Assistant Director of Public Relations (HR Title: Athletics PR Specialist I) Job

Salary Range
Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

About the Position
This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

This position will pursue media and public relations opportunities within a contemporary media landscape in a Division I athletic department. The role serves as the secondary public relations contact for football and supports the primary football contact with credentials, gameday operations, game notes, research, record books, releases, and other print and digital publications.

Additionally, this position will serve as the secondary public relations contact for men’s or women’s basketball, as well as the primary public relations contact for 2–4 additional teams. Responsibilities also include managing social media in coordination with Creative Services for content production and posting, promoting SMU’s community engagement efforts, maintaining historical archives, and assisting with the athletic department website and mobile app, as well as supporting the marketing and promotion of SMU Athletics.

Job summary

Essential Functions

Assist in public relations efforts and media services for football and other assigned sports.

Create and produce print and virtual content including fact books, game notes, press releases, social media content and graphics, game/match recaps, and award nominations for student-athletes and coaches. Update the SMU's athletics website and mobile app with created and essential content.

Manage event operations and essential staff at events, including games/matches and press conferences. Manage duties including scoreboard operator, public address announcer, stat keepers and photographers. Serve as a liaison for members of the media covering the event. Work both home and road events for assigned sports.

Coordinate with Creative Services to update and monitor social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, et al.

Complete assigned projects from coaches and staff for assigned sports.

Qualifications
Education and Experience:
A Bachelor’s degree is required. A degree in communications, journalism, public relations or similar is preferred.

A minimum of one (1) year of experience in the athletics public relations field is required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills.

Candidate must possess strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning and time management skills.

Candidate must have a strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), NCAA Live Stats, Adobe Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, etc.), and web publishing.

Candidate is required to regularly work home and road events on nights and weekends. Candidate must travel to road games/matches, media events, etc.

Candidate will be on call for coaches, media members, and other athletics staff.

Physical and Environmental Demands

Sit for long periods of time

Deadline to Apply
The position is open until filled.

EEO Statement
SMU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.

Benefits
SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefits. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.

SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.

The value of learning at SMU isn't just about preparing our students for the future. Employees have access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.

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