Sports Information Director - Athletics - Azusa Pacific University

APU is seeking employees who desire to engage in our thriving culture by cultivating community through professional interactions, demonstrating a posture of lifelong learning, and modeling Christ-like character. Working together, employees at APU commit to establishing a university atmosphere that is pleasing to God and edifying to one another.

This role is a member of the Azusa Pacific Athletics senior leadership team who develops a comprehensive communications and branding program for athletics. Oversee all media and digital relations, promotions, and game operations aspects of the intercollegiate athletics program. Manages content and timeliness of athletics website and social media platforms. Supervises and evaluates staff.

Required Education

• Bachelors degree in related field; Master’s preferred.

Required Experience

• Sports Information experience at the university level or equivalent work in media relations.

Primary Duties/Essential Functions

• Coordinate an annual public relations plan for an award-winning and nationally-recognized 18-sport athletics program, linking the coaches, student-athletes and sport programs to the media and community at-large, along with the university faculty/staff, alumni and students.

• Establish and maintain consistent communications with the head coaches, university relations senior staff, and student organizations; overseeing promotion, communication, and strategic plans for each sport.

• Work closely with the director of athletics, offering direction and advice for external and internal communications involving the athletic department, it’s sports, coaches, and student-athletes.

• Employ and manage sports information staff, including student workers and game operations temporary staff.

• Direct the overall message and look of the APU athletics website, the university’s most-frequented site, and the department’s social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), consistently offering content.

• Communicate athletic department messages and achievements through university digital and website media.

• Coordinate for:

• Well-trained, proficient announcer, statisticians, timekeepers, national anthem singers, and other support staff.

• Smooth event flow from pre-game activity to post-game departures.

• Oversee statistics of all home athletic contests and report for university website and local media the results.

• Maintain cumulative statistics and team histories and make available as needed.

• Report team results, statistics and player of the week nominations to conference.

• Promote university athletic achievements to variety of university constituencies.

• Assist in the production of the Cougar Sports Hall of Fame.

• Oversee sports information student sports information interns:

• Assign sports and schedule

• Provide direction, training, evaluation

• Establish strong relations with other sports information directors, conference, and association staff

• Curate the archives and history of the university’s athletic program.

• Perform other duties as required by the athletics director.

• Regular, punctual attendance as required by the supervisor based on department needs.

Skills

• Commitment to Christian lifestyle; spiritual maturity.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate adults and students.

• Knowledge of structure and philosophy of athletics organizations and programs.

• Demonstrated writing and oral communication skills.

• Computer and desktop publishing proficiency.

• Conversant with web design and publishing concepts.

• Media and community relations experience.

• Management experience.

Mental Demands

• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.

• Ability to work under pressure, exuding a mature demeanor while multi-tasking in a deadline oriented environment with accuracy and consistency.

• Ability to work collaboratively with a team, as well as an independent contributor.

• Ability to exercise good judgment and discretionary skills in determining when to act independently and when to consult management prior to taking action.

• Self-starter with a positive attitude.

• In agreement with the purpose and goals of Azusa Pacific University in providing a Christian-based higher education for its students.

• Ability to handle emergency situations with a calm demeanor.

• Ability to learn procedures and retain information.

Physical Demands

• Moderate activity, full range of arm motion, bending, squatting, twisting, lifting, pulling.

• Able to lift, bend, grasp, reach, lift up to 20 lbs. occasionally.

Visual Demands

• Reading, writing notes, and computer monitor.

• Visual acuity necessary for evaluations and wound debridement.

Environment

• Climate-control office, and a variety of outdoor temperature differences from heat to cold.

Technologies

• Proficient in Google Apps., Microsoft Office, Word and Excel, StatCrew and Genius sportsware.