- Job Type: Officer of Administration
- Regular/Temporary: Regular
- Salary Range: $125,000 - $140,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Executive Director, Communications, the Senior Director, Media & Internal Relations is a key leader within Columbia Business School's Marketing and Communications team, responsible for building and leading the School's media relations and external positioning function. This role serves as the institutional liaison for communications partnerships, building productive relationships with internal stakeholders, and managing external agencies and vendors to elevate CBS's presence in key media and business communities.
The Senior Director operates at the intersection of institutional coordination and external engagement, translating CBS priorities into a proactive, sustained media strategy while serving as the primary point of contact for how partners across the School engage with the communications function. This role sets the direction for media relations initiatives and manages external agencies and vendors as a strategic partner, deciding what to build in-house and what to direct to outside firms while ensuring that faculty, centers, and administrative units receive clear guidance and responsive support.
The incumbent manages complex stakeholder relationships and partners closely with faculty, research centers, student offices, and communications professionals across CBS to ensure that institutional communications are coordinated, strategically aligned, and executed with excellence. As the function grows, the Senior Director will shape its structure, set priorities for external support, and build the systems and vendor relationships needed to scale. The position works collaboratively with the Executive Director, Communications to advance institutional priorities through effective media engagement and stakeholder coordination.
Responsibilities
Media Relations and External Positioning - Sets the strategy for and drives strategic media relations initiatives that elevate CBS's visibility and reinforce its position as a premier source of business thought leadership.
- Manages relationships with key media outlets, journalists, and industry influencers to secure high-impact coverage for CBS faculty, research, and institutional initiatives.
- Identifies and develops priority faculty voices for thought leadership positioning in alignment with institutional strategy; partners with content team on strategy and approach.
- Proactively packages faculty research and institutional initiatives for media visibility and external engagement.
- Executes media pitching, press activities, and external positioning initiatives to ensure alignment with institutional priorities.
- Manages external agencies and vendors, deciding what work to keep in-house and what to direct externally, setting priorities, and holding vendors accountable for results that align with CBS strategy.
- Provides strategic direction for media relations and serves as senior contact for complex or sensitive media inquiries.
- Monitors media coverage and reputational trends, providing insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
Building and Scaling the Function - Builds out the media relations function over time, establishing the systems, processes, and vendor relationships needed to grow it beyond a single person.
- Determines where to invest internal effort versus external support, and directs agencies and vendors accordingly.
- Supervises, mentors, and builds a team as the function grows.
- Collaborates with colleagues across the Marketing and Communications team to ensure integrated planning and execution.
- Supports crisis communications planning and response as needed.
Institutional Communications Coordination - Serves as the primary institutional liaison for communications needs with faculty, centers, divisions, and student offices across Columbia Business School.
- Builds trust with faculty and coaches researchers, including those new to or reluctant to engage with the press, to become effective public voices.
- Educates stakeholders on communications processes, capabilities, and best practices, helping partners understand how to effectively engage with the communications team.
- Builds and maintains productive relationships with academic units, administrative offices, and research centers to strengthen collaboration and institutional alignment.
- Works in close partnership with the Executive Director, Communications to ensure that internal communications coordination supports institutional priorities and strategic objectives.
Strategic Implementation and Stakeholder Engagement - Works in close partnership with the Executive Director, Communications and senior leadership to operationalize institutional priorities through coordinated media and stakeholder engagement.
- Identifies opportunities to strengthen CBS's external profile through strategic media engagement, thought leadership positioning, and proactive outreach.
- Represents the communications function in cross-School initiatives and serves as a trusted resource to internal partners on communications execution.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Minimum of 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in public relations, media relations, communications, or related fields.
- Demonstrated success building or growing a media relations function and securing high-impact coverage.
- Experience managing external agencies or vendors, including setting priorities and holding them accountable.
- Proven ability to build and maintain productive relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
- Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience coordinating across functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
- Exceptional judgment and discretion in managing sensitive communications matters.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's degree preferred.
- Experience in higher education, mission-driven organizations, or similarly complex institutions.
- Experience building a function or team from an early stage.
- Background in business, financial, or academic communications.
- Experience serving as institutional liaison or relationship manager for communications functions.
- Familiarity with crisis communications planning and execution.
- Demonstrated ability to educate and support non-communications professionals in effectively engaging with communications teams.
