Senior Associate Athletic Director, Communications, Creative and Engagement Strategies

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Job Description Summary

Job Description

Essential Functions:

• Directs overall Athletics Communications operations for 18 intercollegiate sports and effective strategies for publicizing Wake Forest Athletics.
• Organizes and assigns staff to ensure consistent support for media representatives athletic staff and student-athletes. Manage coverage responsibilities for all home and away Olympic sports contest to ensure comprehensive media coverage.
• Primary media contact for all athletics coverage. Establish strong relationships with local state national local print and broadcast media.
• Provides leadership in digital and social media to ensure increased creative content and coverage of Wake Forest Athletics.
• Serves as primary contact with University leadership to manage all crisis management and acts as the spokesperson for Athletics when necessary.
• Plans create and execute strategic communications cascades and messaging for all major news announcements.
• Maintains comprehensive knowledge of upcoming projects initiatives and potential issues to proactively anticipate and shape public positioning.
• Ensures all communication strategies and execution fit within the broader context of the University-wide communications strategy and plan.
• Informs and prepares the Vice President and Director of Athletics head coaches and other key staff for interviews speaking engagements and appearances.
• Works in coordination with campus communicators (University Marketing and Communications and University Advancement) to maintain and create consistent messaging.
• Provides strategic and daily leadership for the Athletics creative team consisting of videography graphic design and photography. Offers guidance in capturing and generating content for all 18 athletic programs for use with social media recruiting development and for the in-venue fan experience to drive revenue and enhance The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina.
• Works closely with internal and external departments to execute digital and creative campaigns to generate revenue and communicate Wake Forests brand and institutional story.
• Collaborates with media rights holder to ensure successful leveraging of Wake Forest sponsors and partners and develop strategies around student-athlete NIL brand integration strategies.
• Provides leadership and supervision of Fan Experience Game Presentation and Campus Partnership unit responsible for all in-game scripting and fan engagement production and student attendance initiatives.
• Creates synergy between athletics communications creative staff fan experience and ticket sales units on content strategy processes and protocols to enhance the performance of Wake Forest Athletics social media accounts and branding.
• Assists in developing presentations in both digital and print forms for the Vice President and Director of Athletics.
• Coordinates direct messaging to donors ticket purchasers and fans regarding upcoming deadlines changes to schedules traffic parking and other necessary Athletics communications.
• Participates as a member of the production operations and external team to assist with communications and marketing initiatives to elevate fundraising revenue generation and ticket sales.
• Implements departmental policies and procedures related to public relations ensuring the highest integrity and appropriate public image of the Athletics program.
• Writes and edits press releases features and other publications for local regional and national exposure level.
• Coordinates media coverage for away athletic contests including collaboration with opponents Athletic Communications offices and arranging staff travel as appropriate.
• Supervises the management of the athletic departments website and web vendor relationship.
• Serves as the primary media liaison arranging press conferences and defining procedures for interviewing student-athletes coaches and administrators. Arrange interviews when appropriate and convenient for department personnel.
• Coordinates Athletic communications operations for special events (i.e. ACC and NCAA Tournaments etc.)
• Arranges photography and video coverage for department staff teams and events.
• Assists with management production and coverage of Athletics special events including Hall of Fame Trailblazer Award Scholarship Brunch and others as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Education Knowledge Skills Abilities:

• Bachelors degree with at least eight years directly related collegiate or professional sports experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of ACC and NCAA rules as they pertain to Athletic Communications/sports information.
• Must possess writing editing and proofreading skills with experience in preparing press releases.
• Knowledge of journalism public relations crisis management and general communications principles and practices; good working knowledge of the Athletic Communications/sports information profession.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) including experience working with members of the media.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Ability to use independent judgment and to gather manage and impart information to the media and various other internal and external audiences.
• Ability to develop and maintain documents using various electronic media.
• Proficiency using various contemporary software tools including graphic design and sport statistic tracking
• General knowledge of budget preparation and fiscal management.
• Valid drivers license with good driving record; must be insurable.
• Ability to travel as required.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.

Preferred Education Knowledge Skills Abilities:

Previous work as communications lead for an FBS football and/or Power 4 mens basketball team

Experience leading marketing promotions fan experience and/or ticket sales planning and execution.

Accountabilities:

Direct supervision of:

Assistant AD Creative and Communications

Assistant AD Communications and Content

Senior Director Creative Media and Content Strategy

Executive Director Creative Design

Associate AD Fan Experience Game Presentation and Campus Partnership

Additional Job Description

Time Type Requirement

Note to Applicant:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race color religion national origin sex age sexual orientation gender identity and expression genetic information disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please contact or .