Director, Communications and Public Relations

Job Description

Presently, The Diocese of Metuchen is seeking a Director of Communications and Public Relations that will be responsible for all traditional and digital communications and public relations in the Diocese. The Director will develop and maintain a relationship with diocesan leaders including the editorial staff of the Catholic Spirit, parish and school leaders, and ministry leaders to highlight good works and tell the story of the diocese and its partners. They will also develop and maintain a relationship with the secular press to obtain positive coverage of Diocesan programs, services and events.

Primary duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Supports the overall implementation of the Bishop's vision of evangelization through local and national initiatives from the Secretariat, the New Jersey Catholic Conference, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Develops and supports the Secretary for Evangelization and Communication in all evangelization and communication projects as requested.

Writes key communications for Bishop of Metuchen and other executive leaders, including stakeholder letters, media statements, announcements, talking points, press releases, spoken remarks and video messages.
Regularly interacts with executive leadership, maintaining their trust and confidentiality and providing counsel and strategy on key messaging.
Develops and maintains the diocesan crises communication strategy and plan.
Develops and directs overall digital content strategy for all diocesan communication platforms, assuring all digital assets representing the diocese are branded appropriately and tell the story of the diocese effectively.
Works in collaboration with diocesan offices, ministries, parishes, schools, clergy, and partners/affiliates to highlight key initiatives, events, and messages.
Manages and Assigns Freelance Photographers for all newsworthy and diocesan events including weekly pastoral visits of the Bishop of Metuchen, while filling in as photographer when freelancers are not available.
Contributes to the diocesan publication as requested.
Designs and edits for all ads for diocesan offices, ministries, and schools at request.

The ideal candidate will possess strong interpersonal and communication skills and be highly proficient in the use of technology. Additional qualifications include the following:

• Must be a Roman Catholic who upholds the teaching and traditions of the Catholic Church,
• Bachelors Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Theology or other related field of study,
• Minimum 5- 7 years of experience

Compensation includes a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits program. Interested candidates should submit a resume and salary requirements via e-mail to: HR@diometuchen.org

** Please note that due to the anticipated high volume of responses, only those candidates who we are interested in interviewing will be contacted. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

About the Employer

The Diocese of Metuchen encompasses four counties in central New Jersey - Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren - and serves a Roman Catholic community of more than 600,000 people.