Assistant Athletic Director, Communications

Job Summary

The Assistant Athletic Director, Communications provides leadership and oversight of sports information, media relations, and brand strategy for Long Beach State Athletics. This position ensures consistent and effective storytelling to promote student-athletes, coaches, and programs while advancing the department’s visibility and reputation. Working independently under general supervision, the role develops and implements strategic communication initiatives, manages complex projects, and serves as the primary liaison with external audiences. Through advanced professional expertise, the position ensures alignment with organizational objectives and contributes to enhancing the overall image and success of Long Beach State Athletics.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications & Media Relations - Serve as the primary communications and PR contact for assigned sports. Act as liaison with media, conference offices, NCAA, and visiting teams. Coordinate and conduct interviews; manage pre- and post-game press conferences.
• Content Creation & Storytelling - Write press releases, game notes, feature stories, recaps, and award nominations. Produce and distribute creative content, including graphics, photography, video highlights, and interviews for various communication channels including the athletics website, social media platforms, publications, and marketing.
• Leadership & Staff Development - Provides lead work direction, guidance, and mentorship to sports information professionals, less experienced staff, and student employees.
• Game Day & Event Operations - Lead communications staffing for home and away competitions. Oversee press box operations, credentialing, media correspondence, and statistical operations.
• Records & Archives - Maintain accurate statistics, records, and historical archives for all assigned sports. Create and update record books, annual reviews, and digital archives.
• Strategic Marketing Integration - Develop and implement communications strategies in collaboration with marketing, creative services, and broadcasting.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

The ideal candidate possesses a strong working knowledge of sports information principles, NCAA regulations, and game-day operations, along with demonstrated experience in digital media management, including CMS, social media, and multimedia editing tools. They are skilled in developing and executing comprehensive communication strategies, managing engaging content across platforms, and providing leadership and mentorship. Proficiency in statistical analysis, Adobe Creative Suite, video production, and social media tools is essential, as are strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills to effectively manage multiple projects and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

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Job Summary

The Assistant Athletic Director, Communications provides leadership and oversight of sports information, media relations, and brand strategy for Long Beach State Athletics. This position ensures consistent and effective storytelling to promote student-athletes, coaches, and programs while advancing the department’s visibility and reputation. Working independently under general supervision, the role develops and implements strategic communication initiatives, manages complex projects, and serves as the primary liaison with external audiences. Through advanced professional expertise, the position ensures alignment with organizational objectives and contributes to enhancing the overall image and success of Long Beach State Athletics.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications & Media Relations - Serve as the primary communications and PR contact for assigned sports. Act as liaison with media, conference offices, NCAA, and visiting teams. Coordinate and conduct interviews; manage pre- and post-game press conferences.
• Content Creation & Storytelling - Write press releases, game notes, feature stories, recaps, and award nominations. Produce and distribute creative content, including graphics, photography, video highlights, and interviews for various communication channels including the athletics website, social media platforms, publications, and marketing.
• Leadership & Staff Development - Provides lead work direction, guidance, and mentorship to sports information professionals, less experienced staff, and student employees.
• Game Day & Event Operations - Lead communications staffing for home and away competitions. Oversee press box operations, credentialing, media correspondence, and statistical operations.
• Records & Archives - Maintain accurate statistics, records, and historical archives for all assigned sports. Create and update record books, annual reviews, and digital archives.
• Strategic Marketing Integration - Develop and implement communications strategies in collaboration with marketing, creative services, and broadcasting.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

The ideal candidate possesses a strong working knowledge of sports information principles, NCAA regulations, and game-day operations, along with demonstrated experience in digital media management, including CMS, social media, and multimedia editing tools. They are skilled in developing and executing comprehensive communication strategies, managing engaging content across platforms, and providing leadership and mentorship. Proficiency in statistical analysis, Adobe Creative Suite, video production, and social media tools is essential, as are strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills to effectively manage multiple projects and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

Ability to communicate with an ethnically and culturally diverse campus community. Ability to follow all university policies, procedures, and guidelines including but not limited to safety, civility, information security, and non-discrimination policies and procedures. Ability to contribute to a positive university experience for each and every student and assist in achieving the university's commitment to a "vision of excellence."

Education and Experience

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and four years of relevant experience.

Physical Summary

• Sedentary work - Involves mainly sitting. Walking and standing are minimal. Lifting is limited to lightweight objects. (10 pounds or less).

Department

Athletics

Classification

Sports Information Professional III

Compensation

Salary placement is determined by the education, experience, and qualifications the candidate brings to the position, internal equity, and the hiring department’s fiscal resources.

CSU Classification Salary Range: The CSU Classification Salary Range for this position is $5,877 - $8,561 per month.

Time Base

1.0 time-base, 40 hours per week.

Duration of Appointment

This is a temporary position for 1 year with no permanent status granted. Temporary assignments may expire prior to the ending date.

Benefits

Excellent benefits through CalPERS (health, vision, dental), tuition fee waiver, generous vacation and sick leave, and 14 paid holidays each year.

Application Procedures

Click Apply Now to complete the CSULB Online Employment Application.

PLEASE FILL OUT THE APPLICATION COMPLETELY

It is important that all sections of the on-line application are filled out completely and accurately. Please include all relevant education and experience. Your application will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualifications for this position.

Additional Information

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 Revised July 21, 2017 as a condition of employment.

Long Beach State Athletics is committed to following NCAA, Big West Conference, Golden Coast Conference, and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation rules and regulations. Therefore, the incumbent is required to maintain a working knowledge of these rules and regulations.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment. CSULB will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

Due to the nature of this position, current CSULB employees are subject to a criminal record check unless they have successfully completed a criminal background check through CSULB within the past 12 months.

CSULB is not a sponsoring agency for staff and management positions (i.e. H-1B Visas).

California State University Long Beach expects respectful, professional behavior from its employees in all situations. Acts of harassment or abusive conduct are prohibited. Demonstrated appropriate professional behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and refusing to tolerate abusive conduct is expected of all employees.

Equal Employment Statement

Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, CSULB provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, or other protected status. CSULB complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Accommodations

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact StaffHR-Accommodations@csulb.edu.

Out of State Employment Policy

California State University, Long Beach, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California.

As of January 1, 2022 the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.

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