Athletics Communication Manager

Job Title:

Full or Part Time:

Hours:

Exempt:

Supervisory Org:

Job Description:

JOB SUMMARY: The Athletics Communication Manager supports the strategic communication, branding, and media relations efforts for Saginaw Valley State University Athletics. This position assists in the day-to-day operations of the Athletic Communications department, providing comprehensive coverage of NCAA Division II varsity athletic programs through digital media, social platforms, video production, and game-day operations while ensuring compliance with university, conference, and NCAA regulations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist in all daily operations of the Athletic Communications department and report directly to the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications.
• Abides by NCAA Bylaws 10.1 and 11.1 regarding ethical conduct and the responsibility to positively contribute to a campus culture of NCAA rules compliance. 
• Support department planning, scheduling, and project execution.
• Assist with the hiring, training, supervision, and evaluation of student employees.
• Compile and manage student staff schedules for home athletic contests and special events.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications.
• Assist with the maintenance and content management of the SVSU Athletics website (svsucardinals.com), including:
• Rosters, schedules, results, statistics, records, and biographies.
• Assist in the management of all SVSU Athletics social media platforms (X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others).
• Develop and distribute creative digital content for assigned athletic programs.
• Coordinate the scheduling and distribution of GameDay promotional graphics for all home and away contests.
• Ensure brand consistency, accuracy, and visual quality across all digital platforms.
• Execute live game-day updates for assigned sports, including real-time scoring updates, graphics, lineups, and multimedia content.
• Design, edit, and distribute promotional materials for athletic events, including:
• Game day programs
• Game notes
• Digital and print graphics
• Assist with on-site game-day operations, including statistics, scoreboard integration, and multimedia production.
• Provide communication support for SVSU-hosted conference and postseason events as assigned.
• Serve as the primary sport contact for assigned athletic teams, including:
  • Men’s Soccer
  • Women’s Soccer
  • Volleyball
  • Men’s and Women’s Golf
  • Women’s Basketball
  • Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving
  • Baseball
  • Flag Football
• Produce and distribute game recaps, news releases, feature stories, and videos for assigned sports.
• Lead video production efforts for the Athletic Communications department, including filming, editing, and distributing content across all platforms.
• Coordinate photography and videography coverage for assigned sports and special events.
• Coordinate the nomination process for student-athletes for conference, regional, and national awards as assigned.
• Ensure compliance with all NCAA, conference, and institutional rules related to athletic communications.
• Maintain accurate statistics, records, and historical documentation for assigned programs.

Supervision is received from the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications.

Supervision is exercised over athletic communications student employees and game-day staff.

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, sport management, or a related field.
• 1–3 years of professional or graduate-level experience in athletic communications, media relations, or a related field.
• Experience with desktop publishing, design software, and web publishing platforms.
• Experience updating and maintaining an athletics website (PrestoSports, Sidearm, SID Help).
• Experience managing social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Experience and ability to positively interact with all members of the campus community
• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without accommodation.
• Willingness to travel and work nights and weekends.

• Master’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field.
• Previous experience working in NCAA intercollegiate athletics.
• Familiarity with statistical software and NCAA guidelines (StatCrew, NCAA Live Stats, Golfstat).
• Working knowledge of live video streaming platforms (Blueframe, FloSports, Stretchcast, Boxcast).
• Advanced proficiency in graphic design, video production, and photography.
• Knowledge of applicable rules and standards of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and NCAA.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
• Working knowledge of digital media platforms, social media strategy, and content creation.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team setting.
• Working knowledge of NCAA Division II athletic communications practices.

 WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is performed in a coaching, athletic, competitive indoor/outdoor environment.
• Weeknights and weekends, including travel, will be required.
• All work associated with this role must be performed within the State of Michigan, except for approved travel outside of Michigan as required by the competition schedule.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout their employment. The university does not provide employment visa sponsorship now or in the future for this job classification.  Since SVSU does not participate in E-Verify, candidates for employment are not eligible for STEM OPT extensions.

 The above reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the essential functions of the job. It shall not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements that may be inherent in the job.  It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his/her supervision.  The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.

About SVSU:

Saginaw Valley State University is a comprehensive university with more than 100 programs of study for its roughly 7,000 students. Located on a suburban campus in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region, SVSU is committed to a supportive and empowering environment for students, faculty and staff. SVSU has been named a “Great College to Work For” on nine separate occasions.
SVSU emphasizes undergraduate teaching and learning, and community-based research. SVSU has twice earned the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction achieved by only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. By their senior year, 84 percent of students have engaged with community employers and agencies in internships, field placements or some other component of their academic preparation.
SVSU is establishing itself as a leader in STEAM education for the Great Lakes Bay Region, partnering with businesses, foundations and school districts to improve students’ performance in math, science and the arts at the middle school, high school and university levels.  SVSU is constructing the first university research facility on Lake Huron to improve public health and the economy in the Saginaw Bay watershed.
 
More than 70 percent of SVSU freshmen live on campus in student housing that is rated No. 2 among all public universities in the U.S. SVSU fields 21 varsity sports at the NCAA Division II level. The average class size is 23 students. For more information, please visit our website, http://www.svsu.edu.