Director of Issues Management (HR Title: Issues Management & Crisis Communications Director)

About the Department

As SMU continues its academic ascent, Marketing and Communications plays a central role in elevating the University's profile and advancing its institutional priorities. Working collaboratively across campus, the team leads communications, marketing, media relations, digital and reputation-building efforts that showcase academic excellence, research, the student experience and SMU's impact. Through integrated planning, creative marketing and communications, proactive engagement and issues management, the team builds and protects SMU's reputation and strengthens connections with audiences locally, nationally and globally.

About the Position

This role is an on-campus, in-person position. As SMU advances its strategic plan and national profile, Marketing and Communications is evolving to support the academic mission through a more strategic and integrated approach. The Director of Issues Management leads issues preparedness, reputational risk monitoring, crisis communications planning, and coordinated response, serving as the central communications lead for emerging and sensitive situations affecting the University. In partnership with senior leadership and units such as Legal Affairs, SMU Police, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Risk Management, and Athletics, the Director develops protocols, response frameworks, and guidance to ensure effective crisis and issues response. This role strengthens institutional readiness, supports reputation and visibility, and requires strong judgment, coordination, and on-call responsiveness for crisis communications.

Essential Functions

• Lead the University's issues management and crisis communications program, helping identify, assess and respond to emerging risks while protecting and enhancing the University's reputation.
• Develop and maintain crisis communications protocols, escalation procedures, response frameworks and message templates.
• Protect and strengthen the University's reputation through proactive issues management.
• Monitor emerging reputational, operational, political and social issues that may impact the University.
• Coordinate communications response efforts during crises, sensitive issues and rapidly evolving situations.
• Serve as a strategic communications advisor to senior leadership during high-profile or sensitive matters.
• Draft and oversee leadership messaging, holding statements, FAQs, talking points and internal guidance documents during active issues.
• Coordinate closely with Legal Affairs, SMU Police, Student Affairs, Risk Management, Academic Affairs, Human Resources and other campus partners.
• Ensure communications responses align with University policies, institutional priorities and leadership guidance.
• Lead tabletop exercises, preparedness planning and after-action reviews to strengthen institutional readiness.
• Help oversee reputational monitoring and social listening efforts.
• Support media strategy and response coordination tied to reputationally significant matters.
• Collaborate closely with leaders across Media Relations, Internal Communications, Executive Communications and Marketing, as well as communications professionals throughout the University's schools and administrative units, to ensure coordinated institutional messaging and effective issue response.
• This position carries an on-call responsibility and must be available to respond to emergencies and urgent issues outside normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or another related field. Master's desired.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of work experience in strategic communications, crisis communications, issues management, public affairs, journalism or related fields required.
• Experience advising executive leaders during sensitive or rapidly evolving situations strongly preferred.
• Experience serving as a public information officer and working in higher education, healthcare, government, nonprofit or corporate reputation management desired.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies.
• Exceptional written communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions.
• Strong planning, organizational, and time management skills.
• Strategic thinking skills as well as the ability to exercise strong judgment and manage competing priorities under pressure.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with content management systems, crisis management platforms, and web publishing tools is preferred.
• Experience with Sitecore, Wordpress, and/or Veoci is desired.
• FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) training, including ICS 100, 200, and 700, is a plus.

Physical and Environmental Demands

• Sit for long periods of time
• Bend, squat, stand, crawl
• Walk for long distances
• Reach above shoulders
• Handle objects (dexterity)
• Push/pull
• Carry/lift 25 lbs.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision plans
• Wellness programs
• Retirement programs
• Professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits