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Job Summary

The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy is seeking a Director of Public Affairs to drive strategic thought leadership, enhance Ford School-university relations, and expand the national and international profile of the school and its leadership. The role includes overseeing and managing the school's public event series, crisis communications, as well as coordinating visits from distinguished policy leaders. The Director will report directly to the Dean and be a key member of the school's senior leadership team.

The Ford School is one of the nation's foremost policy schools, housed at one of the world's great public universities. We are a community dedicated to the public good. We inspire and prepare leaders grounded in service, conduct transformational research, and collaborate on evidence-based policymaking to take on our communities' and our world's most pressing challenges. To learn more about the Ford School, read about us.
 

Responsibilities*Develop and lead the Ford School's crisis management and communications strategy in close collaboration with the Dean, ensuring alignment with the school's mission, vision, and values.Oversee government and external relations, fostering partnerships with individuals and organizations that influence public policy and align with the Ford School's strategic goals.Lead efforts to build and maintain strong media relationships and proactively pitch key stories to external media outlets. Manage media relations, including identifying opportunities for faculty media coverage, drafting press releases and media materials. Work closely with the Marketing and Communications office to ensure these stories are effectively promoted across all platforms, enhancing visibility and coverage.Draft and co-author executive communications on behalf of the Dean, including speeches, community letters, and public statements.Provide leadership and oversight for a public affairs team, ensuring effective execution of initiatives that align with the Ford School's strategic objectives.Offer strategic guidance for the Ford School's public event series, overseeing events personnel to ensure programming aligns with the school's mission and goals. Assist in planning key events such as commencement, workshops, and discussion series.Leverage data and analytics to evaluate and improve public affairs, event programming, and media strategies, enhancing the impact of the Ford School's communications.Collaborate with campus partners, as assigned by the Dean, to advance university-wide strategic initiatives, contribute to working papers, and ensure a strong Ford School presence in central administration-led public affairs efforts.Maintain close coordination with the Dean to align on key strategic priorities and messaging, while working with the Marketing and Communications team to develop integrated campaigns that amplify the Ford School's impact.Lead communications with emotional intelligence, handling sensitive and complex issues with care and professionalism.Enhance the national and international reputation of the Ford School and its leadership by identifying key thought leadership topics for the Dean. Co-author or ghostwrite articles and keynote addresses on higher education and policy-related issues, positioning the Dean as a leading voice in policy education, higher education, and academic administration.Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Dean, contributing to key initiatives and participating in Ford School working groups as needed.
 Required Qualifications*Master's degree in public policy, communications, journalism, public affairs, public relations, English or equivalent experience10+ years of professional experienceExperience managing and leading teams Excellent written and oral communication skills with a wide range of audiencesA commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion 
 Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.