Director of Public Relations and Media Relations

Summary

Regis College seeks an experienced, strategic, and highly collaborative communications professional to serve as Director of Public Relations and Media Relations. Reporting to the vice president of marketing and communications, the director will lead the university’s earned media and public relations efforts and play an important role in crisis communications, executive communications, and external relations.

As Regis’ primary media contact, the director will develop proactive strategies that elevate the university’s academic strengths, student and alumni success, community impact, and thought leadership. The director will also support the university’s response to emerging issues and sensitive matters and contribute to communications involving government and community stakeholders.

Working closely with the president, senior leaders, faculty, and colleagues across the university, the director will help advance Regis’ mission, strategic priorities, enrollment objectives, advancement goals, and institutional visibility. The director will combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution and must be a strong writer, thoughtful adviser, creative storyteller, and skilled relationship builder.

While regular on-campus presence is required, the position offers flexibility for some responsibilities to be completed remotely, consistent with departmental needs and university policies. The director must be available on campus as needed for media opportunities, university events, urgent issues, and emergencies.

Duties and Responsibilities

Public Relations and Media Relations

• Develop and implement a comprehensive public relations and earned-media strategy aligned with the university’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Serve as Regis College’s primary media contact and spokesperson, responding to inquiries accurately, thoughtfully, and in a timely manner.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, higher education, and trade media.
• Identify and develop compelling stories that highlight student and alumni success, faculty expertise, academic innovation, research, community partnerships, institutional milestones, and Regis’ contributions to the public good.
• Write and edit press releases, media advisories, media statements, talking points, fact sheets, media kits, and other institutional communications.
• Maintain a network of faculty and administrative experts who can provide informed commentary on timely topics.
• Establish and maintain university standards, protocols, and best practices for responding to media inquiries.
• Prepare university representatives for media interviews and other public-facing opportunities.

Issues Management and Crisis Communications

• Coordinate communications planning and execution during institutional emergencies, sensitive situations, and reputational challenges under the direction of the vice president of marketing and communications and senior leadership.
• Monitor emerging issues, news coverage, public sentiment, social media conversations, and higher education trends to identify potential risks and opportunities.
• Provide timely and thoughtful communication recommendations to the vice president of marketing and communications and other university leaders.
• Develop and maintain crisis communications plans, response protocols, message templates, media procedures, and stakeholder contact lists.
• Draft statements, talking points, frequently asked questions, and other materials needed during urgent or rapidly evolving situations.
• Work with senior leadership, Campus Police, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Human Resources, legal counsel, and other university offices to coordinate accurate and timely communications.
• Participate in crisis simulations, media training, and emergency-preparedness exercises.

Executive Communications

• Support the president and other senior leaders with communications counsel related to media engagement, public positioning, and institutional messaging.
• Write and edit speeches, talking points, presentations, messages, and other presidential and executive communications as needed.
• Ensure executive communications are accurate, authentic, audience-centered, and consistent with the university’s mission, values, priorities, and voice.

Government and External Relations

• Support the president and vice president of marketing and communications in coordinating communications with elected officials, government agencies, civic organizations, and community leaders.
• Monitor public-policy and legislative developments affecting Regis College and higher education and share relevant developments with university leadership.
• Coordinate communications related to government announcements, campus visits, advocacy priorities, and meetings with elected and appointed officials.
• Develop materials that communicate Regis’ educational, economic, workforce, healthcare, and community impact to external stakeholders.
• Help maintain productive relationships with local officials, civic organizations, community partners, and other external constituencies.

Integrated Communications and Collaboration

• Work closely with colleagues across the university to ensure public relations efforts are integrated with the Regis brand, digital, social media, enrollment, advancement, and institutional communications strategies.
• Partner with marketing and communications colleagues to extend earned-media coverage across Regis’ owned channels.
• Provide communications guidance and editorial support to colleagues across the university ensuring a consistent message is disseminated by campus partners .

Measurement and Evaluation

• Establish clear goals and performance measures for public relations and external-affairs initiatives.
• Monitor , evaluate and archive media coverage, sentiment, message placement, and other indicators of effectiveness.
• Incorporate public relations results into departmental KPIs, reports, and planning.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, public affairs, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in public relations, media relations, journalism, strategic communications, public affairs, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing proactive public relations and earned-media strategies.
• Experience responding to media inquiries and supporting communications involving complex or sensitive issues.
• Strong writing, editing, presentation, and message-development skills, including experience producing communications for senior leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex topics into clear, compelling, and audience-appropriate communications.
• Strong news judgment and an understanding of the evolving media environment.
• Ability to provide reliable and diplomatic communications recommendations to colleagues and university leaders.
• Ability to exercise discretion, maintain confidentiality, and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively to changing circumstances.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and coordinate cross-functional initiatives involving colleagues with varied roles, perspectives, and areas of expertise.
• Understanding of digital communications and social media as tools for media engagement, reputation management, and amplification.
• Commitment to communicating effectively and respectfully with diverse, multicultural, and multigenerational audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education or another complex, highly visible, mission-driven organization.
• Experience in healthcare, education, government, nonprofit, or public-policy communications.
• Established relationships with local or regional media, or demonstrated success building productive media relationships.
• Experience developing communications for a college president, chief executive, or other senior leader.
• Experience supporting government relations, community engagement, or public-affairs initiatives.
• Media-training or crisis-communications experience.

Professional Characteristics

The successful candidate will be:

• An individual with a strong sense of belief in the Regis College mission and values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston.
• A strategic and creative storyteller who can identify opportunities to elevate Regis’ mission, strengths, and impact.
• A collaborative colleague who builds trust and works effectively across academic and administrative areas.
• A calm, credible, and responsive presence during sensitive or rapidly evolving situations.
• Diplomatic and direct, with the judgment to navigate competing interests and complex institutional considerations.
• Intellectually curious, resourceful, and attentive to developments affecting higher education and the communities Regis serves.

Compensation

The anticipated salary range for this position is $82,000–$92,000. The final salary will be determined based on relevant experience, education, skills, internal equity, and other applicable considerations.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to do this job. The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case-by-case basis.

In employment, as in education, Regis College is committed to equal opportunity. Regis does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, creed, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran’s status, membership in uniformed services or any other protected status.

Regis College Mission Statement