Job Description:

The Senior Communications Manager and Writer for the Physical Sciences in Brownâ™s Office of University Communications (OUC) is a communications strategist, content producer and storyteller who develops and guides editorial content for communications about the teaching, research and service missions of the University, with a special emphasis on the physical sciences. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for News and Editorial Development, the Senior Manager and Writer is part of a collaborative News and Editorial Development team that works with other units within OUC to integrate strong editorial content with visual storytelling and strategies for tailoring communications to the best platforms to reach Brownâ™s audiences.

The Senior Manager and Writer produces and manages editorial content focused on Brownâ™s School of Engineering and a range of other academic departments including mathematics; computer science; physics; chemistry; earth, environmental and planetary sciences; and other departments, centers and institutes in the physical sciences. To elevate major Brownâ™s strengths in the physical sciences, the incumbent develops and maintains a relationship with academic and administrative units in the physical sciences to help further their goals to promote their faculty, students, staff, research, programs, initiatives and events.

The Senior Manager and Writer shares the story of Brownâ™s robust research and teaching in the physical sciences via news releases, feature stories, profiles, websites, newsletters, digital and print publications, and other strategic vehicles intended to demonstrate Brownâ™s strengths among its many audiences. The editorial responsibilities are multifaceted, supporting the news, media relations, social media, and web and digital functions of OUC, along with strategic editorial support for campus clients. The incumbent serves as a media relations officer, interacting with journalists locally and across the world to secure earned media coverage about Brownâ™s strength in physical sciences, and respond to expert requests and other inbound queries.

As a senior writer on the News and Editorial Development team, the Senior Manager and Writer also contributes as a writer on institutional news announcements related to Brownâ™s academic priorities and research enterprise, serves as a resource on media strategy to colleagues and at times edits assignments taken on by fellow writers.

Qualifications

• A college degree is required.
• Minimum seven years of professional experience in journalism, public affairs, and/or media relations in the sciences is required.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing news coverage plans.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including proficiency in Associated Press writing style.
• Demonstrated ability to research information, conduct effective interviews and write well and quickly.
• Experience using computing tools for conducting research on the Internet, for communicating bye-mail, for writing documents that are properly formatted in appropriate templates, and maintaining appropriate story databases.
• Experience developing effective messaging tailored to audiences.
• Ability to sustain and build rapport with stakeholders.
• Proven experience managing multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment.
• Comfort with using online databases, editing tools and content management systems.
• Demonstrated ability to support a community of diverse perspectives and cultures in an inclusive environment.  

The physical sciences Senior Communications Manager and Writer represents the University in a very public way, speaking with authority to local, regional and national media about Brown, its research and its academic programs. The Senior Communications Manager and Writer also is a collaborator and guide on effective communications, and must cultivate understanding of communications strategy among faculty and administrators in campus units. The Senior Communications Manager and Writer will need to be a person of diplomacy, poise and confidence, qualities that come from a well-developed understanding of the University and its people.

The Senior Communications Manager and Writer is expected to work occasional nights and weekends, aligned with special events that occur at times during the academic year.

Candidates selected for initial and final rounds of interviews will be required to complete a writing exercise.

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Submission Guidelines:

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any staff position at Brown University you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

Vaccination Requirements:

In order to maintain 90% or greater universal vaccination rates on campus, all newly hired employees at Brown University must receive the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before they begin work, unless they are approved for a medical or religious exemption. All employees must also receive a COVID-19 booster within thirty (30) days of becoming eligible. For more information, please visit the Healthy Brown site.

Still Have Questions?

If you have any questions you may contact employment@brown.edu.

EEO Statement:

Brown University is an E-Verify Employer.

Brown University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community; as an EEO/AA employer, Brown considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, race, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

About Brown University

Located in historic Providence, Rhode Island and founded in 1764, Brown University is the seventh-oldest college in the United States. Brown is an independent, coeducational Ivy League institution comprising undergraduate and graduate programs, plus the Alpert Medical School, School of Engineering, Executive Master of Healthcare Leadership and the IE Brown Executive MBA.

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