Job Summary:

Key to the UC Davis Graduate School of Management’s (GSM) mission as a nationally ranked business school within one of the world’s top public research universities is to raise the awareness of the wealth of our intellectual capital, management ideas, best practices and cutting-edge research that shape the business world, as well as how our talented alumni and graduate business students are making a difference as global leaders driving economic development. 

The Director of Strategic Communications will strategically mine that intellectual capital to improve the GSM’s position as a national and international management thought leader with deep business expertise. Serves as the GSM’s “chief knowledge officer,” leading a new initiative to better manage the translation of faculty research to raise the visibility of the School and its intellectual capital to a wide variety of audiences including media, bloggers, influencers, alumni, higher education administrators, general business audiences, and the School’s diverse constituencies through a wide variety of media ranging from traditional print, web and social media. 

Key responsibilities include: Work closely with the GSM’s faculty to identify potential newsworthy published research, working papers, accolades, achievements, academic programs/conferences and other faculty activities. Develop leads into compelling stories for media, video, social media, web, magazine, e-newsletters and other new and emerging communications channels. Actively pitch stories to media regionally, nationally and internationally, cultivating relationships with key business and management education reporters. Monitor breaking business news and management education trends to actively match faculty, senior leadership expertise, students with reporters. Update reporter/editor/blogger/influencer contact lists using UC Davis News Service resources. Write news releases and timely op-eds on research, management and business-related trends/news and best practices, and business school/higher education issues. Disseminate in coordination with UC Davis News Service. Field media inquiries quickly and proactively, connecting reporters with Dean, faculty, senior leadership, students, alumni for interviews. Plan and manage press conferences and media events. Track media coverage and update GSM website with select media mentions. Create new print and web content based on faculty research, exemplary student experiences, and select alumni accomplishments than can be drawn upon throughout the GSM communications environment and platforms. Improve the organization of and access to faculty research; conferences and programs; research institute/center activity; and other sources of knowledge to create an enhanced experience for a variety of audiences including prospective students, alumni, media and the business community. Oversee videographers, photographers, freelance and part-time writers, and web and graphic designers to accomplish key objectives. Partner with the Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications when his or her domain knowledge is needed to properly position and market the content produced by the team. Coordinates and collaborates closely with University Communications, attending UC Davis News Service editorial and staff meetings to stay connected to campus news cycle and opportunities to place GSM-related stories across UC Davis web, social and print media.

The position is part of the GSM’s Development and External Relations team and reports to the GSM’s Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, with strategic direction from the School’s Dean and senior leadership.

Final Filing Date:

3-13-13

Appointment Type:

Contract

Salary:

$4,422.00-$7,959.58/MO  

Appointment Description:

100% Contract, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. This contract position ends two years from date of hire with possibility of extension depending upon funding. 

Essential Responsibilities:

60% Generate, Market and Track News Stories; Media Inquiry Response

Work closely with GSM senior leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni and business partners to identify newsworthy to spot potential newsworthy published research, working papers, accolades, achievements, academic programs/conferences and other activities. Evaluate these leads and develop the most strategic into compelling stories. Market these stories to media through phone, e-email pitches, news releases, op-eds, videos, photos, podcasts, press conferences, media events, leveraging social media channels, school, campus and UCOP news outlets, business and government partner news outlets, and other appropriate communications channels.

Cultivate and maintain relationships with key print, wire, broadcast, and online reporters and editors who have an interest in business, management trends and higher education news in California, the U.S. and abroad. Build and maintain distributions lists of domestic and international business and higher-education outlets, including print, wire, broadcast and online media. Respond to media inquiries quickly and proactively, determine and connect the best available faculty, senior leadership or other sources for interviews. Provide statistics and information about the GSM to media representatives upon request.
Read key business and higher-education publications and stay abreast of new publications in these areas, with an eye to new markets for GSM news. Track GSM coverage, post on GSM website and social media, and report results to GSM and campus leadership.

20% Media Strategy and Planning

Develop an annual media plan for GSM that furthers both GSM marketing and communications goals and campus goals. Serve as a resource for GSM leadership, faculty and students on information and public relations policies, publicity values, timing, techniques, working with the media, and issues/crisis management. Develop event-specific media plans. Develop talking points and background sheets. Draft op-eds on timely research, higher education, business and management topics.

15% Content Development and Organization

Improve the organization of and access to faculty research; academic program and conference material; research institute/center activity; and other sources of knowledge to create an enhanced experience for a variety of audiences including alumni, media and general business. Implement processes for collecting, managing and disseminating an inventory of content with proper tagging and other methodologies using Web content management system. Leverage new content as it becomes available through a multitude of sources.

5% Coordinate with UC Davis News Service/University Communications

The Director of Strategic Communications coordinates and collaborates closely with University Communications, attending UC Davis News Service editorial and staff meetings to stay connected to campus news cycle and opportunities to place GSM-related stories across UC Davis web, social and print media. Adhere to UC Davis communication and visual identity standards as outlined in http://IdentityStandards.ucdavis.edu.

Work Environment:

Must provide own transportation to off-site events and meetings.
Work hours outside standard 8AM-5PM schedule.
Work occasional evenings and/or nights.
Work occasional varied lunch hours.  

Background Check:

Yes

Minimum Qualifications:

Skills to work with GSM faculty to understand their research at an appropriate level through a variety of forums, and to spot potential dissemination opportunities.

Experience in recognizing and developing news and feature stories and in communicating them effectively in appropriate styles for traditional (radio, television, print) and social media.

Extensive knowledge of and experience with journalistic formats, styles, standards, deadlines, techniques and audiences.

Experience establishing and maintaining good working relationships with print, wire, broadcast reporters and social media influencers. Skills to pursue and maintain personal media contacts on a regular basis, to be responsive to requests for information, and to effectively promote GSM programs and market story ideas. Skills to plan and execute media events.

Experience communicating with diverse professional media colleagues.

Skills to market/pitch news and feature stories in radio, television, print and social media styles in diverse and ethnic news media environments, consonant with the audience served, in order to effect broader outreach and dissemination of information.

Extensive experience writing and editing at professional journalistic level. Exemplary writing skills, including skills to use language accurately and creatively, to recognize and use AP style, correct English grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Experience editing and proofing copy.

Skills in analyzing situations and giving sound professional judgment on problems dealing with public opinion and media relations.

Experience in message development, audience identification and issues management. Skills to maintain confidentiality.

Skills to work effectively and collaboratively within academic environment.

Skill in organizing tasks and meeting deadlines. Skills to work effectively under stringent deadline requirements by producing clearly written, accurate and organized materials in short periods of time.

Interpersonal skills to work effectively with GSM community members to gather needed information, solve problems and produce news materials.

Expertise with Microsoft Word, major e-mail/calendaring solution, search and social media.

Preferred Qualifications 

Ability to be a self-starter who is intellectually curious, excited about “creating,” and possesses the understanding needed for building knowledge-synthesizing and capturing capabilities. 

Experience in business, business-oriented journalism or appropriate academic environments that has resulted in significant exposure to a variety of business topics. 

Skills to be results-oriented, possess an entrepreneurial style, and the capability of drawing on the expertise of a team of domain specialists at the GSM, across the University and externally and leveraging those assets to gain the greatest possible exposure with respective audiences. 

Knowledge of the academic and research enterprises. Skills in deciphering technical research information and findings, placing them in context, and communicating them to the news media and a general audience.

Extensive experience writing and editing business material.

Experience with video production. 

Experience working with or in research-based environments. 

Master’s Degree or advanced degree in business or journalism or closely related fields. 

Skills to respond quickly and juggle deadlines. 

Ability to learn new software and web-based services quickly.

To apply for this position: please visit the UC Davis Human Resources web site