The following position reporting to Brian Hawkins and Daphne Siefert-Herron, Communications Officers is being
posted externally. If interested, you must apply online at https://jobs.iu.edu/
Refer to job number #5741.
Media Relations Specialist - PA3PR
Description and Responsibilities:
Proactively builds and maintains relationships with the technical press; identifies opportunities for high-profile coverage by particular journalists and media; and advocates for strategic placement of stories and articles on IU information technology projects and initiatives. Develops a strong knowledge of IU IT-funded research projects and initiatives in order to identify relevant media opportunities and effectively deliver accurate information about highly technical topics to a general audience. Organizes press events, facilitates interviews, prepares press kits, and maintains media contact lists; advocates for high visibility placements of news about IU informational technology in the local, regional, and national press; and works with the IU Office of Public and Governmental Relations to develop and execute a social media strategy for IT at the university.
Plans, organizes, and implements communication projects including researching, writing, and editing technical news releases and public relations/marketing information; oversees the weekly development and publication of the UITS Monitor and Newsbit newsletters and related UITS News content for both the university and outside audiences; and builds and proactively maintains strong technical subject matter expertise in high performance computing, research, and education networking, enterprise software, research, and education technologies and other areas of IT supported by IU in order to effectively and accurately write about these topics for both lay and highly technical audiences.
Qualifications:
REQUIRED: Bachelor's degree in English, journalism, computer science, or other arts and science, and three or more years of related experience.
Strong interest in translating technical information for both broad and specialized audiences and expertise in media relations, social media, and plain language communications. Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communications and presentation skills; strong editing, research, project management, problem solving, and collaboration skills; and demonstrated knowledge of current best practices and tools including use of relevant software and social media as part of a well-rounded media relations effort. Ability to work independently, prioritize, set and meet deadlines, and take initiative; ability to work with speed, accuracy, and attention to detail; and willingness to learn and ask questions with an attitude of comfort with and curiosity about technology. Outgoing self-starter comfortable with reaching out to editors and news directors to proactively build new relationships; strong customer service skills, good sense of humor, ability to tolerate frequent interruptions, tactful, and practical; and ability to use software for word processing, email, spreadsheets, editing, graphics, file transfer, and communications.
Preferred: Experience communicating about technical and scientific subject matter with both technical and lay audiences. Familiarity with web content management systems and project management software.
Indiana University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment institution.
