Budget Title: Staff Associate (SL-4)

Salary: $75,000 - $89,000 (commensurate with experience)

The Director of Executive Communications (DEC) enhances the university's reputation and objectives through the creation of crisp, persuasive communications that reflect the university's brand, core values, and the president's distinctive voice. As a member of the Office of Communications and Marketing, this position is responsible for developing, coordinating, and executing multi-channel communications for the President and other senior leaders. The essential duties include but are not limited to, drafting talking points, social media posts, high-value correspondence, and campus communications. The director ensures that the President's goals and objectives for the university's mission, values, and strategic direction are articulated in all communications and media. In addition to senior management, the Director of Executive Communications works closely with other divisions and departments on campus.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Conduct research, draft, and revise communications, such as formal speeches, remarks, talking points, social media posts, and PowerPoint presentations, in accordance with university priorities and event-specific parameters.
• Maintain proper visibility of the president's statements through all internal and external platforms, including social media, campus-directed messages, the website, and public appearances.
• Support the president and other senior executives' interactions with the news media, public officials, and other stakeholders by assisting the Vice President of Communications and Marketing create talking points and other content.
• Create executive communications in written, video, and digital formats, collaborating with others in the department to acquire, organize, and refine content and assets as necessary, and independently creating assets as required.
• Generate ideas, information, and analyses for speeches and statements on significant issues.
• Creates overarching message pillars and platforms that support the president's initiatives and the university's long-term goals.
• In coordination with the Vice President of University Marketing and Communications and the Senior Director of Media and Public Relations, prepare the President for interviews and other engagements with the news media and crisis communications situations.
• Monitors industry trends and best practices and recommends processes and operations improvement to the Communications and Marketing Vice President.
• Provides guidance on speech delivery and tone.
• Offer suggestions for improving the message's substance, tone, and presentation.
• Able to accept and apply constructive criticism gracefully.
• Willingness to undertake both mundane and high-profile tasks with enthusiasm and energy.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Capacity to understand and articulate intricate ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively.
• Interviewing, researching, and writing skills for web, print, and social media. Knowledge of interview procedures and the ability to define and deliver messages.
• Skill in understanding a subject's "voice" and using that understanding to craft powerful messaging for distribution across numerous platforms.
• Ability to use the internet effectively to accomplish communication goals.
• Collaborative and receptive to input and new ideas; at ease in a rapid-response team environment
• Interpersonal communication skills for working effectively with a diverse group of audiences, including faculty, students, leadership, staff, alumni, community groups, donors, and elected officials.
• Capability to work in a writing environment with strict deadlines, multiple projects, and fast turnaround requirements.
• Capability to present information that satisfies the requirements of the media and publications involved and is tailored to the diverse interests of the target audience.
• Knowledge of or aptitude for rapidly understanding University policies, and procedures
• Strict adherence to principles of honesty and confidentiality in all interactions with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Finely tuned skills in time management and organization
• Familiarity with posting on social media, including using native platforms and scheduling applications.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position

• Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, or a related field
• Six to eight years of experience writing executive or legislative communications for senior executives in the public and private sectors
• Experience with voice and message strategy
• Experience using different media including web, social media, and traditional formats to communicate. Must be adept at creating PowerPoint presentation
• Experience in an institutional/educational setting
• Experience working effectively with a wide range of audiences - including faculty, students, leadership, staff, alumni, community groups, donors, and elected officials

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, English, or a related field
• Experience as an executive speechwriter
• Experience communicating with a variety of audiences through social media, digital, in-person, and conventional channels

Offers of employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check and verification of degree(s) and credentials.

Binghamton University is a tobacco-free campus.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at [email protected]

Payroll information can be found on our website https://www.binghamton.edu/offices/human-resources/payroll/

Cover letters may be addressed "To the Search Committee."

Postings active on the website, accept applications until closure.

For information on the Dual Career Program, please visit:
https://www.binghamton.edu/offices/human-resources/prospective/dual-career/index.html

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
The State University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. It is the policy of Binghamton University to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

As required by Title IX and its implementing regulations Binghamton University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the educational programs and activities which it operates. This requirement extends to employment and admission. Inquiries about sex discrimination may be directed to the University Title IX Coordinator or directly to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). Contact information for the Title IX Coordinator and OCR, as well as the University's complete Non-Discrimination Notice may be found here.