Director of Media Relations, Deputy University Spokesperson

Director of Media Relations, Deputy University Spokesperson

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Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, NY, the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, NY, and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

Position Number: A05470

FLSA:
Exempt

Scheduled Hours Per Week: 35

Department:
Marketing and Communications

Campus:
Lincoln Center

Work Arrangement:
Hybrid

Hybrid Policy:
Please review the Hybrid Policy dham.edu/hybrid policy.

Fordham’s Director of Media Relations promotes the University in national, international, local, and industry media — print, broadcast, digital, podcasts, and emerging as part of a comprehensive media relations program to advance and protect its worldwide institutional reputation. As the University’s primary contact for media relations, the Director is responsible for day‑to‑day proactive and reactive media engagement. The Director reports to the Associate Vice President of University Communications, supervises an assistant director, and serves as a key member of the crisis communications team.

• Identify newsworthy stories and develop compelling pitches regarding Fordham staff perspectives, faculty experts, faculty research, student and faculty accomplishments, and University programs and events, and conduct strategic media outreach to secure favorable coverage.
• Field and navigate incoming media requests, coordinate responses, and oversee in‑person and virtual interviews, as well as filming.
• Maintain relationships with the student press and serve as a key point of contact for all engagement and inquiries.
• Monitor and elevate potentially controversial topics or coverage in the media and support issue mitigation and responses.
• Manage and maintain faculty expert, statement, and messaging database.
• Oversee production and edit news and earned media reporting to be shared across the University community.
• Participate as a member of the crisis communications team, providing on‑call emergency support as needed.

Supervise the work of other Fordham employees who are individual contributors. Responsible for hiring, training and development, managing performance and administering corrective action, and having significant input in compensation decisions.

• Work with the AVP and outside public relations counsel to create and execute impactful media relations plans.
• Partner with broader University Marketing and Communications colleagues to develop and execute 360 communications programs.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with media contacts and internal clients.
• Attend University events and facilitate media access to campus events and facilities.
• Counsel and support staff and faculty members with editorial and media relations guidance.

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Minimum 7 years of media and/or media relations experience.
• Minimum 4 years of experience as a people manager.

• Demonstrated media savvy, media placement ability, and relationships across top‑tier and industry outlets; media placement portfolio required, and visual storytelling examples are a plus.
• Strong writing skills across a variety of formats, including talking points, holding/reactive statements, and media pitches.
• Deep understanding of the evolving media industry and issues impacting higher education.
• Familiarity with media measurement platforms and data analysis.
• Basic understanding of and commitment to the values that underpin Jesuit education.

• Minimum starting salary: $120,000
• Maximum starting salary: $145,000

Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

No

• Posting Number: A997P
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Start Date:
  
  01/01/2026
• Posting Date: 12/10/2025

• No candidate will be considered without media placement clips.

Fordham University is committed to excellence and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.