Communications & Marketing

Short Description

This position will work closely with the Director to refine and strengthen our communications infrastructure to protect our University’s reputation, market positioning and growth plans.

At the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), we view public relations as newsworthy story telling. We are looking for a seasoned public relations professional who can create narratives that guide our brand story. The ideal candidate will contribute to our existing PR efforts while helping to develop new initiatives aligned with our growth objectives. He/she will have experience in a wide range of PR function with an established track record of positive relationships with media professionals in the education industry and the community.

Job Description

• Design and implement a strategic Public Relations framework and deploy a robust Media Relations plan that will support our strategic brand building efforts
• Implement our PR/media relations plans that will have high impact on our stakeholder groups, including digital PR
• Act as the key responsive and engaging channel for key media. 
• Leverage existing media relationships " broadcast, traditional, and online " to land prominent placements
• Pitch new ideas, amplify brand content on social media, and remain up to date with trends and opportunities
• Write timely press releases and media kits, and collaborate with social-media team to communicate proactively
• Assess and identify suitable strategic PR agency partners to support our day to day media outreach efforts, including agency performance, metrics and tracking.
• Collaborate with our Brand Strategy team to develop the new corporate narrative, key messages and executive communications
• Collaborate with Digital marketing to frame and design communication strategies mapped to various online influencer groups and communities
• Develop key messages for various PR programs including executive messages used by senior leadership 
• Act as a key PR resource and provide counsel for key internal stakeholders media outreach, driving message consistency and impact.
• Help build and develop PR skills and capacity of the organization, including coordinating spokesperson training and crisis communications training. 
• Partner and support Director in establishing strategies for damage containment in crisis situations

General (10%)

• Provide additional communications and marketing support in any strategic interdepartmental collaboration when required
• Participate and support university-wide events when required

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism or communications related qualifications. 
• 10 to 12 years of relevant experience in media relations or PR related discipline, with agile skills to manage complex thought leadership ideas including content creation and curation. 
• Excellent written English and Chinese preferred, with impeccable editorial skills
• Experienced working in large organizations, with confidence and maturity in managing complex projects and working with senior leadership, and government entities.
• Must be able to multi-task, handling various projects simultaneously with agility to manage tight timelines due to media enquiries/crisis situations
• Solid understanding of social media and new digital platforms that impact communications strategies and PR trends
• Previous experience in managing PR in the education sector, with close media relationships is preferred.

(b) Personal Attributes

• Maturity and steadiness to handle pressure and ambiguity
• Curiosity of mind, keen ability to create interesting news angles, and innovative thinking for breakthrough ideas
• Passionate in building a successful career in the field of communications
• Highly effective and strong business judgment
• Able to work independently and strong team player