I.
Title: Communications and Grant Development Director
Division:
Department: Advancement and External Affairs
Location: Law School Building
Schedule: 3/5 time
Organizational Relationships:
Reports to: Director of Advancement and External Affairs
Supervises:
Coordinates with: Dean, Dean’s staff, Admissions, Student Services,
Advancement and External Affairs, Career Services, Finance and Administration, Technology
Department
II.
STATEMENT OF THE JOB
Develop and implement the Law School’s overall media relations effort through external and
internal communication plans, operations, and relationships. Sufficient engagement with the
Maine Law community to write about news, developments, and aspirations of the Law School.
Assists with coordination of and communication with alumni and friends of the Law School.
Supports the development, content and operation of the alumni and Law School’s website
and other electronic media. Manages the Dean’s media relations initiatives of institutional
crisis communications. Assists the Advancement office efforts to develop and submit grant
requests to Foundations and government agencies.
III.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The Director of Communications is responsible for the development and implementation of an
institutional media relations program designed to sustain and enhance the visibility of Maine
Law and its contributions and resources among internal and external audiences.
The Director of Communications will identify newsworthy items and will produce content about
the institution, students, alumni, faculty and staff for use across multiple platforms, including
web, email communications, and the Maine Law Magazine. The Director will provide writing,
editing and communications strategy support for various departments and centers at Maine
Law, as directed. He or she will work collaboratively with other staff members to ensure
consistency of messaging and identity in publications and other communications, and to
develop overall marketing strategy.
The Director of Communications will assist in communicating with and monitoring of alumni
and friends of the Law School to ensure their continued involvement in giving, volunteering
and event attendance. The Director will ensure the content of all Law School print, website,
media and publications include announcements and articles regarding alumni achievements
and their community contributions.
The Director of Communications will:
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IV.
Serve as the point person for all outside media inquiries, respond in an
appropriate and timely fashion, and connect media with expert sources at
Maine Law.
Monitor the media for references to the University of Maine School of Law, and
contact media outlets when necessary, for example to correct a mistake or
clarify information. Maintain a list of media appearances by Maine Law
constituents, such as newspaper articles in which one of our professors is quoted
as an expert.
Identify and develop newsworthy stories about the school, students, faculty
members, and alumni, and pitch those stories to appropriate media outlets.
Write and distribute press releases for major school news and events.
Develop and maintain a media distribution list, including state, regional and
national outlets. Cultivate relationships with reporters and other news media
representatives.
Develop and maintain a press kit with facts, figures and other pertinent
information about Maine Law, specifically tailored to inform the media.
Prepare and distribute a periodic alumni e-newsletter and other communication
vehicles for alumni news distribution.
Represent Maine Law at events, meetings and other activities that involve
potential media coverage.
Develop grant funding opportunities. Participate in grant writing for
Foundations and Government agencies.
Gather and disseminate information about federal and foundation funding
trends and sponsored research opportunities.
Provide media training to faculty and staff as requested.
Communicate regularly with the Dean, faculty, staff and students to identify and
write news items, profiles, and other material for posting on the law school’s
website and social media.
Participate as a key member of the Maine Law Magazine committee,
contributing to story lineups, organization and other decisions. Research and
write stories and news briefs as agreed upon by the committee. Assist magazine
editor with a variety of needs, including photography and copy editing.
Assist the Dean and other law school leaders with development of positioning
statements, to help guide media relations strategy, content for publications and
marketing materials.
Support various Law School departments, programs and centers as needed with
editing, copywriting and strategy for web, email and printed communications.
Work with supervisor to prioritize requests and needs.
Marginal functions:
Create profiles of interdisciplinary institutional research activity
Other duties, as assigned, necessary in response to external funding opportunities
V.
Supervisor Responsibilities
VI.
Budget Responsibilities
VII.
Professional/ Public Activities
Attend Maine Law sponsored events and work with state wide organizations to
get Maine Law invited to speak at Maine Bar meetings or various pre-law advisor
meetings at colleges and universities.
VIII.
Budget Responsibilities
Assist faculty members in preparation of individual grant budgets
IX.
Professional/Public activities:
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Internal/External contacts:
XI.
Knowledge/abilities
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Knowledge of grant writing
Project management
Budget construction
Good interpersonal skills and technical vocabulary to work with faculty and staff
Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with particular emphasis on the
ability to accurately translate technical or scholarly information into accessible and
persuasive language.
Willingness to travel, and evening or weekend work as dictated by external funding
opportunities
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of five years of full-time writing experience for
the news media, plus no fewer than two years of public relations experience.
Familiarity with rules and regulations of major research sponsors. Evidence of
successfully developing professional relationships with research funding entities is
desired.
Experience writing, securing, managing and/or administering large federal grants
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A demonstrated track record of successful project management preferably in an
academic setting
Individual needs demonstrate3d interpersonal skills with willingness to associate with
a variety of individuals and organizations.
For Office Use Only:
Approved:
Salary Band:
Job Family:
Unit:
UMPSA
Job Number:
Position#:
00022020
Employee: