Director for Media Relations and Strategic Communications

About the role

The University of Washington is seeking a Director for Media Relations and Strategic Communications to join its University Marketing & Communications team. This is a full-time permanent position.

Responsibilities

• Support the Assistant Vice President for Communications/Spokesperson in managing day-to-day media relations activities, including responding to media inquiries, coordinating interviews and developing key messages for external audiences.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with local, regional and national media representatives.
• Provide expert guidance on media strategy, pitch development and message framing in support of institutional priorities and reputation management.
• Use media monitoring tools and coverage analysis to assess trends, identify emerging issues and inform proactive and reactive media relations strategies.
• Serve as a university spokesperson on specific topics, issues or situations, as assigned.
• Play a key role in issues monitoring, risk assessment and crisis communications planning.
• Coordinate closely with campus communicators and leadership during crises or emerging situations to ensure consistency, accuracy and timeliness.
• Develop and oversee strategic communications plans for complex, high-profile, or long-term institutional initiatives.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of strategic communications initiatives using data and insights and adjust approaches as needed to improve reach, clarity and impact.
• Ensure alignment between strategic communications initiatives and the University’s mission, values and leadership priorities.
• Provide media relations training, preparation and one-on-one coaching for faculty, staff and selected University leaders, including deans, vice presidents and vice provosts.
• Advise academic and administrative leaders to communicate effectively with external audiences and navigate media engagement.
• Balance individual workload with supervision, leadership, guidance and oversight of others’ work.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or related field AND five years of experience in media relations, strategic communications, journalism, public affairs or related field.
• Experience in higher education, health care, government, or another large public or mission-driven institution.
• Demonstrated experience leading media relations and strategic communications for a complex, public-facing organization.
• Demonstrated success supporting reputation management and crisis communications.
• Experience providing media training or coaching for faculty, executives, or other subject-matter experts.
• Familiarity with digital analytics, audience engagement metrics and media intelligence tools to support strategic communications planning and evaluation.
• Experience coordinating communications across multiple units, campuses, or partner organizations.
• Background working with local, regional and national media outlets on a wide range of topics.
• Demonstrated ability to balance individual workload with supervision, leadership, guidance and oversight of others’ work.

Qualifications

• Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification and/or registration.
• This is a regular position.
• FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) 100.00%.
• Union/Bargaining Unit Not Applicable.