with faculty, staff, and administration.
• Develop an editorial calendar of internal messages that will be pushed through a variety of communication mediums such as email, face-to-face, videos, events, etc.
• Keep employees in all office locations informed on important organizational news and updates in a timely, relevant, and engaging manner. (Include region-specific updates?)
• Proactively identify new opportunities and develop new programs to continually improve our internal communications program, including celebrating external accolades, major news, employee/team achievements.
• Responsible for ongoing content review process, ensuring consistency of new content added to website. Audit and refresh stale and out-of-date content (including website?).
• Track relevant metrics and gather data to inform decision-making regarding internal communications
• Conduct outreach to local, state, and federal government officials and their staff on a regular basis to gauge their interest in aligning with the college on educational and promotional efforts
• Be initial point of contact on questions from local, state, and federal government officials regarding matters of importance to constituents that involve SUNY Empire
• Consult with the President/Officer in Charge and AVP of Communications and Marketing on all outreach to elected and government officials
• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and SUNY Policy related to intergovernmental relations and lobbying
• Coordinate with and be the point of contact for the SUNY office of Government Relations
• Keep and update a list of official points of contact with public officials

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in communications, media, or a related field 
• Minimum five years' experience in institutional communications
• Experience with publication management
• Experience in government relations/outreach
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and attention to detail 
• Experience planning strategic communications or outreach campaigns
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, notably Word and Outlook
• Knowledge of customer relationship management (CRM) systems, such as Constant Contact

Preferred Qualifications:

• Self-starter who will take initiative and bring new ideas and concepts to the team
• Basic knowledge of web design platforms like Terminal 4 or Wordpress
• Basic knowledge of content management systems such as Sharepoint
• Knowledge of Associated Press style

Special Information:

• Position located in Saratoga Springs, NY
• Some travel may be required
• VISA sponsorship is not available for this position 

Additional Information:

Rank/Salary:  Competitive/commensurate with experience.

Empire State College is an EOE employer.

IF YOU NEED A DISABILITY-RELATED ACCOMMODATION, PLEASE CALL THE ADA COORDINATOR AT (518) 587-2100, ext. 2240. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TITLE II CRIME AWARENESS AND SECURITY ACT, A COPY OF OUR CRIME STATISTICS IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST BY CALLING (518) 587-2100, ext. 2800. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED ON-LINE AT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY WEBSITE AT http://www.esc.edu/safety-security

Application Instructions:

Applications Due By: Applications accepted until position is filled.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit the following documents, which are required for consideration by clicking on the link below:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Name and contact information of three references
• At least three writing samples

Apply online: https://www.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=129024