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Position Information

Posting NumberSRGV8263

Working TitleASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

Number of Vacancies1

LocationEdinburg, Texas

DepartmentUniversity Marketing and Communications

FTE1.0

FLSAExempt

Scope of Job

Responsible for leading and overseeing the advancement of UTRGV’s reputation through strategic communications, media relations, and crisis management. To ensure the university’s brand is strengthened at local, state, and national levels through impactful storytelling, proactive media strategies, and high-visibility partnerships. Leads efforts to integrate storytelling with search-optimized content strategies, ensuring UTRGV’s stories reach the widest possible audience and position the university as a leader in higher education.

Description of Duties

+ Provides strategic leadership and oversees UTRGV’s external and internal communications, media relations, university relations, and crisis communications efforts to ensure UTRGV’s brand strengthening at local, state and national levels through impactful storytelling, media strategies and high-visibility partnerships.

+ Develops and executes a strategic storytelling approach that combines newswriting with search optimization to maximize story reach and audience engagement.

+ Serves as a key advisor on issues impacting the university’s image, reputation, and messaging strategy.

+ Ensures communication staff identifies and crafts high-impact stories that resonate with multiple types of audiences.

+ Strengthens UTRGV’s presence by expanding engagement on emerging communication platforms, online channels, and media outlets to enhance brand visibility.

+ Anticipates and prepares for potential crisis situations by developing a streamlined crisis communications plan, ensuring the university is ready to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging issues.

+ Collaborates with university leadership to align communications efforts with institutional goals and objectives.

+ Develops messaging frameworks and talking points for university-wide communications on sensitive or high-profile topics, ensuring a unified and strategic approach.

+ Establishes, fosters and maintains strong relationships with community leaders, businesses, and organizations to create branding and engagement opportunities that strengthen UTRGV’s community presence.

+ Monitors national and statewide trends to proactively prepare the university’s response to emerging issues affecting higher education and public perception.

+ Fosters connections between UTRGV and its surrounding communities by identifying and leveraging branding and engagement opportunities.

+ Oversees budget planning and resource allocation for the assigned areas and initiatives, ensuring alignment with divisional and institutional strategic goals.

+ Represents UTRGV at professional training programs, conferences, conventions and strategic committees and stays abreast of communication relations and strategies.

+ Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervision Received

General supervision from assigned supervisor.

Supervision Given

Direct supervision of assigned staff.

Required Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field from an accredited university.

Preferred Education

Master’s degree in a related field from an accredited university.

Licenses/Certifications

None.

Required Experience

Seven (7) years of experience in strategic communications, media relations, reputation management, or public affairs to include two (2) years of supervisory experience.

Preferred Experience

Experience in higher education, government, corporate communications, or public affairs, with a strong background in crisis communication and digital engagement strategies.

Equipment

Use of standard office equipment.

Working Conditions

Needs to be able to successfully perform all required duties. Work is performed primarily in a general office environment. Some travel and weekend work is required. UTRGV is a distributed institution which requires presence at multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

Other

Exceptional planning and organizational skills. Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills, with a track record of mentoring teams and fostering a collaborative work environment. Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with different populations. Must be able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Proven ability to integrate traditional media relations with digital storytelling and search optimization techniques to maximize audience reach. Exceptional writing, editing, and content strategy skills, with a focus on engaging, shareable content. Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills and the ability to anticipate communication challenges. Ability to manage high-profile crisis situations and respond swiftly and effectively. Deep understanding of community relations, branding, and stakeholder engagement to enhance UTRGV’s public image.

Physical Capabilities

N/A

Employment CategoryFull-Time

Minimum SalaryCommensurate with Experience

Posted SalaryCommensurate with Experience

Position Available Date05/19/2025

Grant Funded PositionNo

If Yes, Provide Grant Expiration Date

Posting Detail Information

EEO Statement

It is the policy of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to promote and ensure equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or protected veteran status. In accordance with the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, our University is committed to comply with all government requirements and ensures non-discrimination in its education programs and activities, including employment. We encourage women, minorities and differently abled persons to apply for employment positions of interest.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Dear Applicant, Human Resources will not be held responsible for redacting any confidential information from the documents you attach with your application. The confidential information includes the following: *Date of Birth *Social Security Number *Gender *Ethnicity/Race Please make sure that you omit this information prior to submission. We are advising that Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the department as per your submission. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at (956)665-8880 and/or [email protected].

Additional Information

UTRGV is a distributed location institution and working location is subject to change based on need.

All UTRGV employees are required to have a criminal background check ( CBC ). Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Substitutions to the above requirements must have prior approval from the VP of HR & Talent Development .

Quick Linkhttps://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/47068

Posting Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

+ Are you now, or previously, employed by The University of Texas System or any of its institutions?

+ Yes - I currently am employed by the UT System or its institutions

+ Yes - I have previously been employed by the UT System or its institutions

+ No - I have never been employed by the UT System or its institutions

+ Are you a current UTRGV employee?

+ Yes

+ No

+ Please select your highest level of completed education.

+ 6th grade education

+ 10th grade education

+ High School Diploma or GED

+ Associates Degree, Technical, or Trade School Degree/Certification or 60 Hours of College Hours

+ Bachelors Degree from an accredited university

+ Masters Degree from an accredited university

+ Ph. D. or other terminal degree from an accredited university

+ None of the above

+ Please provide the field of study for your education:

(Open Ended Question)

+ Do you meet the minimum requirements for this position?

+ Yes

+ No

+ Please indicate the number of years of work experience you have directly related to the position in which you are applying for:

+ Less than 1 year

+ 1 year

+ 2 years

+ 3 years

+ 4 years

+ 5 years

+ 6 years

+ 7 years

+ 8 years

+ 9 years

+ 10 years

+ Over 10 years

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

+ Resume

Optional Documents

+ Cover Letter/Letter of Application

+ Unofficial Transcripts

+ Reference Letter 1

+ Reference Letter 2

+ Reference Letter 3

+ Certifications and Licenses

+ Training Certificates

+ Other Document

+ List of 3 References

+ Unofficial Transcripts 2

+ Unofficial Transcripts 3

+ Letter of Interest

+ Unofficial Graduate Transcripts

+ Additional Document

+ Representative Research Publication/Grant Documents