Media Relations and External Communications Officer

Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, the Media Relations and External Communications Officer will play a crucial role in enhancing the university’s reputation and promoting the university’s achievements and initiatives with a wide range of external audiences. This position also oversees the production of the Record, a magazine for Mount Allison alumni and friends, published three times annually with a circulation of over 19,000.

Responsibilities

Media Outreach

• Proactively build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, and other media professionals.
• Pitch university stories, research findings and events to local, national, and international media outlets
• Respond to media inquiries promptly and professionally.

Media Monitoring

• Monitor media coverage of the university and its competitors.
• Prepare regular media reports to assess the effectiveness of media relations efforts.

Event Support

• Collaborate with event organizers to promote university events through media channels
• Coordinate media attendance and coverage for key university events.
• Maintain the University’s event calendar, in partnership with the Booking and Event Assistant to ensure campus events are properly communicated to the University and surrounding communities.
• Serve on University-wide committees as required including the annual President’s Speakers Series committee, bringing high-calibre, international speakers to campus related to a specific theme each year.

University Publications

• Assistant Editor of the Record — Mount Allison magazine for alumni and friends with a circulation of over 19,000. Project manager for this publication, leading the development of three issues annually. Duties include working with the alumni office and other University departments and contacts, writing and editing content, and working with designers, photographers, and printers/mail houses to produce the publication.
• With MarComm colleagues, disseminate messages of interest to the University community in a timely fashion, utilizing the website, social media, and mass e-mail.
• Assist with several additional publications, including the Mount Allison’s annual reputation piece, recruitment and fund-raising brochures, as well as online materials.
• Conduct interviews with people either face-to-face, over the telephone or by e-mail for various University publications
• Provide proofreading, fact verification, copy-editing, events assistance, and writing support to others as required.
• Other duties as may be helpful to other Departments (e.g Athletics and recreation assistance with media relations)

Crisis Communication

• Assist in developing and implementing crisis communication strategies and processes.
• Serve as a spokesperson during crisis situations, working closely with the Director of Marketing and Communications.