Director, Athletic Communications

Director, Athletic Communications

Reporting to the head of External Operations for the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics (DRIA), the Director, Athletic Communications leads all communications, multimedia, and digital strategy efforts for the University of Pennsylvania's 33 varsity programs. The Director manages the Athletic Communications team, guiding media relations, social media, statistics, and storytelling in collaboration with coaches and sport administrators.

Job Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary communications lead for assigned varsity sports, overseeing all aspects of media relations, game notes, statistics, and press coverage. Coordinate with head coaches and sport administrators to develop and execute sport-specific communications plans that align with departmental, Ivy League, and NCAA messaging standards. Manage press operations for home events and Ivy League or NCAA postseason competitions, ensuring high-quality and consistent coverage. Travel with select programs to away competitions to provide on-site communications support and maintain consistent representation of Penn Athletics.
• Lead the Athletic Communications team responsible for public relations, social media, statistics, digital publications, game previews and recaps for all 33 varsity programs. Provide strategic direction, mentorship, and professional development to staff, ensuring consistent messaging and brand alignment across all platforms. Collaborate closely with head coaches and sport administrators to identify and promote compelling program stories that elevate the profile of Penn Athletics. Oversee workflow management, content planning, and quality control to maintain timely, accurate, and engaging coverage of all athletic programs.
• Contribute to the Division's overarching communications, content, and brand strategy in alignment with Penn Athletics' mission, values, and strategic priorities. Collaborate closely with marketing, creative services, and digital media teams to ensure consistent, integrated storytelling across all visual, written, and digital platforms. Represent DRIA on Ivy League and institutional working groups related to communications, branding, and multimedia initiatives.
• Serve as the Division's primary web manager, overseeing all content, updates, and quality control for the Penn Athletics website (PennAthletics.com) in coordination with SIDEARM Sports and the Ivy League. Ensure the website reflects Penn Athletics' brand standards and provides timely, accurate, and engaging information for fans, media, and recruits. Collaborate with internal units to support the integration of multimedia content, schedules, and feature stories. Partner with the ticketing office to enhance website visibility and functionality, driving increased traffic and revenue generation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 2 to 3 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required; 3 to 5 years experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working in intercollegiate athletics, professional sports, or similarly complex, high-visibility organizations, with knowledge of NCAA and/or conference (e.g., Ivy League) communications standards preferred.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing comprehensive communications strategies in a fast-paced environment, including media relations, storytelling, and brand positioning.
• Experience establishing workflows, ensuring quality control, and driving consistent messaging across organizational units.
• Demonstrated experience managing digital platforms and content ecosystems (e.g., athletics websites, CMS platforms such as SIDEARM, social media, Adobe creative suite and multimedia integration).

Application Requirement

• A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Division of Recreation & Intercollegiate Athletics

Pay Range

$65,628.00 - $76,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job's level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.