The department of Athletics at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for an Assistant Director of Athletics Communications.

About the Opportunity

The Assistant Director will direct, plan and implement media relations and publicity for West Virginia University’s intercollegiate athletic program. This position will ensure the University and its athletic achievements are presented in a consistent and favorable way to a wide ranging audience, perform duties related to providing a consistent and continuing public relations program for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, primarily by maintaining a readily accessible, accurate and useful news and information service, and direct the increase of exposure for the athletic program through the news media, social media and public. Performance requires accuracy and professionalism with consciousness of the image projected. Efficient performance is critical to the success of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics due to the relationship of this position to the public relations functions with the department. Errors or poor judgment could easily results in loss of potential revenue, moderate costs and inconveniences to affected areas.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
• 18 sick days per year, and the flexibility to use that time to care for immediate family members
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Manage a readily accessible, accurate and useful news and information service with emphasis on assigned sports and helping direct the varsity sports programs; develop new avenues to promote the University's athletic teams, its student-athletes, coaches and staff; and work with the staff, coaches and student-athletes to enhance their interaction with the public and media (newspapers, radio, television, internet and social).
• Direct with personal involvement the publicity and media relations efforts for assigned sports. Duties include, but not limited to, media management, media guide preparation, news releases, compiling statistics which is distributed to national, regional and state media outlets; engage in media relations activities, game operations, result reporting, liaison to the conference office, feature writing, assist in production of videos, assist with arranging radio broadcasts both home and away, travel to away games and other special projects.
• Coordinate with personal involvement the regional and national television coverage of assigned sports games during each season. Duties include meeting with announcers and producers, providing team and University information, research material and statistics on behalf of the University in preparation of a telecast that will reach thousands of households.
• Supervise the publicity efforts for assigned sports. Duties including personal oversight of brochure preparation, news releases, media relations activities, event operations, result reporting, compiling results and records, liaison to the conference office, feature writing, assist in production of videos, travel to away games and other special projects.
• Assist with the publicity and media relations efforts and major projects related to football. Duties include media guide preparation, news releases, media relations activities, game operations, feature writing, travel to away games if requested and other special projects. Participate in weekly football operations meetings for all home games if requested; compile and distribute gameday information to athletic department personnel, local media and fans. Travel to away football games as needed; compile in-game notes and assist in postgame interview sessions.
• Serve as a primary media contact for varsity sports programs. Serve as staff liaison to sports teams.
• Serve as a liaison to Mountaineer Athletic Club; write news releases promoting MAC events and edit informational and promotional material.
• Generate ideas for social media uses including bi-weekly video features for assigned sports; maintain and update social media pages for assigned sports.
• Assist with the daily responsibilities of the graduate assistants and student assistants in their work with the varsity sports in updating and publicizing results and statistics during the season, including responsibility for the weekly releases. Provide weekly statistical updates and other information as necessary to the conference and other regional offices on the varsity sports, including updates mandated by the NCAA, conference and other governing organizations. Supervise and maintain all updates on records of the varsity sports for use in compiling a comprehensive volume of records annually. Coordinate assignments with the graduate and student assistants, delegate writing and other assignments as appropriate, edit news releases and coordinate and supervise game operations involving the student workers.
• Coordinate, assign and critique the work of the graduate and student assistants as that work relates to the coverage of all varsity sports, with special emphasis on their individual work with the prioritized sports and special department projects. Monitor the work schedule of the graduate and student assistants, coordinate assignments from the sports information director as requested, delegate writing and other assignments as appropriate, edit brochure copy and coordinate and supervise game operations involving the student workers.
• Write and edit copy as assigned for football, basketball and varsity sports media guides and game programs. Write copy and provide information to be included in weekly football release. Write and edit copy as requested for postseason publications and for other department publications as requested. Edit brochure copy and other material prepared by the student assistants. Other writing and editing duties for special publications and printed materials as assigned.
• Assist with home game media operations for all sports, including recruiting workers, scheduling and maintaining payroll information, for varsity sports. Arrange for the training of statistical support for various sports as needed as part of event operation and result reporting. Assist with press box and media operations for football and men's basketball home events. Coordinate on-site championship events for varsity sports, serving as the liaison from the sports information staff.
• Serve as a public relations representative with the staff, athletic teams, other schools, media, fans, alumni and general public. Assist with community relations programs involving the athletic department, both involving student-athletes in civic and campus projects and in introducing special groups to WVU athletics in general and by sport.
• Coordinate and maintain all updates on historical data on all sports for recognition of current and former athletes. Answer requests as assigned for historical information. Provide copy as requested for annual record book.
• Assist with student-athlete awards/recognition programs within the department involving athletes from all sports, including nominations, selection, publicity and award preparation.
• Execute responses to many of the requests for information on coaches, athletes and staff as assigned. Answer requests from other sports information offices in terms of questionnaires and special requests, especially those involving the prioritized sports.

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in English, jounalism, communications, sports administration or similar field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience involving sports information, athletic communications or sports media relation. Experience as a graduate assistant is acceptable.
• Maintain high standard of ethics and integrity related to intercollegiate athletics.
• Knowledge of NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics.
• Strong working knowledge of NCAA and conference rules, regulations, policies and guidelines and the ability to apply those rules.
• Demonstrated knowledge of median, particularly sports media.
• Demonstrated knowledge of writing, editing, media relations practices and public relations skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of sports communications practices and procedures.
• Exhibit strong creative, organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated skills in writing and editing copy, news releases and features.
• Demonstrated knowledge of correct English, grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.
• Demonstrated ability in public speaking skills.
• Maintain knowledge of state and University policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate in English complex information or instructions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of correct English, grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.
• Ability to function professionally under high stress and confrontational circumstances.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks for extended period of time.
• Ability to independently plan and organize work.
• Proactive attitude towards work and assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain and develop personal contacts with outside groups, i.e. fans, media, sponsors, University community.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Demonstrated knowledge of record keeping and adherence to schedule.
• Ability to stay abreast of information impacting the affected area.
• Ability to travel.
• Demonstrated ability to drive and travel via motor vehicle.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and motivate individuals.
• Ability to maintain proper unit attendance and punctuality standards, work extended hours including nights and weekends (often with extensive walking and standing).
• Maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge and ability to write creatively.
• Demonstrated ability to operate a personal computer and possess advanced skills in word processing, desk publishing and web writing software.
• Knowledge of compiling game statistics (Stat Crew) for a variety of sports.
• Ability to stay abreast of sports information and promotional trends impacting the affected area.

• Valid driver's license.

At West Virginia University, we leverage our talents and resources to create a better future for our state and the world. As West Virginia's land-grant university, WVU has three campuses that touch each corner of the state. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres, Extension Service offices in all 55 counties, ten experimental farms and four forests.

From the groundbreaking R1 research of our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs of WVU Potomac State in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley — the contributions of WVU employees directly impact the 1.8 million people of West Virginia every day, no matter their role or position.

Service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation are the core values that unite Mountaineers, inspiring one another to work tirelessly and support others as they seek to reach new heights. After all, when you're a Mountaineer, impossible is just another mountain to climb.

To learn more about West Virginia University, visit go.wvu.edu. View current career opportunities at careers.wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.