Media Relations Associate

Key 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)

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