Associate Director of Athletic Communications

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Associate Director of Athletic Communications

Job Profile Title

Marketing Coordinator B

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Director of Athletic Communications for the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics (DRIA), the Associate Director of Athletic Communications will serve as the primary media contact for at least five varsity sports, including at least one ticketed sport. This includes coordinating all media interaction with the programs’ athletes and coaches; game-day operations related to statistical and media activities for home events; and travel as appropriate; manage elements of social media output for their assigned sport teams, with a heavy focus on creative story-telling opportunities and graphics for team-related accounts for Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Primary Media Contact for Assigned Sports – Coordinates and oversees all media-related responsibilities for his/her teams (primarily interviews with coaches and team members); oversees all elements of Penn website, PennAthletics.com, related to teams (game previews/recaps, roster/schedule management, features for video); social media as necessary (see below); travels as necessary (see below); record keeper and archivist; works closely with his/her respective coaching staffs to provide the best information and most positive promotion of each program for all constituents including fans, alums, parents, recruits and their parents, and donors.
• Social Media – Collaborates with coaches and team ops directors on managing the social media accounts for assigned sports. Manages content calendars, provides coverage on gameday, publishes latest stories/announcements, supports creative content needs, etc.
• Supervise Staff – Athletic Communications has three Assistants and several work-studies/interns. The Associate Director will oversee the work study and internship programs for the department, while assisting with the onboarding and training of the three assistants. 
• Cross-departmental Collaboration – Coordinates with marketing and graphic design to promote ticket events, ticket sales, student outreach through website and social media for his/her assigned sports; coordinate media or website/social media coverage of Athletics-related development events, especially related to his/her sports; make sure ESPN+ and their personnel are taken care of for broadcasts of his/her sports; works with JMI to make sure the right ads are in the right places in our publications, and that sponsorship ties are being done; and coordinates with facilities/operations for game-day operations of his/her sports (game-day parking for media, credentialing, TV/radio needs are being met, etc.).
• Team Travel – Travels on all road trips with football and/or women’s basketball, if assigned those sports; travels for other sports when necessary (i.e. TV game, NCAA competition…any event that might warrant on-site coverage and/or is expected have a solid media presence).
• Gameday Activities & Support – Handles media requests including setting up parking and credentials (primarily for assigned ticketed sports); does in-game stats; coordinates post-game interviews between on-site media and Penn players/coaches and visiting players/coaches as necessary.
• Statistical Support & Record Keeping – Handles all statistics for his/her sports and properly archives and publishes (website, etc.); keeps up with record books.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 2 to 3 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Division of Recreation & Intercollegiate Athletics

Pay Range

$55,962.00 - $60,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay