Media Relations Associate

Job Description

Job Description

The Media Relations Associate ensures the smooth and efficient functioning of the Media & Public Relations office by facilitating the flow of information among internal and external audiences. Key responsibilities include building, updating and maintaining media lists; managing the website platform used to send news releases and other materials to journalists; tracking and evaluating Hadassah’s media coverage; managing the website newsroom; and handling publicity for select programs.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Build, update and maintain media lists in Meltwater, an external web-based software platform, working with its account support team as needed; use the internet to research reporters not in Meltwater and to track down elusive contact information.
• Prepare and send news releases to reporters, editors, producers and other journalists via Meltwater, working with IT team to troubleshoot as needed.
• Work with the Digital Communications team to upload news stories, news releases, media statements and other Media & Public Relations content to the website newsroom.
• Monitor Hadassah’s media coverage through Google Alerts, Meltwater’s Daily News Digest and other means, making daily recommendations about which stories to add to the website newsroom. Compile and distribute internal coverage reports.
• Manage publicity for select programs, composing news releases, developing story ideas, writing pitches and identifying, pursuing and serving as a resource for media targets.
• Serve as the department point person for Basecamp, Hadassah’s web-based project management platform, creating and updating Media & Public Relations project pages and adding documents, photos and other material.
• Field and manage email and phone inquiries from internal and external sources, including reporters, Hadassah members, the public, archivists, people seeking medical care, publicists and vendors.
• Update and maintain shared department resources, including a photo bank; records on news outlets around the country.
• Compile department submissions for internal reports, record and share meeting notes, and handle other department support tasks, as needed.

Required Knowledge, Education, Experience:

• BA in the humanities, communications, nonprofit management or a related subject
• Minimum of 3-5 years of real-world experience in media relations/publicity/public relations/communications at mission-driven organizations
• A thorough understanding of PR basics – news judgment, media relations, targeted pitching, and a track record of placing and managing stories
• Experience collaborating with colleagues at all levels across complex organizations and with vendor and/or consultant account representatives
• A facility with Microsoft 365 and experience with these or similar web-based platforms: Meltwater (media database and content distribution), Basecamp and Monday.com (project management), Salesforce (CRM) and Canva (presentation and graphic design).
• Helpful but not required: A familiarity with Israel, the American Jewish community and/or hospitals and the healthcare sector.

Required Skills:

• Superb verbal skills, including a talent for writing fluidly, concisely and with verve
• A meticulous attention to detail
• The ability to work independently while keeping your supervisor and colleagues with whom you are collaborating informed of your progress
• The capacity to juggle multiple deadlines and assignments in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent judgment
• An aptitude for resourceful, out-of-the-box problem-solving