Director, Media Relations

Adtalem Global Education is a national leader in post-secondary education and leading provider of professional talent to the healthcare industry. Adtalem educates and empowers students with the knowledge and skills to become leaders in their communities and make a lasting impact on public health, well-being and beyond. Through equitable access to education, environments that nurture student success, and a focus on expanding and diversifying the talent pipeline in healthcare, Adtalem is building a brighter future for communities and the world.

Adtalem was named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies in 2021 and 2023 by Newsweek and Statista, and one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2021 and 2022 by Forbes and Statista. Adtalem’s family of institutions has more than 300,000 alumni and 10,000 employees. Adtalem is the parent organization of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University.

Visit Adtalem.com for more information, and follow on Twitter and LinkedIn.
 

The Director, Media Relations is a creative and highly strategic thinker who can develop short and long-term strategies and tactics to promote thought leadership across Adtalem, its executive leadership team and brands. This person will leverage existing media relationships and cultivate new contacts across a variety of sectors in national, niche, and local media. He/She should possess expert writing and storytelling skills and have a deep understanding of breaking news, engaging content and pitches, and social media trends. This position requires someone with extensive writing experience, developing content including but not limited to, messaging, pitches, media lists, press releases, contributed articles, op-eds, blog posts and more.

Reporting to the Sr. Director, Media Relations, this role develops Adtalem's external communications strategy and implements integrated communication plans to support Adtalem's key business objectives. Leads executive communications, ensuring that executives are supported with talking points and media training for key events/opportunities. Works directly with the senior director, media relations, executive leadership team, internal business partners, and agencies to develop and execute external communication strategies that position Adtalem as a leading provider of professional talent to the healthcare industry. Leverages news and industry developments to create timely and relevant opportunities for Adtalem to contribute to the national discourse on topics of strategic importance; showcases Adtalem's and its family of institutions' strength and leadership through data-driven narratives and student success stories. Actively protects organizational reputation through sound media engagement and messaging. Implements coordinated communications, ensuring consistency of messaging in collaboration with internal communications and alignment with defined objectives. Supports and drives a consistent messaging platform across all stakeholder initiatives and materials. Networks with third parties to promote each institutions brand and image.

Support executive management by drafting and/or editing communications as needed. Assists Investor Relations and Crisis Management teams and serves as contact with the media and other external audiences. Tracks and analyzes external communications initiatives. Completes other related duties as assigned.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

- Oversees a team external communications professionals responsible for cultivating and creating content and implementing earned media tactics to achieve external communications goals.
- Develop external communications strategy and implement public affairs communication plan to support Adtalem and its family of institutions.

- Works directly with the senior director, media relations to promote positive relationships with the press and media, and execute earned media results through targeted media interviews, news releases, op eds, LTE’s and thought leadership events.
- Seek and identify newsworthy media opportunities that showcase Adtalem and its family of institutions, students, faculty, alumni, and programs.
- Actively protect organizational reputation through sound media engagement and messaging.
- Implement coordinated communications, ensuring consistency of messaging in collaboration with internal communications and alignment with defined objectives.
 - Support and drive a consistent messaging platform across all stakeholder initiatives and materials
 - Support executive management by drafting and/or editing communications as needed.
 - Track and analyze external communications initiatives.
- Handles related duties as assigned by senior director, media relations.

- Completes other duties as assigned.
 

• Bachelor's Degree in communications, media relations, journalism or a related field. 
• 10 years of experience in related positions, including 5 years minimum management experience.
• Experience working with third party agencies 
• Well-developed writing and journalistic skills, press and external relations.
• Strong management, coaching and leadership skills.
• Strong collaboration skills.
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Office applications.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Must be able to collaborate with a variety of colleagues across the organization.
• Strong organizational, logistical and planning skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks under tight deadlines while maintaining work quality.

In support of the pay transparency laws enacted across the country, the expected salary range for this position is between $97253.99 and $175761.85. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Our Talent Acquisition Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to learning more about your salary requirements. The position qualifies for the below benefits.

Adtalem offers a robust suite of benefits including:

• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Participation in Adtalem’s Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays
  
  For more information related to our benefits please visit: https://careers.adtalem.com/benefits.
  
  You are also eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.

We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. At Adtalem, we welcome everyone and have a strong commitment towards diversity and inclusion. We encourage our Colleagues to be their true authentic selves and support laws that prohibit discrimination everywhere we do business. We also maintain a drug-free workplace.