Associate Director Communications

The Office of Marketing and Communications leads external marketing and communications initiatives—including brand awareness, media relations, website, social media, marketing, and high-level event promotion—to advance the school’s global reputation as a leader in the field of international relations. This office is seeking an Associate Director of Communications. Reporting to the Director of Communications and working across the school, the position is responsible for helping to develop and implement the school’s communications strategies. The Associate Director of Communications is the school’s primary contact for national and international media, working to connect journalists and media organizations with SAIS’s distinguished faculty members.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

Communications

• Serve as communications advisor to ensure awareness of all communications issues, plans and priorities, ensure message alignment with institutional priorities, raise school visibility, influence thought leadership, and proactively leverage communications efforts to mitigate potential institutional risk
• Provide centralized support and communications advice to the offices of admissions, academic affairs, student affairs, global careers, and Office of the Dean
• Working with the senior writer, facilitate internal communications efforts, build organizational awareness and ensure consistency and alignment of messaging across school units
• Ensure processes for regularly and effectively measuring and evaluating communication budget spend, analytics, benchmarks and KPIs
• Serve as communications liaison to JHU central communications and other relevant units across the university
• Coordinate with SAIS events team on media-driven events
• Manage, conduct and publish interviews of SAIS faculty, students, alumni, and manage all associated activities

Media Relations

• Manage all components of media relations including press outreach/monitoring, evaluation, and analysis, and media training; coordinate media outreach and manage relationships with members of the press and key influencers

• Respond to daily media inquiries from print, online and broadcast journalists seeking expert commentary from faculty and scholars and arrange for on- and off-campus interviews with school experts, if needed
• Manage School’s media database, track analytics, provide monthly media analytics report to departmental and school leadership
• Regularly and proactively interact with faculty experts to promote their research through media pitches, expert advisories, and other communications tools
• Prepare media advisories and collaborate with colleagues to announce and promote faculty research and awards, and school events
• Draft and distribute event advisories to target media
• Provide on-site guidance to journalists attending public events, including managing media RSVPs in conjunction with event staff, staffing media check-in table and assisting journalists with multimedia logistical and technical needs and other requests
• Provide support for publicity and internal coverage of events, including preparing press kits and providing multimedia coverage of events such as digital photography, audio and video recordings and post-event multimedia production for the web
• Build network and maintain regular contact with journalists and strengthen relationships with key outlets
• Provide media relations support to academic programs, centers, institutes and initiatives within SAIS including high-level event promotion and expert advisories, as needed
• Plans, coordinate, and conduct logistics and media outreach for select high-level and invitation only faculty-media events
• Draft and distribute media advisories for important school news and announcements
• Oversee weekly production of “In the News” news roundup email to promote the school’s national and international media presence
• Oversee production of “The Brief” monthly email to highlight expert commentary on a current or newsworthy issue
• Oversee production of “On the Bright Side” monthly internal newsletter to promote faculty, staff and student highlights

Minimum Qualifications (Mandatory):

• B.A. Degree in relevant discipline
• At least 5 years of related experience in journalism, media relations or communications
• Demonstrated ability to secure high level media placements
• Experience building cross-functional outreach programs, internal and external alliances, community partnerships and managing key stakeholder relationships

*JHU Equivalency Formula: 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

** Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience developing strategic communications efforts for higher education, corporate or non-profit entities
• Firsthand knowledge of international and national media outlets, both print and electronic
• Experience in higher education, international affairs, government affairs, diversity or community-relations is a plus
• Knowledge of information dissemination techniques, including alternative ways to inform via written, verbal, and visual media
• Expert news judgment, writing and editing skills
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to succeed in a fast-paced, high-productivity environment
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, communicating effectively as appropriate for the needs of the audience
• Ability to analyze information and evaluate results in order to choose the best solutions and solve problems
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong written and verbal communications skills – both from an internal and external capacity
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Excellent presentation skills
• Ability to break down complex issues into easily understandable terms
• Highly motivated, passionate, creative team player
• Able to work in a collaborative team environment, and willing to collaborate with internal stakeholders across the organization
• Commitment to working with shared leadership and in diverse, cross-functional teams
• Ability to communicate with diverse personalities in a tactful, mature, flexible manner
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and prioritize duties appropriately
• Possess professional presence and demeanor

Location:

• Washington, DC

Classified Title: Communications & Marketing Manager
Working Title: Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PE
Starting Salary Range: Commensurate with experience
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M-F, 8:30-5:00; occasional evening or weekend events
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: ​​​​​​​DC - District of Columbia
Department name: ​​​​​​​Marketing & Communications
Personnel area: SAIS

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711.

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.

EEO is the Law
Learn more:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf