POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Athletics Communications Specialist - West Plains
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 5023
GRADE 41
CLASSIFICATION Nonexempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISON Director of Athletics - West Plains
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Athletics Communications Specialist - West Plains is responsible for providing information to the public on specific and assigned intercollegiate athletics programs, assists the Director of Athletics - West Plains with public relations activities within intercollegiate athletics, and serves as a liaison between intercollegiate athletics and the media as required. The Athletics Communications Specialist - West Plains assists in the development and distribution of various publications for intercollegiate athletic programs, helps develop and maintain an effective presence with web and social media, and implements marketing, public relations, and promotional efforts in support of Grizzly Athletics.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: An associate’s degree is required, with an emphasis in English, Business, Communications, Journalism, or Public Relations preferred.
Experience: At least one year of experience in a position performing related communications work; may include cumulative work experience as a graduate assistant, intern, or student assistant, preferably in athletics communication at the college level. An understanding of and experience with the web and social media is required. Experience in printing and publication design, and knowledge of radio and television sports broadcasting is preferred.
Skills: Strong oral and written communication skills, and effective interpersonal skills are required. Computer literacy, particularly in word processing, websites (Presto or similar), is required. Established sports journalism skills, particularly in the intercollegiate area, are preferred.
Effort: Frequently required to lift and carry equipment and materials weighing up to 30 pounds.
Other: The scope of the position frequently requires extended workdays and work weeks, including weekends, and may include overnight, out-of-town travel, particularly during the fall and spring semesters to attend athletics events, league meetings, and workshops.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Ensures that information about the Campus’s intercollegiate athletics programs is available to the public in a timely and effective manner by assisting in the planning, development, and execution of a comprehensive program of sports coverage which focuses on both competitive and non-competitive activities and includes information on student-athletes and teams in the University's intercollegiate athletics program.2. Expands the opportunities for publicizing the University's intercollegiate athletics program by serving as a liaison between the University and the media, responding to requests from the media, as directed by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications and the Director of Athletics - West Plains, for information regarding individuals and teams, initiating communications, as appropriate, with the media and providing information which could result in additional coverage of athletics, and coordinating media needs and reporting functions for assigned events so that material for publication or broadcast is available as desired.
3. Works with event coverage and promotion by performing duties as assigned in game analysis commentary on radio and/or television game broadcasts as well as streaming equipment for University athletic events.
4. Provides a comprehensive package of materials for public dissemination by assisting in the planning, development, and distribution of publications for men's and women's sports, including game-day programs for each sport which contain schedules, rosters, statistics, results, records, season outlook, and/or sketches on individual student-athletes, individual event programs containing an update of the material published in the respective media guides, schedule cards, schedule posters, ticket flyers, newsletters, alumni publications, special event publications, and other materials as needed.
5. Assists with a comprehensive and timely presence on the internet, including social media, for Grizzly Athletics programs.
6. Ensures that necessary individual and team statistical data for University teams and their opponents are gathered and reported on Presto as required by NJCAA, by communicating with sport coaching staff members, as necessary, for those competitive events which occur on or away from campus.
7. Assists in the maintenance of a close and effective working relationship between the coaches and other staff personnel within intercollegiate athletics by establishing priorities for completion of tasks in a wide variety of areas.
8. Promotes a positive image of the University by responding to inquiries and requests for materials from individuals and organizations, formulating replies or providing materials appropriate and consistent with University policies and guidelines presented in a manner favorable to the University, and serving as a spokesperson for the University on athletics related matters under the direction of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications and the Director of Athletics - West Plains.
9. Promotes a positive image of the University through maintaining credible relations with various news media and other collegiate athletics communications offices.
10. Abides by and complies with National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the NJCAA Region 16, and National Junior College Athletics Association Esports (NJCAAE) as well as the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) and NIRA Ozark Region rules, academic standards, requirements, and policies of the University, and all guidelines and policies of the Athletics department and reports any concerns of compromise or violation of rules, standards, guidelines or policies to the Director of Athletics - West Plains or the Associate Vice-Chancellor for Athletics and Community Engagement.
11. Maintains competency and professional currency through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the Director of Athletics.
12. Contributes to the overall success of Grizzly Athletics by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Athletics Communications Specialist - West Plains may assign tasks to part-time administrative support staff.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
SEPTEMBER 2025
