Assistant Athletic Director Strategic Communications

Saint Peter's University; Jersey City (NJ); On-site; USD 50,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) plan with Roth and Traditional

Tuition remission

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

Saint Peter’s University Athletics seeks a dynamic Assistant AD for Strategic Communications to lead media relations and athletics communications. The role oversees content across web, digital, print and social platforms, aligning PR with marketing, ticketing, fundraising and recruiting initiatives.

The incumbent will manage day-to-day operations of the communications unit, supervise staff and interns, coordinate crisis response, and collaborate with other university departments to grow

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Digital Media or a related field.
• Experience in college athletics communications, media relations or sports information.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere) and Microsoft Office.
• Strong writing, editing, and design skills across web, social, video, and mobile.
• Knowledge of PR strategies for intercollegiate athletics.
• Ability to build relationships with athletes, coaches, staff, media, and community.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive multimedia plan to showcase programs, student-athletes and events to enhance brand reputation.
• Oversee media relations and athletics communications plan for all sports.
• Provide administrative leadership to staff, graduate assistants, interns and student workers.
• Coordinate coverage of home events and oversee staff for stats, scoreboard and production needs.
• Serve as primary media contact for select sports, including men’s basketball.
• Write press releases and feature stories; oversee publications and game programs.

Skills

Public relations

Writing

Editing

Digital media

Organization

Time management

Communication

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

InDesign

Photoshop

Premiere Pro

Microsoft Office

NCAA LiveStats

StatCrew

SIDEARM

Job description

About Saint Peter’s UniversitySaint Peter’s is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. Established in 1872, the University blends a unique learning experience shaped by rigorous academics, internships that provide real-world experience, community service, and a genuine, caring community that supports alumni long after graduation. Saint Peter’s offers more than 50 undergraduate majors as well as master’s level and doctorate programs.Saint Peter’s University’s diverse campus community, collegial and inclusive culture, and commitment to excellence, education, innovation and community engagement contribute to our success and ensures our employees flourish. The University merges quality academics, distinguished and exceptional faculty and staff, and modern facilities to engage and challenge its 4,000 students who share in the desire to shape the future through insight, intellectual exploration, discernment, and community service and engagement.Summary Description:Saint Peter’s University Athletics is seeking highly motivated applications for the position of Assistant AD for Strategic Communications. The incumbent will serve as a dynamic thought leader within athletics department, overseeing all aspects of media relations, public relations and communications. He/she will oversee the strategic development and execution of content dissemination across all platforms, including web, digital, print, external news platforms and social media. The position focuses on aligning departmental public relations and athletics communications with marketing, ticketing, fundraising and recruiting initiatives. The incumbent will oversee day-to-day operations of the athletics communications department, including creating consistency among brand channels to ensure appropriate tone and voice in all communications, promotions, and marketing pieces. This position reports to the Associate AD for Digital Media & Communications.Duties and Responsibilities:Develop and implement a comprehensive multi-media plan to showcase programs, student-athletes, and events that will enhance the Athletics department and University brand reputation through a comprehensive approach to public relations and media.Deliver the Saint Peter’s Athletics’ internal and external messaging and assist with marketing efforts to increase outreach and engagement with various constituent groups to enhance visibility of staff and student-athletes.Oversee a media relations/athletics communications plan for all sport programs while fostering productive relationships with local, regional, and national media outlets.Provide administrative leadership to full-time staff, graduate assistants, freelance and student staff/interns. Develop robust student athletics communications internship/practicum experiences for graduate assistant(s) and undergraduate students.Develop and plan work assignments for comprehensive coverage of all pertinent areas of communications and operations at home events, including the hiring and scheduling of stats crews/scoreboard/video board/operations support staff of select home events (soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball).Serve as the primary media contact for select sports, including men’s basketball.Assist in the production of digital marketing collateral and disseminate that content across all applicable platforms in a manner and voice consistent the department’s emphasis on instilling pride within all applicable audiences, in particular current and prospective student-athletes, as well as recent alumni.Write and deliver articulate and grammatically sound press releases on tight deadlines.Oversee design and creation of departmental publications, including game day program, posters, schedule cards, special event notices, and alumni/advancement material as appropriate for various sports and special events.Coordinate the daily maintenance and development of the official Saint Peter’s Athletics website and assure rosters, schedules, record books, etc., are updated in a timely manner and/or upon request from coaches/staff.Write press releases and feature stories promoting the department and its student-athletes.Serve as department spokesperson for all media requests for coaches, student-athletes and staff.Oversee historical archives and assure all pertinent website content is updated within a reasonable turnaround time at the conclusion of each season, including but not limited to: coach/staff/student-athlete bios, schedule archives, record book updates, updating rosters, photo galleries, etc.Pitch story ideas for Saint Peter’s University teams and student-athletes and provide stories when requested.Coordinate and present media relations training for coaches and student-athletesIn collaboration with University and Athletics administration, establish protocol and best practices to effectively respond to crisis situations.Coordinate with external operations and marketing to increase awareness, attendance, and revenue for ticketed athletics events.Collaborate with marketing department on content and calendar of promotions, online sales, digital ads, etc.Interact with other University departments to promote athletics.Perform other duties as necessary to build support for and add value to the objectives and goals of the University, department of Athletics, and Athletics Communication unit.Any other duty or responsibility assigned by the supervisorSalary Range: $50,000 - $52,000Benefits:Along with a competitive salary, we provide a robust benefits package to support your health and future goals.Key Benefits Include:Paid Time Off: Paid holidays, personal days, vacation, and sick leaveHealth Coverage: Health insurance, dental insurance, and vision insuranceLife Insurance: Employer-provided life insuranceLife & Disability Insurance: Voluntary life and voluntary disability coverageRetirement Savings: 401(k) plan with Roth and Traditional optionsTuition Remission: An attractive tuition remission policy for employees and their dependentsAdditional Perks: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Voluntary Legal plan, FSA and moreThe well-being of our employees is a priority for our University, and we are committed to promoting your success and well-being.Required Qualifications:Previous experience preferably, in communications or public relations, within a college athletic department or professional sports organization;Extensive technological proficiency including experience with Adobe Creative Suite software (including InDesign, Photoshop and Premiere), Microsoft Office, NCAA LiveStats, StatCrew, SIDEARM websites and other relevant software programs necessary to perform the job duties described;Strong background in writing, editing, and design; in all forms of digital media (websites, social, video, mobile);Knowledge of effective public relations and communications strategies as they relate to intercollegiate athletics;Demonstrated ability to establish effective goal-oriented relationships with student-athletes, coaches, staff, University colleagues, media, and community members;Strong organization skills and ability to take initiative, multi-task, and achieve a high level of productivity in a collaborative environment under time sensitive deadlines;Ability to travel with select teams, including men’s basketball;Understanding of evolving trends and best practices in college athletics and social & digital media/fan engagementAbility to work effectively with a variety of people and units, including various stakeholders in the athletic department and across the institution.Organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic environment.Commitment to community engagement, service, leadership development, or related work.Preferred Qualifications:Experience developing and maintaining community partnerships.Experience working directly with community-based organizations.Familiarity with service-learning, civic engagement, volunteer management, or leadership development programs.Education:Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Digital Media or a related field.Experience:The ideal candidate has previously worked in a college athletics setting, preferably at the Division I level, with experience in communications, media/public relations, sports information, etc., in addition to any undergraduate or graduate school experience. Proficiency with sport statistics programs such as Stat Crew and NCAA LiveStats; experience managing one or more team or departmental social media accounts; graphic design/illustration skills and experience as a public address announcer for one or more sports is also a plus.Licenses:Must have a valid driver’s license in good standing.Working Conditions:Regular evening and weekend work is required depending on home athletics events (particularly men’s/women’s basketball, MAAC Championship events, etc.); Some work around holidays will be required; Some travel will be required, particularly with men’s basketball.Physical Requirements:Incumbent may be required to work outdoors for extended periods of time (i.e., soccer and baseball/softball home games);