Director of Public Relations Job at Association Of Zoos & Aquariums in Indianapo

The Indianapolis Zoo is seeking an experienced individual to lead our Public Relations department. This individual will be responsible for developing, planning and implementing a comprehensive public relations and communications program for the Indianapolis Zoo.

The Director of Public Relations serves as a member of the Zoo's leadership team and oversees design and implementation of the Zoo web and social media sites while maintaining content across all media platforms. This position actively creates strategies to build and maintain national, regional and local communication plans and tactics to support the Zoo's long-term objectives by aggressively pursuing opportunities to increase the visibility of the Zoo's mission and servicing media with potential news stories as well as op-ed pieces.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in media and public relations, with familiarity with electronic and new media, including social media, podcasts, blogs and streaming platforms. To be successful in this role, the individual must have strong writing, interpersonal communication, public speaking and presentation abilities, and they must thrive using AP writing style. A bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, marketing, or a related field of study from an accredited institution is required.

The Director of Public Relations will lead the crisis communications team as required, providing counsel to the Executive Team and prepping specific spokespersons as required. In addition, this position is responsible for overseeing relationships with crisis communications counsel and takes an active role in creating crisis communication plans.

This individual will work closely with the Senior Vice President of External Relations, the President & CEO, and other members of the management team to determine strategic priorities and activities of the organization through the annual planning and budgeting process. This is a full-time, in-office, 40 hours per week position with a schedule of Monday through Friday. Due to the nature of this position and level of responsibility, this position must respond to emergency/ crisis calls 24 hours a day and have the ability to work evenings, weekends and holidays as required.

Additional Responsibilities and Qualifications

• Provides overall supervisory responsibility for department staff, including hiring and ongoing training and support.
• Prepares and implements a departmental plan and budget consistent with institutional priorities.
• Serves as the primary spokesperson for the Indianapolis Zoo, responsible for identifying and training other staff in media relations skills.
• Oversees the communications strategy for the Indianapolis Prize and the Global Center for Species Survival at the Indianapolis Zoo.
• Guides and maintains the Zoo's overarching editorial calendar, coordinating with multiple internal departments.
• Serves as a writer and editor for the institution, ensuring quality graphics and writing across various Zoo departments.
• Creates and maintains contracts with outside vendors including public relations agencies, photographers and website developers.
• Handles confidential information with absolute discretion.
• Advanced use of Microsoft Word, Outlook, Web Content Management Systems, Power Point, Excel and Adobe Acrobat.
• Familiarity with public relations monitoring tools such as Meltwater, Cision, Sprout Social or Sprinklr.

To apply: Interested candidates must complete an online application on the Indianapolis Zoo's website. Include a resume, cover letter, and salary requirements. Candidates must submit three writing samples or a link to a portfolio of work. If selected for the interview process, candidates must perform a writing and grammar assessment.

Please note, the Zoo reserves the right to remove this job posting at any time, even prior to the application deadline stated above. Employment at the Indianapolis Zoo is contingent upon the successful completion of pre-employment testing including a background check, motor vehicle check (if applicable) and a drug test.

Work for the wildest employer in Indianapolis! Some perks include: Medical (Health Savings Account with employer contribution included), Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability paid through the Zoo for eligible employees; 403(b) Retirement Plan, generous Paid Time Off (PTO), Immediate Paid Holidays, complimentary Zoo Membership, Reciprocal Benefits to other local institutions, and many, many more!

Indianapolis Zoo
1200 West Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46222
Phone: 317-630-5124