Director of Media Relations

Director of Media Relations

Position Summary
The Director of Media Relations is responsible for leading the planning and execution of a media and public relations strategy aligned with the strategic vision of the university and brand objectives as determined by the Vice President of Marketing and Communications. The director will cultivate and sustain relationships with national, regional, local, and specialty media. This individual will proactively identify and pursue news stories that demonstrate the University of Oklahoma’s strategic vision and leadership position within the field of higher education. The director will regularly strategize, develop, and execute proactive and reactive media engagement activities with top-tier specialty media in addition to national, state, regional, and local outlets. The director will effectuate public relations strategy by converting university goals into actionable and effective media and public relations tactics.

The director will be an effective storyteller, writing and producing stories on behalf of OU News and actively pitching university stories to targeted outlets. Other communications responsibilities may include executive-level communications such as presentations, speeches, op-eds, letters, and other writings as required. The director also serves as the university’s primary Public Information Officer (PIO).

Professional Requirements

Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, or related field or equivalent combination of education/job related experience, AND:

• 48-60 months of Media relations, public relations, communications, or related field.

Skills:

• Writing, editing, and AP Style expertise.
• Familiarity and relationships with local, regional, and national media contacts.
• Excellent project management and time management.
• Issues management experience.

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About the University of Oklahoma

Created by the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a doctoral degree-granting research university serving the educational, cultural, economic, and healthcare needs of the state, region, and nation. The Norman campus serves as home to all of the university’s academic programs except health-related fields.

The OU Health Sciences Center, which has academic and clinical programs in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and across the state, is one of the most comprehensive academic health centers in the nation with seven professional colleges, the state’s largest clinical group practice OU Physicians, and research centers such as the NCI designated Stephenson Cancer Center and the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. The OU Health Sciences Center is closely affiliated with the non-profit OU Medicine health system, which includes OU Medical Center, the Children’s Hospital, and OU Medical Center Edmond, and provides essential clinical services across adult and pediatric specialties. Both the Norman and Health Sciences Center colleges offer academic programs at the Schusterman Center, the site of OU-Tulsa.

OU enrolls almost 32,000 students, has more than 2,800 full-time faculty members, and has 21 colleges offering 172 majors at the baccalaureate level, 156 majors at the master’s level, 81 doctoral-level majors and 54 graduate certificates. The university’s annual operating budget is $2.05 billion. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution http://www.ou.edu/eoo/. Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and are encouraged to apply.