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University of Tennessee, Knoxville · 2 days ago

Senior Director of Strategic Communications & Media Relations: College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies - UTK

Knoxville, TN

Full-time

Onsite

Lead/Staff, Director/Executive

5+ years exp

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is seeking a Senior Director of Strategic Communications & Media Relations to shape and amplify the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies' voice. This strategic leadership role involves overseeing marketing, communications, and external affairs while ensuring the College's mission and visibility initiatives align with institutional priorities.

Higher Education

H1B Sponsor Likely

Responsibilities

Develop key messaging and talking points tailored for national and regional audiences

Coordinate media preparation for interviews, panels, and live broadcasts

Monitor current events and industry news to brief the Dean on relevant topics and potential questions

Draft and review press releases, op-eds, and statements for regional, national and global audiences to ensure consistency with the college’s mission and vision

Build and maintain relationships with reporters, editors, and producers to secure coverage and rapid response

Maintain and launch new CECS external-facing events and activities such as webinars, newsletter columns, etc

Strategically enhance the footprint of CECS’s social media presence in multiple platforms

Advance and position CECS’s image and visibility in alignment with the College’s strategic priorities and overarching vision

Align the Dean’s public appearances with institutional strategic priorities and vision

Oversee social media presence, including curated content and live updates during key events

Prepare biographies, fact sheets, and background materials for introductions, panels, and profiles

Track and analyze media mentions and sentiment to inform strategy

Prepare and deliver to the Dean a comprehensive monthly agenda outlining all scheduled travel and media-related engagements

Coordinate and manage all associated logistics to ensure seamless execution before, during, and after each event

Accompany the Dean to designated engagements, serving as a professional representative while safeguarding the Dean’s time, focus, and presence

Build detailed travel itineraries, including key contacts, schedules, and briefing books

Coordinate with event organizers and hosts to ensure visibility and maximize networking opportunities

Prepare post-trip debriefs highlighting outcomes, follow-up tasks, and relationship management needs

Align messaging with university leadership and system-level communications teams

Ensure CECS maintains consistent, high-impact visibility that reflects and advances the College’s mission and vision

Oversee and approve all internal and external communications prior to public release to safeguard accuracy, consistency, and brand alignment

Direct the timely development and distribution of all media formats (print, digital, and social), with particular attention to recurring publications and campaigns

Guarantee that all content is polished, strategically crafted, and tailored to its intended audience, including presentation materials and slides

Coordinate crisis communications and rapid response in high-profile situations

Lead special visibility campaigns, including award nominations, speaking engagements, and thought leadership initiatives

Manage communications around high-level collaborations with industry, government, and nonprofit partners

Develop and update annual public affairs and communications plans, including metrics for reach and impact

Prepare comprehensive briefing materials before every public-facing engagement

Maintain calendars, talking points, and priorities to ensure alignment across units

Serve as the coordination point between the dean’s office, marketing, communications, and external partners

Collaboration and coordination with CECS leadership and personnel

Collaboration and partnerships with university units such as central communications office, provost's communication team, Enrollment management, registrar’s office, student success, ORIED for informed and wide dissemination of CECS initiatives and brand

Provide strategic direction and supervisory leadership to the Director of Campus Marketing and Communications and the Marketing Coordinator, fostering collaboration, accountability, and innovation while ensuring all efforts align with CECS’s marketing and communications priorities

Provide leadership, supervision, and guidance to the Events Manager and Events Coordinator

Qualification

Strategic communicationsMedia relationsExecutive-level communicationsDigital media proficiencyProject managementPolitical savvyWritten communicationVerbal communicationAttention to detailInterpersonal skills

Required

Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, public relations, communications, journalism, marketing, management, or related field

5–7 years of professional experience in public affairs, communications, media relations, or similar high-profile roles

Demonstrated success in managing executive-level communications and media strategies

Experience in executive decision-making

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences

High attention to detail, excellent organization and time management skills

Proven ability to prepare leadership for national media interviews, including message development

Strong strategic planning and project management with the ability to meet tight deadlines

Experience coordinating travel logistics and high-profile events

Proficiency in digital media platforms, analytics tools, and media monitoring systems

Demonstrated proficiency in delivering consistent, high-impact internal and external communications that ensure accuracy, coherence, and alignment with institutional brand standards

High level of discretion and confidentiality with sensitive information

Ability to work independently and collaboratively while managing multiple projects

Excellent interpersonal skills to liaise effectively with leadership, media, and stakeholders

Preferred

Education: Master's degree in political science, public relations, communications, journalism, marketing, management, or related field

Experience in higher education, government, or corporate executive communications

Track record of national-level media engagement and communication leadership

Previous support of a president, provost, dean, or C-suite executive

Knowledge of trends in public affairs, higher education, and technology sectors

Expertise in speech writing, presentation design, and multimedia storytelling

Data-driven strategy expertise, using analytics to optimize visibility campaigns

Political savvy and ability to navigate complex organizational and external dynamics

Experience managing communications under pressure with rapid turnaround

Advanced relationship-building with journalists, thought leaders, and high-profile stakeholders

Benefits

Find more information on UT Benefits here

Company

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Glassdoor4.3

As the state’s land grant, research-intensive institution, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is a university that leads.

Founded in 1794

Knoxville, TN, US

10001+ employees

https://www.utk.edu

H1B Sponsorship

University of Tennessee, Knoxville has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship

Represents job field similar to this job

Trends of Total Sponsorships

2025 (143)

2024 (100)

2023 (100)

2022 (83)

2021 (77)

2020 (108)