Media Relations & Community Outreach Director

University of Colorado • Aurora, CO

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Join the police department at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, the largest academic health center in the Rocky Mountain region. This role offers the opportunity to work in the community, build relationships, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. The position involves serving those who protect others through ground-breaking, life-saving research at the forefront of transformative education, science, medicine, and healthcare. The role is hybrid, eligible for a schedule of 6 days per month on campus and within 1 hour of campus, located in Aurora, CO. The University of Colorado Anschutz Police Department is seeking a Media Relations & Community Outreach Director to drive service delivery and community safety excellence. This role will enhance operational efficiency and contribute to the well-being of the campus community, setting the standard for public safety in higher education.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in marketing, journalism, public relations, communications, business administration, business, or a directly related field from an accredited institution
• A minimum of 6 years of professional experience in media relations, public affairs, or strategic communications.
• Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.
• Must be willing to travel for national, state, and local conferences, meetings, training, exercises, and other professional development activities
• Must possess and maintain a valid State of Colorado Driver’s License or be able to obtain one within 30 days of hire
• Applicants will be required to pass a Police Department Background Check which may include one or all of the following: Personnel History Questionnaire, Integrity Interview, Polygraph Examination, Fingerprint Check, Drug Screen, Credit/ Civil Check, Criminal History and Driving Infractions Check, Reference Checks, and Post-Conditional

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a public safety and/or law enforcement setting
• Experience working in a higher education setting
• Experience in managing social media and web content management systems such as Facebook, Instagram, Marketing Cloud, Sitefinity, Cava, etc.
• Experience handling crisis communication and serving as a spokesperson during high profile or sensitive incidents

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage public information releases, media inquiries, and crisis communications strategies
• Serve on the Unified Crisis Communications Team and coordinate communications during Emergency Operations Center activations in partnership with the Joint Information Center Manager
• Advise department leadership on communication strategies, sensitive issues, and reputation management
• Coordinate and produce public-facing communications to strengthen community relations and maintain effective partnerships with print, radio, electronic, and television media outlets
• Develop newsletters, brochures, videos, recruitment campaigns, and public awareness materials while ensuring consistent branding and messaging across all platforms
• Attend and coordinate community outreach events, public engagement initiatives, and recruitment activities, including job and career fairs
• Develop internal and external communication plans and align outreach, media relations, and social media efforts with departmental goals

Benefits

• CU Tuition Assistance Program
• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior