Herc-Higher Education Recruitment Consortium

A highly interdisciplinary school, SPIA is regarded as a top school of public and international affairs with a world-renowned faculty. The Public Affairs and Communications Office is a central artery for the School, where research and information flows into the team and is then shared in various forms with a broad range of internal and external audiences. The Public Affairs and Communications Office team works closely with SPIA faculty and administration, university admissions as well as Princeton’s central communications team and is responsible for content creation, social media and web management, events and media inquiries for SPIA.

Reporting to and working closely with the dean of SPIA, the associate dean for public affairs and communications oversees all of the School’s communications platforms, from print publications to digital channels. The associate dean is the spokesperson for the School, representing the dean as necessary and serving as a point of contact for media representatives. Working directly with faculty and scholars to promote research initiatives and achievements and with students to showcase their work, the associate dean provides strategic leadership and coordination of communications efforts across the school’s administrative departments and research centers/programs to tell the "SPIA story". The associate dean also directs the School’s public affairs programming to inform internal stakeholders and the general public and to influence policymakers. The associate dean manages a team of seven staff that includes writers, web and social media managers, events coordinators, and a graphic designer.

The successful candidate will have 10-15 years of directly related experience and demonstrated success in communications and public affairs. Experience leading communications efforts focused on policy makers, government officials, and influencers in Washington and other global capitals is also important. This role requires a strategic thinker who can support a visionary leader, direct a team of communications professionals, and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders to meet deadlines. This leader will be adept at working and interacting with senior figures in academia as well as the not-for-profit, public, and private sectors and will be capable of translating faculty research into material that can be consumed by a range of audiences. A graduate degree in a relevant discipline is preferred.

Princeton University has retained Heidrick & Struggles, Inc., a global executive search firm, to assist in this recruitment. Applications and nominations will be kept in strict confidence and can be sent to princetonspia@heidrick.com. Electronic submission is required.

We at the School of Public and International Affairs believe that it is vital to cultivate an environment that embraces and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion — fundamental to the success of our education and research mission. This commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment and hiring as we actively seek colleagues of exceptional ability who represent a broad range of viewpoints, experiences and value systems, and who share Princeton University's dedication to excellence.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW

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