Assistant Director of Media Relations (Administrator I

Assistant Director of Media Relations (Administrator I)

Job no: 560875
Work type: Management (MPP)
Location: San Diego
Categories: MPP, At-Will, Compliance/Legal, Full Time, Marketing/Communications, Research, Telecommute eligible (work onsite as scheduled and/or as requested and telecommute as scheduled)

Position Summary

San Diego State University is seeking a strategic and experienced Assistant Director of Media Relations to help to further advance the university’s visibility through thoughtful, timely, and compelling communications. As a key member of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, you will lead communications around emerging and high-profile issues, develop strategic messaging, strengthen media relationships, and identify opportunities to elevate SDSU’s research, innovation, and overall impact.

Working closely with university leadership and communications partners across campus, you’ll provide trusted communications counsel and help ensure SDSU’s voice is clear, consistent, and responsive across audiences.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead communications planning for emerging, sensitive, and high-profile issues affecting the university.
• Develop strategic messaging, talking points, FAQs, statements, briefing materials, and proactive communications.
• Monitor media and public conversations to identify emerging issues, misinformation, and reputational risks.
• Coordinate with university leaders and campus partners to ensure timely, accurate, and consistent communications.
• Support crisis communications and institutional reputation management efforts.
• Media Relations & Strategic Storytelling
  • Build and maintain relationships with local, regional, national, international, and trade media.
  • Identify and pitch compelling stories highlighting SDSU’s research, academics, student success, innovation, and community impact.
  • Coordinate media interviews and prepare university leaders, faculty, and subject matter experts for media engagement.
  • Develop earned media strategies that advance university priorities, including research and science communications.
• Editorial & Communications Leadership
  • Write and edit news releases, statements, executive messaging, media advisories, stories, and other high-impact communications.
  • Provide editorial leadership to ensure institutional communications are accurate, engaging, and consistent with SDSU’s voice and standards.
  • Advise colleges, divisions, and departments on communications strategies and complex communications needs.
  • Collaborate across Strategic Communications and Public Affairs on integrated earned, owned, and shared media initiatives.

What We're Looking For:

We are looking for an experienced media relations professional who can navigate complex issues, build trusted relationships, and translate nuanced information into clear and compelling messages.

Experience in areas such as the following is especially valuable:

• Strategic communications, media relations, public affairs, and/or journalism.
• At least five years' experience in public affairs.
• Issues management, crisis communications, or reputation management
• Executive communications and strategic counsel.
• Media pitching and earned media strategy.
• Research, science, or complex-topic storytelling.
• Higher education, public sector, healthcare, research, or another complex organization.
• Media monitoring, analytics, and communications measurement.

Why Join Us?

• Shape SDSU’s story – Help communicate the achievements, people, research, and ideas that define a leading public research university.
• Advise on high-impact issues – Play a meaningful role in communications surrounding important and evolving university matters.
• Lead strategic communications – Bring your expertise to institution-wide initiatives.
• Collaborate across the university – Work alongside university leaders, faculty, communications professionals, and subject matter experts across SDSU.

As part of the California State University (CSU) system, San Diego State University helps power one of the largest and most impactful public university systems in the nation. See what it’s like to work at the CSU—watch our video and imagine your future here:
Working at the CSU .

Position Information

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