Senior Media Relations Specialist

Socket.dev; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt University is seeking a Senior Media Relations Specialist to develop and implement media relations plans, raise leadership profiles, and coordinate interviews and bylined content for the Chancellor and university leadership.

Reporting to the Media Relations Manager, you will work with faculty, staff and external stakeholders to protect and enhance Vanderbilt's reputation through proactive outreach and strategic messaging across multiple channels.

Qualifications

• At least 5–7 years of experience in communications or journalism or related field.
• Prior experience with executive communications, reputation management and marketing preferred.
• Experience in media relations and understanding of social media audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement media relations plans and tactics aligned with university goals.
• Raise the profile of university leadership in key outlets and with stakeholders.
• Coordinate interviews, media trainings, and bylined content opportunities for leadership.
• Build relationships with local, national, and international media outlets.
• Write and edit press materials, statements, op-eds, and talking points.
• Monitor coverage and provide strategic insights to internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate across Communications for consistent cross-channel messaging.
• Support executive communications strategy and on-call media support as needed.

Skills

Media relations experience

Executive communications

Reputation management

Social media literacy

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

Position Summary

The Senior Media Relations Specialist is part of the Media Relations team at Vanderbilt Universityandisresponsiblefordevelopingandimplementingmediarelationsplansandtactics to enhance Vanderbilt University's reputation, and to advance the university's mission as a premier academic research institution. This position will conduct proactive and reactive media relations, including monitoring news developments, developing messaging, and building productive relationships with local, national, and international news media.

In addition, the Senior Media Relations Specialist will support the Division of Communications' executivecommunicationsstrategyandwillberesponsibleforsourcingspeakingengagements and contributed content opportunities on behalf of university leadership, including the Chancellor. This includes coordination and placement of bylined articles and op-eds.

ReportingtotheMediaRelationsManager,theSeniorMediaRelationsSpecialistwillinteract with university leadership, faculty, staff, students, and internal/external stakeholders.

The Media Relations team within the Division of Communications designs and executes integrated communications strategies to protect and enhance Vanderbilt's local, national and international reputation, and positions the university as one of the world's leading academic researchinstitutionsthroughthedistributionofcompellingcontentacrossavarietyofdigitaland traditional channels.

About the Work Unit

The Communications and Marketing team at Vanderbilt University is a dynamic and deeply collaborative group. The division, with all of its departments and sub-teams, serves as the institution-wide center of excellence for communications and marketing, developing and executing strategies that inform, engage and inspire others to participate in Vanderbilt University's global academic and research mission. The division is a key strategic adviser and partner for other divisions in the university, providing comprehensive plans and thoughtful analysisonmessagingopportunitiesandconstraints.TheCommunicationsandMarketingteam continuously seeks innovative solutions to new and emerging challenges in order to deliver results at scale to advance the larger mission, values and priorities of the university.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Developandexecutemediarelationsplansandtacticsthatreflectand supportthe university's overall communications goals.
• Measurablyraisetheprofileofuniversityleadership,includingtheChancellor,inkey media outlets and with key stakeholders.
• Arrange,facilitateandattendmediainterviewswithfaculty,universityleadershipandthe chancellor.
• Conductmediatrainingsforfaculty,staff,coachesandstudent-athletesonbestpractices for external engagement.
• Developandmaintainrelationshipswithlocal,regional,national,andinternationalmedia outlets.
• Pitchstoriestonewsmedia,prioritizingnational,highpriorityandinternationalmedia outlets. Coordinate news interviews.
• Writeandeditnewsreleases,rapidresponsestatements,mediaadvisories,messaging, talking points, fact sheets, op-eds, and other media relations materials.
• Followindustry-relatednewsandgenerateideasaroundtrendingtopicstoinformangles for media pitches and outreach to reporters and producers, connecting Vanderbilt expertise to current events.
• Attendkeyeventsasneeded,bothonandoff-campus,involvingVanderbiltfacultyand leadership where members of the media might be present.
• MonitorformediacoverageofVanderbiltfacultyexperts,institutionalprojectsand Vanderbilt leadership and report to internal stakeholders as appropriate.
• Maintainandkeep currentinternalmedialiststobeusedformediaoutreachonavariety of topics.
• WorkscloselywithpartnersacrosstheDivisionofCommunicationstocoordinate communications efforts and ensure consistent cross-channel messaging.
• Demonstrateexcellentnewsjudgment,excellentwrittencommunicationsskillsandan excellent sense of what is appropriate for the Vanderbilt brand.
• Demonstrateandcommunicateabouttherolemediarelationsplaysinthebroader communications plan for a department, school, and/or the university as a whole.
• Executeindependentlyoncommunicationsprioritiesanddemonstrateanunderstanding of the evolving media landscape.
• AssistinmediatrainingandinterviewpreparationfortheChancellorandothers,as necessary.
• Provideoverallsupportasneededandassignedfordepartmentpriorities.
• Demonstrateunderstandingoftheuniversity'smission,values,goalsandprioritiesand an ability to ensure that all are considered in developing communications strategies.
• Communicateandcollaborateeffectivelywithawiderangeofaudiences-faculty, students, leadership, staff, alumni, suppliers and agencies.
• Demonstratedabilitytoadoptandeffectivelyuseemergingtechnologies,includingAI-enabled tools, to improve productivity, workflow and quality of work.
• Efficientlyandeffectivelymanagemultiple,complexandresults-orientedprojectswith quick turn-around requirements.
• Adheretoconfidentialityandbusinessethics;demonstrateoutstandingjudgmentand discretion.
• Workoutsideregularbusinesshours(includingnightsandweekends)asneededinorder to perform job responsibilities, including being officially on-call.
• Performotherrelevantdutiesasassigned.

Supervisory Responsibility

Thispositiondoesnothavesupervisoryresponsibility.

Education and Certifications

• ABachelor'sdegreefromanaccreditedinstitutionofhighereducationisnecessary.
• AMaster'sdegreefromanaccreditedinstitutionofhighereducationispreferred.

Qualifications

• Atleast5-7yearsofexperienceincommunications,journalism orrelatedfield,anda track record of success in media relations is necessary.
• Priorexperiencewithexecutivecommunications,reputationmanagementandmarketing is preferred.
• Experienceinmediarelationsandafullunderstandingofhowtonavigatesocialmedia tools and audiences is necessary.

At Vanderbilt University, our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of "America's Best Large Employers" as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.

Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.