PSch Executive Director of Communications, Marketing & Public Relations

POSITION DETAILS

The CUNY School of Medicine (CUNY SoM) located in the heart of Harlem, New York, is the only medical school in the City University of New York system and the only public medical school in Manhattan. Building upon 50 years of success as the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, the institution transitioned to the CUNY School of Medicine (SoM) in 2016. The CUNY SoM offers an accelerated BS/MD degree (7-year program) and a Physician Assistant Master?s Degree (27 months program). True to its legacy of access, opportunity, and community transformation, the medical school?s mission remains to recruit highly talented students as diverse as New York City itself. CUNY SoM places a special emphasis on the recruitment of those who are underrepresented in the field of medicine and on training high quality, culturally competent health professionals and scientists equipped to address the healthcare needs of New York?s medically under-served communities. As a major priority, CUNY SoM also seeks to enhance the recruitment and retention of senior leadership, faculty, and staff to more closely reflect the diversity of our student body.

CUNY SoM is seeking a dynamic institutional advancement professional dedicated to enhancing relationships with existing partners and garnering support from new partners to advance the educational, research, and medical education of the SoM. Reporting to the Associate Dean of Institutional Advancement, the Executive Director of Communications, Marketing and Public Relations supports all strategic areas of the college: academics, student development and enrollment, fundraising, and research by leading ongoing assessment of the college's marketing, branding, and communications. The successful candidate will articulate and recommend communications and marketing goals for the SoM, identifying measures to assess achievement and the growing influence of information technology/media experience of the future. The Executive Director will be a storyteller and brand ambassador for the School while striving to develop communications, marketing and public relations programs that will differentiate the CUNY SoM in the academic medicine marketplace and help the institution in its mission to be a destination of choice.

In addition to the overview above, the Executive Director of Communications, Marketing and Public Relations will be responsible for but not limited to the following:

• Develop and implement strategies for effective institutional communications consistent with the School?s mission and the Dean's vision as well as promote the image of the College through campaigns focused on fundraising, legislative initiatives, community relations, content production, and media relations.
• Liaise with the University?s and School?s academic and administrative leadership to anticipate and recognize emerging issues and opportunities that may have public relations and communications implications, and respond proactively and appropriately to all situations, including during times of crisis.
• Collaborate with other CUNY and campus communicators/spokespersons to integrate media content across multiple platforms and publications for a wide range of audiences and purposes.
• Inform the internal and external communities about all major SoM events and news stories; provide publicity for campus programs and initiatives through timely, high-quality production and distribution of communications vehicles such as websites, newsletters, and electronic and print publications.
• Develop and lead institution-wide integrated branding initiatives and lead collaborative efforts to create and manage a unified institutional brand strategy for the School; Assure marketing strategy and tactics are tightly integrated with internal communications, media relations, and business objectives of the School.
• Articulating the School?s position, with a view toward enhancing the reputation and recognition of the School, locally, nationally and globally, and establishing a network of working relationships and collaborating around common objectives with a variety of government agencies and community organizations.
• Cultivate regional media sources, including social media networks, and proactively connect to the press regarding stories about the School, build and coordinate a crisis communications team, issue press releases on behalf of the School, and facilitate access to campus experts/spokespersons.
• Use industry-standard marketing techniques and supervise staff in the Office of Communications and College Relations to develop creative content to brand/promote the image/mission/accomplishments of the School, its students and its faculty, and work with individual departments to increase the visibility of their programs and fundraising efforts.
• Coordinate the review, development, updating, and production of official SoM Publications including catalog, annual report, handbooks, websites, and social media, as well as departmental and program brochures and other materials.
• Oversee and manage the content, organization, and currency of the SoM's website as well as linkages to various social media platforms.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Associate Dean or their designee.

QUALIFICATIONS

This position is in CUNY's Executive Compensation Plan. All executive positions require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master?s degree in public relations, marketing, business administration, or related field.
• Eight to ten (8-10) years of documented progressive growth and professional experiences in a communications field such as journalism, communications, media, public relations, or other relevant field, including communicating across platforms, particularly under stressful and deadline-driven circumstances
• 8-10 years of experience documented experience within academic medicine, public health, and/or healthcare.
• Experience and contact with key local, regional, and national media in the print, broadcast and online news media, the public relations profession, and other constituent groups important to the College's success
• Ability to anticipate, analyze, research, and respond to emerging issues and deploying available resources strategically to achieve desired outcomes
• Strong organizational and project management skills with a proven track record managing multiple tasks and projects
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills with proven track record as a team leader, with staff management and supervisory experiences
• Demonstrated knowledge of and relevant ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Strong computer skills, including website development and management, experience with database management and publishing applications, and expertise in photography or other graphic arts
• Extensive knowledge of and experience in use of social media platforms
• Deep understanding of the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion and the importance of health equity and health disparities in academic medicine.

CUNY TITLE

Professional School Assistant Admin

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary range: $75,710 - $165,00

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit www.cuny.edu, access the employment page, log in or create a new user account, and search for this vacancy using the Job ID or Title. Select "Apply Now" and provide the requested information.

Candidates must attach a resume, cover letter, and three professional references (name, title, organization, and contact information).

CLOSING DATE

Closes on May 15, 2025.

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Executive

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.

Job ID

Location

CUNY School of Medicine

About CUNY School of Medicine

There is a continuing shortage of primary care physicians in this country, creating an urgent need for more family practitioners, general internists, pediatricians and obstetricians/gynecologists in many communities. The shortage of African-American, Hispanic, Native Americans and other underrepresented medical professionals in inner-city areas is particularly acute. Thus, recruiting and training a diverse workforce that represents the diversity of the patients being served in such communities is of utmost importance and ensures health equity across the continuum of care. Over forty years ago, CUNY and City College decided to make a difference by developing the most unique physician and physician assistant training programs in the nation – The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education. Since its founding in 1973, The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, now known as the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program continues its original mission to recruit underrepresented populations into medicine, increased medical services in underserved areas, and increased the availability of primary care physicians and physician assistants that reflect the divers...ity of our surrounding communities. This mission is currently served with an 85% enrollment rate of students from backgrounds that are Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM; e.g., African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American), greatly exceeding the current U.S. medical school average of 43%. The CUNY School of Medicine encompasses an innovative accelerated BS/MD program that combines a Bachelor of Science degree and an M.D. degree in seven years and a 28-month Physician Assistant Program that leads to a Masters degree in P.A. Studies and eligibility to take the physician assistant national certification examination (PANCE).

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