Communications and PR Manager

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

In 2008, UC Irvine School of Law was founded on an ambitious, exciting promise: to rethink legal education, elevate public service, shape a new generation of lawyers equipped to lead with purpose, and build a premier law school within one of the nation's most innovative public research universities. Eighteen years later, that vision is not only fulfilled - it's flourishing. From pioneering scholarship to transformative advocacy, UC Irvine Law has become a national model for innovation, impact, and community.

The Law School's unique history fosters a commitment to interdisciplinary and global perspectives, along with a deep commitment to public service, skills training, experiential and hands-on learning, and advancing important research in a supportive environment. UC Irvine Law's dedication to innovation and quality is reflected in our national rankings. Our programs are consistently ranked at the very top for faculty scholarship, innovation, clinical education, practical training, legal writing, and commitment to improving legal education.

The Office of Communications oversees all strategic communications for the University of California, Irvine School of Law, including media relations, external and internal communications, website content creation, social media, marketing, photography, graphics, videography and public relations.

Under the supervision of the Assistant Dean for Communications, the Communications and PR Manager will lead the development and execution of a comprehensive, integrated communications and public relations strategy for the UC Irvine School of Law. This individual will be responsible for shaping and promoting the law school's brand identity across all channels including the school website, social media platforms, email newsletters, marketing materials, media outreach, and special publications.

The ideal candidate is a skilled storyteller, strategic thinker, and relationship-builder who thrives in a fast-paced academic environment and understands the unique communications landscape of a professional school within a major research university. This role requires both the creative sensibility to craft compelling narratives and the analytical mindset to determine communications platforms, measure impact and refine strategy.

The expected pay range for this recruitment is $79,200- $90,000 (Annual).

Required:

• Understanding of legal education, legal scholarship, or professional education environments.
• Principles and best practices of strategic communications, public relations, and media relations.
• Higher education communications and marketing.
• News writing, feature writing, editorial standards, and AP Style.
• Digital communications, WordPress, Constant Contact and Canva.
• Brand management and institutional messaging.
• Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and storytelling abilities.
• Strong media relations and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent interviewing and research skills.
• Ability to translate complex legal and academic topics into compelling, accessible content.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Strong presentation and verbal communication abilities.
• Analytical skills to evaluate communications effectiveness using data and metrics.
• Develop strategic communications plans that advance institutional priorities.
• Exercise sound judgment in handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Work independently while managing multiple competing priorities.
• Build productive relationships with faculty, administrators, students, alumni, journalists, and external partners.
• Meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Adapt communications for multiple audiences and platforms.
• Exercise creativity while maintaining institutional voice and brand standards.
• Respond effectively in high-pressure or rapidly changing situations.
• Demonstrated excellence in writing, editing, and strategic communications.
• Experience developing media relations strategies and securing earned media coverage.
• Experience managing multiple communications projects simultaneously.
• Experience collaborating with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, English, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience progressively responsible professional experience in communications, public relations, journalism, media relations, or higher education communications.

Preferred:

• Experience in communications within higher education, law schools, legal organizations, or nonprofit institutions.
• Familiarity with legal scholarship and legal education.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, or similar design tools.
• Experience using content management systems and email marketing platforms.

Total Rewards

In addition to the salary range listed below, we offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.

The expected pay range for this recruitment is $79,200- $90,000 (Annual).

Conditions of Employment:

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:

• Background Check and Live Scan
• Employment Misconduct*
• Legal Right to work in the United States
• Vaccination Policies
• Smoking and Tobacco Policy
• Drug Free Environment

*Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.

• California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
• E-Verify
• Pre-Placement Health Evaluation

Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page - https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php

Closing Statement:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.

We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact Human Resources at (949) 824-0500 or eec@uci.edu.