Director Media Relations

Director, Media Relations

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is seeking an exceptional individual to join our Strategic Communications team as the Director, Media Relations (Administrator II). This role is critical in supporting the President’s Office and extended cabinet by coordinating media outreach that safeguards and strengthens the university’s public reputation through external and earned media.

About the Department

The Department of Strategic Communications and Brand Management plays an integral role in helping to shape and strengthen the institution's brand and advance in a wide range of institutional effectiveness. We are a team of creative, thoughtful, and empathetic storytellers that take pride in representing the university’s image and reputation through inspiring and motivating stories of our exceptional faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages the university’s external strategic media relations under the guidance of the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications and the Chief Communication Officer.
• Oversees a team responsible for the university’s reputational management and development, primarily through earned media and news coverage.
• Serves as a key adviser on issues management.
• Leads the creation, implementation, and oversight of a comprehensive strategic media plan that reflects the university mission and values.
• Establishes clear media objectives, reports regularly on progress through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), modernizes media engagement practices, and prepares leadership and faculty for media interviews and public engagement.
• Leads and advises on media outreach efforts that elevate the university’s educational and research priorities, campus services, and community.
• Provides strategic guidance reflecting an understanding of public higher education, CSUF’s mission and audiences, its role within the California State University system, and its relationships with agencies, business partners, and community organizations in Southern California.
• Other duties as assigned.

Inclusive Leadership Statement

Applicants are required to address the following:

• What does inclusive leadership mean to you.
• A description of your experiences working with individuals with a different perspective.
• A description of how issues of inclusivity have impacted you personally or professionally.

Essential Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Seven to ten years of public relations experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and soft skills.
• Excellent writing abilities, including three to five examples of successful news pitches or news releases.
• Ability to translate technical or scientific language into consumer-friendly messaging that resonates with journalists.
• Experience working with a collaborative team that relies on coordinated workflows to achieve owned and earned media goals for an institution or organization.
• Successfully led media outreach campaigns that enhanced institutional reputation and ability to provide three to five examples of such work.
• A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily.

Preferred Qualifications

• A master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience working in higher education.
• Strong news sense and seasoned judgment regarding sensitivities.
• Experience leading and coaching staff.
• Proficiency with journalist engagement and media analytics tools (e.g., Meltwater, Muck Rack, Cision) and reporting.
• Experience pitching and managing stories with ethnic media outlets and tailoring messaging for diverse audiences.
• Established strong personal relationships with reporters and media outlets.

Benefits

• An array of health plans that include prescription drug coverage.
• Dental and Vision coverage.
• Income protection benefits including life insurance and disability.
• Retirement plan through CalPERS.
• Tuition waiver for employees and dependents if eligible.
• FlexCash (in lieu of health and dental).
• Employee Assistance Programs.
• 15 paid holidays.

Key skills/competency

• Media Relations
• Public Relations
• Strategic Communications
• Issues Management
• Reputation Management
• Earned Media
• Media Outreach
• Journalism
• Content Creation
• Leadership