Date: March 9, 2023
Title: Media and Communications Manager
Description: The Media and Communications Manager creates strategic communications to build the College’s image and reputation, support student enrollment and retention objectives, and advance fundraising and engagement goals. The successful candidate will promote and tell the Hartwick story through a variety of outlets, including the College’s internal communication platforms, as well as external media and print, digital, and social media platforms. These audiences include prospective and current students and their families, trustees, alumni and donors, faculty and staff, and community and other external partners.
The incumbent will be a talented and experienced writer and connector well prepared to customize their voice to bridge the interests and needs of audiences with those of the College, paying particular attention to supporting the College’s FlightPath approach to education. Further, the incumbent will seek opportunities to modify and/or create varied content across media, ensuring a strategic and consistent voice that expresses the College's brand and supports Hartwick’s diversity, inclusion and belonging values.
The Media and Communications Manager will be responsible for completing the full range of story development – from insightful interviews to strategic editing – as well as for creating compelling abbreviated content for digital communications. As the College’s primary contact with external media, the incumbent will be responsible for presenting and positioning Hartwick. The incumbent will be accountable for effective collaboration across the College and in the community.
Responsibilities- Writer and editor of the College’s electronic newsletter, Hawks in Flight. Activities include:
- Identifying, researching, developing, and pitching story leads related to internal (student, faculty, etc.) and external (alumni, donor and media) constituents.
- Conducting insightful personal interviews to prepare engaging content.
- Writing and editing high quality, compelling communications through multiple channels and platforms.
- Deploying digital tools to support the College’s storytelling.
- Protecting and supporting the College brand.
- The College’s point person with media outlets, responsible for engaging this constituent in telling or managing Hartwick’s story. Activities include:
- Pitching strategic story ideas to position the institution and its leaders.
- Preparing press releases and media briefs.
- Engaging internal partners in using social media as news outlets.
- Contribute to crisis management at all levels, including the RAVE early alert system.
- Contributing writer for the College magazine, the Wick, in its print and online format, and through digital platform communications. Edit and/or proof college communications across platforms, including enrollment and advancement materials, and web and digital content
- Provide communications support for the President and Vice President of Strategic Communications. As needed. help prepare them and others for public appearances, including drafting talking points or remarks.
- Serve as a key internal photographer for College events. Determine with marketing colleagues when hiring a professional is appropriate.
- Proactively and effectively collaborate with Strategic Communications, College Advancement, Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, Athletics and faculty and staff colleagues and others across the College to ensure a deep understanding of client objectives and audience interests and needs.
- Complete other duties as assigned. Some evening and weekend work is expected.
- Participate in major campus events, including Welcome Weekend, True Blue Weekend, and Commencement Weekend.
- Comply with all applicable College, Federal, State, local and associational regulations.
- As a representative of the College, expected to comport themselves in a professional manner at all times, both on and off campus.
Qualifications: Minimum requirements for this position are a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field with a minimum of 5 years of related experience in marketing, journalism, or public relations.
Experience working in an academic environment is preferred. Experience contributing to crisis management is a plus.
- A varied writing and editing portfolio that demonstrates excellent skill in storytelling, quick communications, strategic positioning, and audience sensitivity.
- Extensive experience working with the external media and leveraging this opportunity to advance and manage the College’s brand.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Proven ability to work in various digital platforms, including WordPress and email tools.
- Experience as a researcher.
- Active listener and insightful interviewer.
- Talented writer and editor across platforms.
- Able to meet tight deadlines and prioritize multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Creative problem-solver.
- Effective collaborator and team builder.
- Able to work independently and use sound judgment in decision making.
- Strong project and time management skills.
- Basic photography skills. Videography skills a plus.
An independent, residential liberal arts college enrolling approximately 1,200 full-time undergraduates, Hartwick embraces the teacher-scholar model, with teaching excellence as the first priority, and seeks to recruit, retain and promote a diverse workforce. The College features a Liberal Arts in Practice general education curriculum and aspires to “be the best at melding liberal arts education with experiential learning.”
Hartwick operates as a community of learners where there is a very real sense of belonging and connection. By joining Hartwick, you become part of a group of people who work together, share in our successes, and a celebrate our accomplishments. All positions at Hartwick contribute to the education and development of students with the opportunity to see the impact on future leaders—what you do at Hartwick really matters.
Our beautiful 425-acre campus is located in the scenic Susquehanna River valley in Oneonta, New York—a charming town near the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick offers health benefits to domestic partners of employees, flexible scheduling, opportunities to engage in athletic and cultural events (concerts, exhibits, and lectures) and tuition benefits for eligible employees and their dependents.
Hartwick College prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation/preference and gender identity/expression and is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to broadening “the understanding, awareness, and appreciation of diversity among all members of the Hartwick community.” Women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.
Hartwick College is committed to providing a safe and secure educational and employment environment. Employment at Hartwick College is therefore contingent upon a successful background check on every new employee. Candidates to whom an offer of employment is made will be required to sign a Release of Information Form authorizing the College to conduct a thorough background check.
Hartwick College is committed to a diverse candidate pool, values an inclusive workforce and workplace environment, and wishes to minimize or eliminate the impact of implicit bias during the search and hiring process.
All applicants are asked to submit the following materials with their online applications:
- A cover letter;
- A resume;
- A Diversity Statement that addresses how your past and/or potential contributions to diversity will support Hartwick College’s Diversity Statement (
- The names and contact information for three references, with annotation regarding how the reference is related to you and your work (at least one of your references must be from a current and/or previous supervisor).
Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
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