SENIOR WRITER & PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER ID - 11753

Position Summary

In collaboration with the Assistant Dean, Chief Marketing Communications Officer (CMO) and other members on the school's Communications team, the Senior Writer and Public Information Officer (PIO) will leverage their substantial media relationships and the school's media-monitoring platform to develop a strategic media relations plan with minimal supervision. This includes developing and maintaining the general/trade/topic-specific media lists for UCLA Samueli, finding compelling news-worthy pitches from research and other school activities, working with traditional and digital-media journalists to identify story ideas suitable for our faculty and/or students, positioning select faculty experts as go-to sources for target media outlets, formalizing a proactive and strategic program designed to generate consistent and positive external news coverage, etc. UCLA Engineering faculty are at the forefront of many exciting research areas, including robotics, artificial intelligence/machine learning, computational medicine, climate change, sustainability, quantum computing, data sciences, cryptography and many other emerging technologies. The PIO will gain a deep understanding and knowledge of target journalists' beats and faculty expertise to identify opportunities for media briefing and interviews on an ongoing basis.The Senior Writer/PIO is a seasoned communications professional responsible for writing and editing electronic publications, web content and social media posts. Additional writing duties in support of the Communications team include web features, event invitations, research press releases, op-eds, student and alumni profiles, monthly e-newsletters, marketing materials, presentations, school announcements and other content as directed by CMO. The PIO will assist CMO in drafting speeches and talking points for both internal and external speaking engagements of key school leadership.The PIO will coordinate with the Communications team to post on the school's main social media channels, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to ensure proactive and consistent messaging throughout the school. Working with CMO, the PIO will also be responsible for developing and implementing a proactive public-relations program, including a UCLA Samueli speaker's bureau, to raise visibility for the Dean and other key leadership in the school.UCLA Samueli is embarking on a strategic plan to grow the school, with an emphasis on attracting top faculty from diverse backgrounds around the world and setting the standard for undergraduate and graduate engineering education in an equitable and inclusive way. This position is expected to play a key role in the success of that strategic plan by elevating the school's brand among its many constituents.


Salary & Compensation

*UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.
Qualifications


Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

  • Bachelor's Degree journalism, communications or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience (Required)


Special Conditions for Employment

  • Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
  • Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.
  • Age Requirement: Candidate(s) must be 18 years or older to be eligible to be hired.
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