Content and Media Strategist

Ball State University

Muncie, IN

ID: 7110611 (Ref.No. BSU33315)
Posted: September 14, 2022
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Job Description

The Content and Media Strategist is a creative and proactive idea generator, writer, and problem solver who owns the Ball State University brand’s story for all channels, with a particular focus on media relations, media monitoring, pitching stories, and strategic planning. The Content and Media Strategist will work closely and collaboratively with all members of the Ball State Division of Marketing and Communications.

As an employee of Marketing and Communications, a flexible work model that combines remote and in-office work schedules is offered.

As an employee at Ball State University, you will have access to the necessary technology and training to make you successful, including professional development opportunities. Further, the benefits for employees at Ball State are robust. Review full benefit packages, including tuition remission opportunities and more here: https://www.bsu.edu/about/administrativeoffices/payrolleb

Job Function:

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in English, Public Relations, Communications or other related field from an accredited institution.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, public relations, communications, or related field from an accredited institution.

Minimum Experience:

At least two years performing media relations and writing duties for a corporation, agency, or college/university. Or, equivalent work experience in media.

Preferred Experience:

Experience working in Higher Education, creative services, or agency setting.

• Demonstrated knowledge of media relations and monitoring, pitching stories, content development, and copy editing.

• Project management experience: managing multiple projects simultaneously; working effectively and efficiently with individuals and teams within a diverse environment; and using project management tools such as ClickUp.

• Experience utilizing media database tools such as Cision to build and maintain relevant media lists, execute targeted pitches, and build daily and weekly media reports summarizing organization’s media placements.

• Experience in researching and collecting information, including interviewing skills, web research skills, and other intelligence gathering techniques.

• Demonstrated knowledge of strategic content, communication, and marketing principles.

• Experience in using analytical skills in transforming business insights into strategic planning.

• Experience in using content curation skills, transforming content across platforms to meet different audience needs; ability to visualize and communicate to clients the best way to present content.

• Evidence of effective written and verbal communication skills.

• Experience in using client relationship skills, being self-directed and in taking initiatives to completion.

• Experience in using creative and critical thinking skills, goal setting and attention to detail.

• Demonstrated knowledge of web content best practices.

• Experience using Microsoft Office suite.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Compellingly communicate our University’s brand story and shape and implement the college’s content strategies across multiple mediums.
Plan, write and produce high-impact communications for faculty, staff and the general public, including optimized content for websites, email campaigns, social media, media relations, and talking points. Oversee deliverables across the project life cycle.
Serve as a media contact for the University, facilitating requests from media in a timely fashion, including assisting with coordination of interviews and elevating requests when needed. Also help ensure the University meets established media placement goals by proactively pitching story ideas that tell the University’s story digitally and highlight the University’s best experts and researchers.
Execute the University’s Daily Media Report (each Monday-Friday) and Weekly Media Report (each Friday), utilizing media database to collect, organize, and summarize University media placements to be distributed in a timely fashion to campus leadership and divisional colleagues.
Develop and implement guidelines and best practices for internal communications.
Champion the Ball State brand guidelines, key messages and writing style and ensure that clients and academic units adhere to them.
Write speeches, media statements and letters, as assigned.
Assist in coordination of media training sessions for various members of the University community.
Create content for the Ball State website, ensure timeliness of all information, and coordinate content updates to expand the college’s brand and reach. Utilize SEO and analytics to drive page views, conversions, and yield.
Build relationships with and conduct regular interviews with faculty, alumni, key stakeholders, project leads/managers, and team members in order to develop stories for publication and market content. Develop innovative methods to share this content through news stories, social media, or ideas yet to be created.
Work closely and collaboratively with cross functional team members, stakeholders, and project owners to help define content objectives, needs and outcomes.
Collaborate, consult, and actively participate in new idea generation, brainstorming concepts, and make recommendations for creative ways to accomplish goals.
Create and maintain media pitch and press release calendars.
Serve on the University’s Crisis Communication team.
Lead or serve on a cross functional team comprised of client service managers, graphic designers, communication specialists, photographers, videographers and vendors.
Perform other related duties as assigned.

At Ball State University, we recognize inclusive excellence as an integral endeavor to fulfill our University’s mission and our strategic plan. We recruit, support, and retain a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff. We encourage and reward diversity of thought. We promote a work environment that encourages and rewards innovation and creativity. We pledge to keep Inclusive Excellence at the highest level of institutional importance and as a foundation in all that we strive to do. Our over-arching goal for Inclusive Excellence is to adopt a university-wide Inclusive Excellence approach to academic, administrative support, and service functions of the university. We believe Inclusive Excellence must be infused in every step we take.

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