Associate Director of Public Relations (Finance)
Special Instructions to Applicants : In PDF form, applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application.
About Rice
Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.
Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in how we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name - RICE - Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.
Position Summary
The Kinder Institute for Urban Research is seeking a full-time Associate Director of Public Relations. This position supervises the institute's day-to-day public relations and works closely with internal teams. The position will support public programs and be part of the External Affairs Division at the Kinder Institute.
The Kinder Institute for Urban Research aims to improve lives through data, research, engagement, and action. The institute is currently working to build out five research centers focused on critical aspects shaping the social and cultural landscape of the Houston area. The five centers will research housing , education , community andpublic health , economic mobility and inequality , and population dynamics . Each center will investigate its topic area and will work across centers.To achieve this, each center is building interdisciplinary teams specializing in solutions-oriented research while using a partnership model of research.
The ideal candidate has experience managing across communication functions, including media relations, branding, and digital media, as well as leading and managing public programs. This is a hands-on position. The successful candidate must be comfortable performing tactical responsibilities, taking part in strategic planning, collaborating with diverse teams, and be results-oriented.
Workplace Requirements
This position is located on-site in the Houston area and has the potential of being a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Attendance on evenings and weeknights may be required. Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change.
Hiring Range
This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree
- 3+ years of related experience creating communication/media campaigns and managing team members, as well as leading public programs and events
Skills:
- Ability to work collaboratively and take initiative on sensitive and high-pressure situations
- Strong oral and written communication skills, including experience writing persuasive and marketing communication
- Ability to listen, understand substantive research, communicate effectively, write clearly, and execute effectively in a timely manner
- Ability to supervise, provide guidance, and is comfortable supporting staff development
- Adaptable to change and accustomed to working in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to set priorities and follow through on multiple tasks to meet deadlines
Preferences
- Master's degree in journalism, public relations, communication, or a related field
- 5+ or more years of experience successfully managing communication projects and teams
- Prior experience creating and implementing strategic media plans and leading public programs from beginning to end
- Experience supervising 3 or more people
- Ability to translate and summarize technical writing for a general audience
Essential Functions
- Supervises the day-to-day public/media relations functions to meet organizational objectives
- Develops and executes strategies to increase and deepen awareness of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research
- Coordinates and collaborates with internal teams, including research centers and the university's Office of Public Affairs
- Responsible for supporting strategic long-range plans/programs to meet the institute's objectives
- Writes, designs, and coordinates the production of communication materials
- Participates in organization-wide initiatives and cross-functional teams to continue to position the institute as a strategic partner and thought leader
- Supports and leads public programs and events
- Works closely with the Executive Director to set and monitor budgets for broad-based projects
- Performs all other duties as assigned
Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits
Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University
Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.
If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.
