ABOUT RAMAPO COLLEGE:

Ramapo College of New Jersey (RCNJ) develops ethical leaders who serve as change agents across all sectors. The College’s unique interdisciplinary academic structure, its liberal arts core, its size (approximately 5,500 students), and its setting in the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains on the New Jersey/New York border provide an optimal environment for individualized, student-centered learning and leadership development. RCNJ’s designation as “New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College” by the State legislature is the foundation from which the College’s commitment to an accessible and transformative undergraduate and graduate education is realized.

Established in 1969, CondeNast Traveler named Ramapo one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America. The barrier-free campus occupies 300 acres and is home to 52 bachelor’s degree programs spanning the arts, business, data science, humanities, education, nursing, social work, social sciences, and the sciences. Ramapo College boasts an average student/faculty ratio of 16:1 and an average class size of 21; affording students the opportunity to develop close ties to the College’s exceptional faculty. In addition, the College offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work, and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Every degree program is designed and delivered through the collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts of student-centered faculty scholars and staff who are committed to serving the public good through the delivery of an academically rigorous, inclusive, and a transformative collegiate experience. Ramapo is ranked #1 among New Jersey public institutions by College Choice and is recognized as the State’s top college on the list of Best Disability Schools by Great Value Colleges. Further commendations include designation as a “Military Friendly College” in Victory Media’s Guide to Military Friendly Schools, and as a leading college by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Princeton Review, and Money Magazine, among others.

EEO STATEMENT

Ramapo College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Ramapo has a long history of advocating, advising, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness. Examples can be found in its mission statement, strategic plans, degree and course offerings, community outreach programs and other diversity programs.

Ramapo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is infused across all facets of the College; where the environment is welcoming, dedicated to social justice, respectful of freedom of expression, focused on educating and having an ongoing conversation regarding cultural competence and the benefits and importance of diversity.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Ramapo College of New Jersey invites applications for the position of Director of Communications and Public Relations to advance its reputation and impact through the optimal leveraging of storytelling across diverse platforms, talent, and media relations. The successful candidate will be an engaged, energetic and detail-oriented content strategist, team builder, storyteller, writer, editor, and versatile communicator.

Reputation and Voice

Reporting to the College Spokesperson and Chief of Staff/Vice President for Policy, Research, and Governance, the Director will be committed to continually improving the College's reputation and visibility while amplifying institutional voice and advancing college priorities across the institution’s seven cores and to external audiences.

The Director will serve on the Cabinet of Agents and will be responsible for developing a strategic communications plan and therein advancing content development for a variety of institutional initiatives, including earned media, executive communications support, social media management, as well as select enterprise-wide communications projects, special initiatives, and public relations, while modeling exemplary professional standards, attention to detail, and consultative guidance.

Strategy and Consultation

The Director will design, facilitate and contribute to content and messaging, drafting, consulting on, and/or executing internal and external strategies and communications to effectively communicate the transformative power of a Ramapo College education against key objectives.

The Director will work collaboratively across the College and provide guidance to colleagues and units in order to foster an organizational culture that values integrated, inclusive, effective, efficient, and strategic communication. The Director will also steward relationships with select college vendors and consultants.

The Director will lead and assist with select communication programs for both external and internal college stakeholders, supporting the Office of the President and its partners in driving awareness and excitement around impactful institutional innovations, news, and progress.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organizes, plans, implements, and assesses a College-wide Strategic Communications Plan aimed at generating earned media opportunities at the regional and national level, building relationships across media outlets, and assisting with the alignment of internal and external messaging with institutional brand, values, and priorities. The Plan shall:
  • Be developed and advanced via active engagement from partners primarily in the Executive Core and Outreach and Engagement Core including Marketing;
  • Feature a year-round content calendar for the executive office and earned media strategy that delivers on objectives of strengthening institutional reputation, brand awareness, internal campus communications, student recruitment, fundraising, and alumni and community engagement;
  • Assess institutional earned media and recommend strategies to improve and increase earned media;
  • Incorporate ways in which strategic storytelling and content initiatives may be developed for public/media relations, multimedia and web content, scripts and addresses, select social media, print collateral, etc.;
  • Assess content effectiveness, and prepare and/or direct the preparation of related reports, findings and recommendations for continuous learning and improvement;
  • Align resources, talent, and expertise to communication objectives.
• Proactively seeks and analyzes information about newsworthy subjects, drafts stories and creates other content that may inform executive communications and/or institutional public relations;
• Takes a lead role in curating select social media presence;
• Develops creative copy and project briefs;
• Ensures continuity of the College values, priority, and brand story through tone, voice, accuracy, consistency, and quality;
• Serves as deputy spokesperson, as needed, on matters of crisis and/or time sensitive communication;
• Suggests communication-related policies and procedures in accordance with best practices and reputational risk management;
• Stewards relationships with select college vendors and consultants;
• Recommends and administers budget and other resources;
• Supports the communication and project management needs of special events over which the president presides
• Supervises staff, student aides, and/or external partners, directs the work operations of others as needed;
• Consults with and seeks approval from the supervisor on unusual problems or policy matters;
• Establishes and maintains effective communication and cooperative working relationships with college stakeholders, private agencies, media entities, and/or the public;
• Maintains integrity and appropriate confidentiality in college and program operations;
• Actively supports, attends, and/or participates in the successful preparation and delivery of College–wide and special events.
• Represents the college at special events, conferences, seminars or meetings as required;
• Develops and delivers training/workshops;
• Prepares and/or supervises the preparation of detailed correspondence;
• Serves on ad hoc and standing committees as required; and
• Directs the establishment and maintenance of essential records and files.

REQUIREMENTS

Education

Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor’s degree supplemented by a Master’s degree in a related field.

Experience

Five years of progressively responsible experience in communications as a professional in media/publishing, education, non-profit management, higher education or other related field.

Proven track record in efficiently and effectively developing, implementing, and assessing strategic communications in a diffuse structure.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Superior writing, proofreading, and pitching skills
• Able to motivate and develop good consultative relationships across teams and units and demonstrate appreciation of a college culture and the value of working with multiple diverse constituencies
• Public/Media Relations experience that includes program development and execution
• Digitally savvy with strong knowledge and past use of social media platforms
• Leadership experience as a connector and coordinator of teams and committees
• Detail-oriented and enjoys introducing, learning and experimenting with new technologies
• Highly creative thinker that can bring to life messages, ideas, and programs in new ways that resonate with internal and external audiences
• Possesses strong judgment and knows when to bring in other people and identifies and raises issues of concern when appropriate
• Experience working with students, intranet platforms, large email distribution technologies, and related project management and CMS platforms
• Facile with Google Suite
• Project management experience and attention to detail
• Ability to work in Mahwah, NJ and remotely, as may be appropriate
• A self-starter who is proactive, responsive, high energy, creative, and collaborative
• Ability to confidently and clearly convey complex ideas into cogent actionable plans