Strategic Media & Internal Relations Lead

Columbia Business School; New York (NY); On-site; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia Business School is seeking a Senior Director of Media & Internal Relations to lead CBS’s media strategy, elevate its external positioning, and manage relationships with key media, faculty, and partners. You will steer agency/vendor collaborations, align communications with institutional priorities, and grow the function across the school.

You will collaborate with faculty and centers to translate CBS priorities into proactive media initiatives, ensuring consistent, high-impact coverage

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5–7 years of PR/media/communications experience.
• Proven track record growing a media relations function.
• Experience managing external agencies or vendors.
• Strong relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Experience coordinating across teams and influencing leadership.
• Exceptional judgment managing sensitive communications.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in higher education or complex institutions.
• Experience building a function or team from early on.
• Background in business, financial, or academic comms.
• Experience serving as institutional liaison for communications.
• Crisis communications planning and execution experience.
• Ability to educate non-communications professionals.

Responsibilities

• Sets the strategy for and drives strategic media relations initiatives.
• Manages relationships with media outlets, journalists, and industry influencers to secure coverage.
• Identifies and develops priority faculty voices for thought leadership; partners with content team.
• Proactively packages faculty research and institutional initiatives for media visibility.
• Executes media pitching, press activities, and external positioning initiatives.
• Manages external agencies and vendors, prioritizing work and holding them accountable.
• Provides strategic direction for media relations and serves as senior contact for inquiries.
• Monitors media coverage and provides insights to senior leadership.
• Builds out the media relations function and scales it over time.
• Educates stakeholders on communications processes and capabilities.
• Supports crisis communications planning and response as needed.

Skills

Public relations

Stakeholder management

Media relations

Crisis communications

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Columbia Business School is seeking a Senior Director of Media & Internal Relations to lead CBS’s media strategy, elevate its external positioning, and manage relationships with key media, faculty, and partners. You will steer agency/vendor collaborations, align communications with institutional priorities, and grow the function across the school.

You will collaborate with faculty and centers to translate CBS priorities into proactive media initiatives, ensuring consistent, high-impact coverage