Media and PR Officer at The University of Sheffield

Overview

With a reputation for high impact, Marketing, Admissions, Recruitment and Communications (MARC) leads the University’s core student recruitment activity, as well as enhances the institution's reputation as a global leader in research, teaching and industry collaboration.
Within the department’s Media and PR function is a commitment to strategically raise the profile and strengthen the reputation of the University via the media, by understanding and sharing academic research and seeking ways to promote corporate achievements. Stories are frequently complex, require care and sensitivity and a close partnership with experts. Alongside this, is a responsibility to lead a proactive approach to risk, and crisis management, advising senior stakeholders in order to effectively safeguard the University’s reputation.

This fast-paced role requires someone who has a strong background of working with the media; existing relationships with high-profile journalists and broadcasters; demonstrable knowledge of media relations, its impact with stakeholders and role in building brand reputation; crisis and reputation management experience and a good knowledge of higher education.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Maximise the University’s national and international reputation through proactive media and PR, working to identify, source and amplify impactful content to shape Sheffield's global profile.
• Write and pitch news releases for a wide variety of media, deciding on both content and target audience.
• Manage and lead short to medium term press and media campaigns, as well as contribute to longer-term strategic work, such as the University’s golden thread campaign, ensuring objectives are met.
• Support the management of the University’s external reputation and provide specialist and expert reputational advice to colleagues across the University – including senior management – during a crisis or when handling potentially sensitive and controversial issues.
• Proactively source key spokespeople and academic experts from within the University for press and media interviews, and brief them accordingly.
• Respond efficiently and helpfully to incoming media enquiries from journalists and broadcasters.
• Ensure the impact of media work is captured to demonstrate an evidence base for the role media plays in creating a pathway to potential impact with key stakeholders, including government policy makers, potential funders and international collaborators.
• Proactively build strong relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including academics, university leadership and communications colleagues across the institution, as well as journalists and PR and research communications colleagues at key external organisations. Ensure opportunities to promote the University are maximised at all times, being proactive in seeking links to topical news and leveraging reputational benefit wherever possible.
• Share news stories with colleagues across marketing and communications to be used in digital/social media or to support recruitment efforts/the creation of new content.
• Provide specialist media relations training and advice to colleagues at all levels across the University.
• Represent the Media Team at key internal and external meetings
• Compile and post on the University’s website information needed to maintain, update and develop the University’s online News pages.
• Time Management - Plan, organise and prioritise your workload to ensure deadlines and objectives for are met
• Career Development - Take responsibility for personal learning and professional development
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post