What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director, University Communications position at University of Houston-Clear Lake?
Description:
The Assistant Director, University Communications leads University of Houston-Clear Lake's news and media relations, serving as a key writer and content strategist within the University Marketing and Communications team. This position identifies, develops, and distributes compelling stories that support academic excellence, enrollment, fundraising, and brand advancement. The Assistant Director builds strong relationships with media, manages press inquiries, and ensures consistent, high-quality content across multiple platforms. The role also supports internal communications and provides strategic leadership as the university strengthens and rebuilds its communications capacity.
Duties:
- Collaborates with leaders and communicators across campus to develop and execute internal and external communication plans to engage and inspire audiences.
- Researches, edits, and writes university news stories and press releases and pitches them to the news media.
- Develops structure and plan for internal communication regarding initiatives, issue management, crisis communication, and university announcements (in partnership with the Associate Vice President, Marketing & Communications).
- Manages team producing news stories, social media content, and website content.
- Monitors and analyzes media mentions across online, social, print, broadcast, and podcasts.
- Manages relationships with external media partners and perform related duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, or related field.
- Minimum five years of progressive experience in media relations, integrated marketing communications, public relations, and crisis communication with some supervisory experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Marketing, Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, or related field.
- Experience in higher education marketing/communications, enrollment management, brand management, analytics/measurement, and video production processes.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of writing for news media and AP Style.
- Knowledge of media relations strategies to achieve placements in local, regional, and national media.
- Knowledge of integrated marketing communications and crisis communication best practices.
- Skills in preparing and executing strategic communications plans.
- Skills in managing newsletters, editorial calendaring, and story development processes.
- Skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and media monitoring/distribution tools.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously as well as to work in highly collaborative environments requiring interpersonal competence and emotional intelligence.
- Ability to learn and utilize software and digital tools for news distribution and monitoring.
All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.
The University of Houston System and its universities are an Equal Opportunity Institution.
