Public Relations Specialist II

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Public Relations Specialist II for the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Reporting to the Associate Director, the Public Relations Specialist II is responsible for helping to further the Eagleton Institute of Politics’ mission by executing strategic communication plans that promote the Institute’s research exploring emerging topics in American politics, expert commentary and analysis in the news, development priorities, student success, and alumni involvement.

Among the key duties of this position are the following:

Curates, coordinates, drafts, and disseminates Eagleton’s public profile and relationships with key audiences through targeted outreach and strategic Institute-wide communications plans that will help elevate the Institute’s brand and make all aspects of Eagleton’s work more visible to students, alumni, scholars, the Rutgers community, and the general public.

Oversees the Institute’s communications team and supervises student interns to meet graphic, video, and digital communications needs of the Institute and its centers.

Serves as the primary liaison to the media for the Institute and builds relationships across traditional and new media, both here in NJ and nationally, in order to increase Eagleton’s public presence.

Improves and increases stakeholder engagement with Eagleton’s research, education, and public service resources.

Expands the Institute’s outreach strategy to further its mission, partnerships, and audience.

Collaborates with Eagleton’s 70th Anniversary Committee and assists with the campaign concept, planning and management.

Assists and participates in other Eagleton programs and initiatives, including but not limited to the Institute’s public program series, education programs, and staff committees.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communications skills.

Creativity and excellent organizational skills.

Demonstrated digital media marketing skills and the ability to identify and master new communications tools quickly.

Strong interpersonal skills and be comfortable meeting and working with a broad range of people — from high-level public officials to media representatives to vendor staff to students — in a variety of highly visible settings.

Ability to independently manage multiple tasks and short deadlines in high-stress situations.

Must be very organized, efficient and detail oriented.

Must be comfortable working for an organization that is political yet non-partisan and straddles the worlds of politics and academia.

Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher), PhotoShop, email marketing tools, social media, and desktop publishing. Must be proficient in CiviCRM or equivalent contact management platforms.

Thorough grounding in U.S. and New Jersey politics and government is essential, whether through coursework, professional experience, or personal involvement. Because Eagleton’s research and programs focus on American politics, the Public Relations Specialist II should understand the relevant positions, processes and relationships and be aware of sensitive political issues.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior knowledge and experience with Rutgers Visual Identity System and communications procedures.

Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite or other basic photo editing tools, CiviCRM, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Must also know how to use social media management tools like Hootsuite and Buffer.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Eagleton offices are located within a historic building with no elevator. The duties of this position regularly involve navigating stairs numerous times a day.

An applicant may request a reasonable accommodation if they have a disability that restricts them in their ability to climb and/or navigate stairs.

Special Conditions

This position requires the ability to work some evenings and weekends.

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