The Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Communication provides leadership in the areas of athletic communications, as well as media and public relations for UMass Boston athletics and the nineteen (19) National Athletic Collegiate Association (NCAA) Division III intercollegiate programs. The incumbent is responsible for the overall supervision, organization and management of the Sports Information Office and public relations functions of the department including the development, coordination, and implementation of effective communication strategies and initiatives that create recognition of the achievements, programs, teams and participants.
The Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Communication will serve as the main representative to all visiting game day officials, opponents, and any outside media outlets that may come to campus; and will also serve as the main contact for all communications game day employees and the primary contact for officials and any outside parties.
Examples of Duties:
General Summary:
The Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Communication provides leadership in the areas of athletic communications, as well as media and public relations for UMass Boston athletics and the nineteen (19) National Athletic Collegiate Association (NCAA) Division III intercollegiate programs. The incumbent is responsible for the overall supervision, organization and management of the Sports Information Office and public relations functions of the department including the development, coordination, and implementation of effective communication strategies and initiatives that create recognition of the achievements, programs, teams and participants.
The Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Communication will serve as the main representative to all visiting game day officials, opponents, and any outside media outlets that may come to campus; and will also serve as the main contact for all communications game day employees and the primary contact for officials and any outside parties.
Serve as primary media contact for the Division of Athletics and Recreation and establish and foster relationships with sports reporters from local, regional, university and national media organizations; respond to all media requests for all news articles, TV segments, photography sessions, and radio and internet broadcasts and prepare press releases as required.
Serve as the statistician for all sports and compile statistics for all in-season sports following events; release statistics on weekly basis and as requested by coaches; report statistics as required to the Little East Conference (LEC), the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); compile and maintain historical data and all-time statistics and records for all sports and compile official rosters for all sports.
Provide leadership and supervision of the Beacon Broadcast Network, which is responsible for the production of all UMass Boston home athletic contests.
Provide leadership, supervision and evaluation of communications staff, and is responsible for the adequate training for communications game day staff in both equipment operations and the use of statistical software.
Assist in event management by setting-up and staffing such events, accommodating and directing visiting team and officials/referees.
Recruit, hire, train and oversee all communications staff for home events; ensures that all events held in conjunction with the Athletic Department are in compliance with all University, NCAA ,LEC and NEHC rules and regulations.
Assure payment of game officials, broadcast staff and communication student workers who work UMass Boston athletic events.
Provide leadership, supervision, and evaluation of Sports Information Assistant.
Maintain, update and provide content for UMass Boston’s Athletic website and social media sites; develop relationship with University webmaster and work in keeping sites in line with University policy and style; develop and promote all UMass Boston athletic highlight and promotional videos on the website and social media outlets.
Communicate information regarding the intercollegiate athletic programs to the public, and promote UMass Boston athletics in local, regional, and national media.
Create and publish annual media guides, game day programs, and other intercollegiate publications; provide assistance for individual teams in producing publications such as camp brochures and newsletters; serve as primary photographer for intercollegiate athletics.
Oversee and maintain all facets of the intercollegiate athletic webcasts, including design, overlay, and information displayed on the more than 150 webcasts annually; serve as the main contact for all outside play-by-play announcers, and any technology upgrades that pertain to the webcasts.
Coordinate the promotion of athletic events both on campus and in the community through the use of social media, as well as the development and execution of in-game promotions and contents.
Assist coaches and administration in nominating athletes for university, local, regional and national recognition, including College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), National College Athletic Association (NCAA) honors and Hall of Fame.
Prepare and submit to the Deputy Athletic Director for Strategic Advancement a detailed annual budget for sports communication to properly support the program; conduct ongoing financial assessments in order to adjust or modify the program according to its needs.
Responsible for the design and implementation of new signage and branding on the UMass Boston campus, specifically in the athletic facilities; ensure a consistent image and appropriate trademark usage as it relates to institutional publication guidelines, trademark, usage, and marketing materials.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree, master’s degree preferred in Sports Management, Marketing, Communications or a closely related field, and a minimum of three-five (3-5) years of work experience in sports information, brand marketing, public relations and/or advertising required, preferably in collegiate athletics and/or professional athletics, required.
Broad knowledge of sports statistics, as well as the rules and regulations for all intercollegiate sports preferred. Experience with Boxout, Photoshop, InDesign, Premier and other Adobe Creative Suite software preferred.
Strong understanding of athletics branding, marketing and advertising principles preferred.
A valid and current driver’s license is required throughout the duration of employment in this position. The incumbent is required to travel for sporting events, as directed.
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint), NCAA computerized statistical packages and desktop publishing equipment.
Working knowledge of various broadcast equipment used to stream/broadcast contests.
Knowledge of and adherence to NCAA, conference, and University rules and regulations, media practices, and procedures.
Knowledge of media practices and procedures.
Ability to build consensus among team members and manage multiple concurrent priorities.
Ability to work independently, as well as complete projects by enlisting the cooperation of others.
Ability to manage precise details from beginning to end.
Ability to build relationships with a wide range of constituencies.
Ability to effectively organize and prioritize work, as well as meet timelines on multiple projects simultaneously.
Ability to identify and analyze problems and devise solutions.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Strong project management skills.
Strong organizational, planning and time management skills.
Strong problem-solving skills.
Strong attention to detail.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Strong commitment to customer service.
Application Instructions:
Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.
Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date.
Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.
Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link:
All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.
UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact HRDirect@umb.edu or 617-287-5150.