Calling Descriptions

As director of public affairs, you have been called by the spirit of revelation to direct the day-to-day work of a public affairs council.  You do this under the direction of your priesthood adviser and in a united effort with your public affairs council members. You should be familiar with all of the callings in the public affairs council and help others to become comfortable working in their respective assignments.

Following are guidelines for your calling and for the kinds of responsibilities that you might assign to your two assistant directors. A suggested division of labor is to assign the specialized work of media relations to one assistant, and to assign outreach to other key opinion leader audiences (such as government, academic, religious, ethnic, and so on) to your other assistant. However, you should prayerfully determine with your priesthood adviser whether this is the best way to utilize the unique talents and strengths of your assistant directors. This sample division of labor is used below to illustrate the types of responsibilities that fall under these particular calling areas.

Director of Public Affairs

Major Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the priesthood adviser, direct and coordinate the day-to-day work of the public affairs council.
• Meet regularly with your priesthood adviser to discuss:
  • Stake priesthood leader objectives, especially those that may be addressed through building relationships with opinion leaders.
  • The progress and needs of the public affairs council and its members.
  • The public affairs council's annual project plan, assessing whether it is consistent with priesthood leaders’ objectives.
  • Any upcoming activities that may require the involvement of the priesthood adviser or other priesthood leaders.
  • Any budgetary considerations for public affairs activities.
• Organize and conduct regular public affairs council meetings to counsel together, teach and learn new skills, evaluate progress of relationship-building efforts, plan and implement activities, and report and evaluate past activities. 
• Ensure that a confidential record of interactions with opinion leaders is maintained by the public affairs council.
• Ensure that all local spokespersons (priesthood adviser, other priesthood leaders, or designated Church members) are well prepared for media interviews and news briefings.
• Visit the Church Newsroom to stay abreast of current Church activities and statements.
• Regularly read local and national news sources to stay abreast of current issues.
• Oversee the public affairs budget.
• Where applicable, participate in the local multistake public affairs council.  

Accountability

• Report to the public affairs council priesthood adviser.
• Submit annual plans and budget requests to the priesthood adviser for approval.
• Submit reports and information as requested by the priesthood adviser.

Training and Support

• Receive training and support from the priesthood adviser, through the Serving in the Church/Public Affairs Web site, and from the appropriate multistake, specially named regional, or area public affairs council.
• Provide training as directed by the priesthood adviser.

Assistant Director of Public Affairs Assigned to Media Relations

Major Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the priesthood adviser and director of public affairs, oversee the day-to-day work of building strong working relationships with key media representatives.
• Serve as the Church’s local contact for media, fielding calls, providing information, and arranging interviews when appropriate.
• Visit the Church Newsroom regularly to stay abreast of current Church activities and public statements.
• Regularly read local and national news sources to stay abreast of current issues.
• Write and gain approval to distribute appropriate news releases or news or feature story ideas to local media. (Note: locally produced or published stories of national or international interest may be submitted to the Public Affairs Department for possible inclusion on the Church Newsroom. Stories from outside the United States and Canada may also be considered for use on the "Newsroom" section of country Web sites.)
• Help prepare designated spokespersons for interviews and media briefings, and accompany spokespersons to interviews (in coordination with the director of public affairs and priesthood adviser).
• Contact journalists, when necessary, to correct significant inaccuracies in their news reports.
• Help train and supervise any other council members who may be assigned to work in media relations.
• Help develop and maintain an inventory of informational materials that can be used in outreach to media.
• Maintain a confidential record of all interactions with media representatives.
• Help plan, implement, and evaluate all projects and activities of the public affairs council.
• Help prepare annual plans and budget requests for submission to the priesthood adviser for approval.

Accountability

• Report to the director of public affairs.

Training and Support

• Receive training and support from the priesthood adviser, through the Serving in the Church/Public Affairs Web site, and from the appropriate multistake, specially named regional, or area public affairs council.
• Provide training as directed by the priesthood adviser.

Assistant Director of Public Affairs Assigned to Opinion Leader Outreach 

Major Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the priesthood adviser and director of public affairs, oversee the day-to-day work of building relationships between priesthood leaders and key opinion leaders.
• Help develop and implement the council’s road maps for building relationships with opinion leaders.
• Maintain a confidential record of all interactions with opinion leaders.
• Help plan and implement all projects and activities of the public affairs council.
• Help develop and maintain an inventory of informational materials that can be used in outreach to opinion leaders.
• Visit the Church Newsroom regularly to stay abreast of current Church activities and public statements.
• Regularly read local and national news sources to stay abreast of current issues.
• Participate with council members in evaluating council activities.
• Help prepare annual project plans and budget requests for submission to the priesthood adviser for approval.

Accountability

• Report to the director of public affairs.

Training and Support

• Receive training and support from the priesthood adviser, through the Serving in the Church/Public Affairs Web site, and from the appropriate multistake, specially named regional, or area public affairs council.
• Provide training as directed by the priesthood adviser.

Expanding Councils to Include Specialists and Project Committees

The priesthood adviser to the public affairs council may call specialists and form project committees to join the council as needed. Consistent with the Public Affairs Core Purpose, road maps—action plans or contact plans to reach opinion leaders—may call for projects that require specialists or project committees to serve until the project is completed.

Some specialists may be needed because of their professional skills or experience in areas such as journalism, advertising, marketing, public relations, radio, television, graphic design, photography, secretarial work, or database maintenance. Others may have helpful ties to ethnic or civic groups or with local clergy.

Specialists may be called to serve for an extended period and to work on several projects, or they might be called to help with a single activity, such as a specific event or project. Specialists attend public affairs council meetings and coordinate with and receive authorization from the director of public affairs before proceeding with plans.

Following are examples of possible public affairs specialists and responsibilities:

Database Specialist

A database specialist may be called to assist the council in maintaining a confidential electronic or hard-copy record of interactions with key opinion leaders.

Ethnic Outreach Specialist

The priesthood adviser may call a specialist to help build relationships with different ethnic groups in the area served by the public affairs council. This often applies best for councils serving large metropolitan areas.

Media Specialist

A media specialist works closely with the assistant director over media relations and may assist in developing relationships with media representatives and other media gatekeepers. This individual may also help to write and otherwise prepare materials for distribution to the media.

Secretary

The priesthood adviser may call a secretary to provide clerical and administrative assistance to the public affairs council. The secretary may be responsible for recording minutes and assignments from previous meetings and advising council members of such things as meeting times, meeting agendas, deadlines, and budget procedures.

Service Specialist

A service specialist may assist the public affairs council in organizing and implementing Mormon Helping Hands or other service activities in the community. The specialist may also research and approach possible partnering organizations—especially those associated with key opinion leaders.

Ward or Branch Specialist

Although there are no ward and branch public affairs councils, the priesthood adviser may call a ward or branch public affairs representative to serve on the public affairs council to assist with a special project or activity that the stake or multistake council needs to implement at the ward or branch level.