Head of Public Relations

University of the People; United States; Remote; USD 90,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

University of the People is seeking a Head of Public Relations and Communications to enhance its brand visibility and influence globally. The ideal candidate will have extensive PR experience, exceptional writing skills, and a strong understanding of social issues impacting higher education. This full-time role involves strategic media engagement and collaboration with various internal teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in leading a PR office.
• Deep understanding of social media as a strategic PR tool.
• Global affairs awareness and sensitivity to educational audiences.

Responsibilities

• Act as the PR lead and strategic advisor to the President.
• Lead UoPeople’s external voice across earned media and public communications.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with global opinion leaders.

Skills

Exceptional writing and editing skills

Media relations

Crisis management

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or related fields

Job description

University of the People provided pay range

This range is provided by University of the People. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$90,000.00/yr - $95,000.00/yr

Direct message the job poster from University of the People

University of the People (UoPeople) is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited, 100% online university. Today, UoPeople has over 152,000 students enrolled from more than 200 countries and territories, including 18,800 students who are refugees. Currently UoPeople is accredited by the DEAC and WASC accreditation.

We believe that higher education is a basic human right and that it can transform not only the lives of students, but also their families' lives, their communities, their nations, and, by extension, the world. See President Reshef’s TED talk when he announced the founding of the University.[ TED talk ]

UoPeople is an innovative university, and we welcome team members who bring creativity and innovation to their roles. We’re a fast-paced organization with remote teams all around the globe. If you’re a self-starter who wants to succeed alongside a passionate team, we’d love to hear from you!

UoPeople is supported by the generosity of individuals and foundations, including the Gates, Hewlett, Ford Foundations, Fondation Hoffmann, and others. The University has been covered by the New York Times, BBC, NPR, Times Higher Education, US News and World Report, and more. President Reshef’s TED Talk and Nas Daily interview about the University have 30 million views combined.

REPORTS TO: President of the UoPeople

GENERAL PURPOSE:

As we continue to grow our global impact, we seek a talented, strategic, and driven Head of Public Relations and Communications to champion the UoPeople brand among world opinion leaders, journalists, fundraisers, students, and the broader academic community.

The Head of PR will work directly with the President of the University, serving as his right hand in all public relations and external communication efforts. This role is critical to advancing UoPeople’s brand visibility, credibility, and influence among global audiences — including opinion leaders, journalists, donors, and prospective students.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and strategic thinker, with deep expertise in media relations, social media dynamics, crisis management, and emerging global trends. A strong understanding of human rights issues, social and economic developments, and their impact on higher education and public opinion is essential. We are looking for someone who is sharp, articulate, self-driven, mission-oriented, and energized by working in a fast-paced, high-impact environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Act as the PR lead and strategic advisor to the President for all public relations efforts.
• Lead UoPeople’s external voice across earned media, social media (at the opinion leadership level), and public communications.
• Write and produce high-quality content, including press releases, op-eds, speeches, blogs, newsletters, and other public-facing materials.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with global opinion leaders, journalists, and influencers across sectors related to education, philanthropy, and international affairs.
• Position President Reshef as a thought leader in global higher education through strategic media engagement.
• Lead and inspire support staff to achieve key PR objectives and projects.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Marketing, Advancement, Enrollment) to align messaging and ensure brand consistency.
• Monitor global developments across higher education, philanthropy, online learning, human rights, social and economic trends, identifying proactive PR opportunities that position UoPeople as a leader in global education and social impact.
• Safeguard the University's reputation by ensuring confidential and sensitive information is handled appropriately.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in leading a PR office, agency or a highly demanding PR role.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills in English — must be able to craft clear, compelling, high-level content.
• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, International Relations, or related fields.
• Deep understanding of social media as a strategic PR tool (not just marketing-driven).
• Experience managing relationships with global media journalists and opinion leaders.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to self-manage in a fast-paced environment.
• Mission-driven mindset, proactive, Independent, with a high degree of self-motivation and ownership.
• Sharp, strategic thinker with excellent articulation and execution abilities.
• Global affairs awareness and sensitivity to international educational and philanthropic audiences.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, International Relations, or a related field.
• Previous experience working with or within higher education institutions or academic organizations, or global social impact NGO’s
• Existing network of contacts among global media, foundations, and opinion leaders.
• Understanding of the higher education ecosystem and its intersections with international development and public diplomacy.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Public Relations and Management

• Industries

  Higher Education and E-Learning Providers

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