Director of Communications

New Orleans, LA, United States

Job Description Job Description POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the President, the Director of University Marketing and Communications will provide strategic leadership and direction for the college's marketing, communications, and branding priorities and objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Create, implement, and evaluate integrated, outcomes-based marketing and communications plans across the college, including, but not limited to, the following areas: President’s Office

Enrollment Management

Advancement

Academic Affairs

Student Success

Title IX

Financial and Business Affairs

General Counsel

Athletics

Monitor issues important to the university and its stakeholders.

Coordinate internal communications to enhance employee engagement in partnership with human resources and to build community and informed decision-making among students.

Elevate Dillard’s visibility through presidential communications and positioning in partnership with the President’s Office and Advancement. Advance the brand and reputation of the university.

Guide the development of strategic, coordinated, and cost-effective media, including paid, earned, shared and owned, integrating university communications vehicles and strategies ).

Ensure accurate, timely, and consistent information that balances responsive, proactive approaches across the university’s communications spectrum that achieve strategic university goals and objectives.

Develop and maintain brand standards and engage communications partners across campus to drive a positive, uniform brand and message.

Analyze enrollment and other data and conduct and/or oversee market research to determine the most effective outreach strategies.

Establish and maintain marketing metrics, assess outcomes, and adjust strategy as needed; maintain strong media relationships and provide timely release of university information, including that of a sensitive nature.

Serve as a primary media contact person and university spokesperson. Provide 24/7 on-call access to respond to pressing matters.

Remain abreast of new marketing and communications practices and technologies and provide leadership in implementing new practices or modifying existing practices to benefit the institution.

Oversee editorial content to ensure information integrity and meet regulatory requirements for public disclosure of information.

Consult with the President, senior management team, and departmental staff to develop, recommend and evaluate an annual plan for the Marketing and Communications Department which details the budget and anticipated schedule/responsibilities. The plan will set out objectives, plans, and specific activities to be pursued in each area of responsibility. This plan will be developed in the context of the organization’s strategic and operating plans and will be directed at supporting the objectives established in those plans.

Make decisions relative to the selection, promotion, utilization, retention and compensation of Marketing and Communications staff.

Provide strong, effective and highly visible leadership to the Marketing and Communications team in order to capitalize on the full potential of this most critical resource. Ensures that all employees are stimulated, motivated and guided to contribute fully to the realization of Dillard University’s mission, vision, goals and objectives. Empowers employees to identify innovative approaches to enhance organizational performance.

Develop and implement an annual, strategic, special events calendar that ensures the efforts, resources and the volunteer time are utilized in a manner that provides the greatest return to the organization. Ensures all events are planned to capture the intended audience and the media attention. Manages the production of each event ensuring all appropriate sponsorships are achieved and all details are managed in a creative, timely and cost efficient manner.

Develop and maintain a strong and productive relationship with both print and electronic media. Ensures the media and the media understand the organization are interested in presenting information to the public to inform and educate them on the organization.

Direct market research activities in order to keep abreast of changing demographics and other relevant issues in order to evaluate marketing and communication activities and to monitor emerging issues.

Ensure the development of advertising and promotional plans and manage the annual advertising and promotional budget.

Serve as a key member of the university’s emergency preparedness team. Prepare and disseminate pertinent and timely information to the campus and public in response to emergencies.

Must be capable of developing a departmental budget that projects future expenditures and executing revenue generation initiatives.

Lead the promotion of on-campus events.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervises a team of communications and marketing professionals. This position requires the incumbent to be available to respond to emergency matters around the clock. As the University’s official spokesperson, it is understood that all media and social media posts/comments, both public and personal, reflect the Dillard University brand and should be managed accordingly.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Bachelor’s degree and five (5) years of experience in marketing and/or public relations or related field;

Master’s degree or accreditation in public relations preferred.

Must possess senior management and communications experience in an organization involving a significant number of people with diverse and varied interests and backgrounds.

Must have experience in strategic planning, communications planning and management, marketing and public relations.

Must understand and be able to use social listening, content management, design, creative software and technologies.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.

Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or business community members.

Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.

Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference.

Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Accreditation in Public Relations preferred (APR)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

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