Media Relations Associate

Washington, DC, USA
Posted on  

Job Description

Title: Media Relations Associate

Reports to: Deputy Communications Director

Direct Reports: None

Hours: Full-time, exempt

Location: Washington, DC

Led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Giffords is a nonprofit organization whose team is on a mission to save lives from gun violence. Giffords is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion. People of color, trans individuals, gender non-conforming individuals, women, people with differing abilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

We are seeking a Media Relations Associate to join our team. The Media Relations Associate will be a key part of a fast-moving team helping to drive attention and coverage of the organization’s priorities and work.  

This is a full-time position based in our Washington, DC office. This position requires occasional evening and weekend work, and up to 25 percent travel once it begins again. As the safety and wellbeing of our team is of utmost importance, all Giffords staff members are working remotely until it is safe for us to resume working in an office, traveling, and holding in-person meetings.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until position is filled. Due to high volume of applicants, no phone calls or emails, please.

Duties + Responsibilities

Monitors news coverage, oversees the gathering and distribution of daily clips to Giffords staff and partners

Identifies coverage trends and flags opportunities for potential engagement

Collects media metrics for all Giffords media activity

Maintains, updates, and creates press lists for topics, locations, and experts

Fields incoming media requests from local and state media outlets.

Drafts press releases, op-eds, pitch notes, and other memos as needed

Assists with developing social media content, especially content that amplifies important news of the day

Identifies opportunities to strategically amplify the voices of local surrogates. Writes op-eds and letters to the editor; pitches surrogates to local media, develops creative opportunities to feature their views through social media and at events

Collaborates with the Deputy Communications Director and Communications Director to develop an ongoing earned media strategy that will elevate the organization’s experts and ideas

Focus on the development and execution of state-level earned media strategies that inform and influence news coverage, including local editorial boards

Assist with the recruitment process for a communications intern and supervises intern workflow

Performs other duties as assigned

Required knowledge, skills + experience

At least 1-2 years of relevant work experience

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Familiarity with media list building and monitoring software

Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, GSuite, and Wordpress.

Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to be flexible

Extremely well organized with superior attention to detail.

Ability to manage multiple projects and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment under tight deadlines

Strong interpersonal skills, sense of humor and ability to work well on a team

Entrepreneurial spirit, strong problem-solving and creative thinking skills

Flexibility and an openness to evolving responsibilities

Valued non-essential knowledge, skills, + experience

Experience with Adobe design programs

Salary + benefits

Salary is commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits include employer funded health, dental, and vision insurance; health, transit, and parking flexible spending accounts; 401k plan with 4% employer match; 25 days of PTO annually; and paid holidays.

Applying + the interview process

Submit your resume and a brief cover letter (400 words maximum) that outlines three specific ways that you would be a good fit for this position—bullet points are great. Our interview process for this position consists of a phone interview, a video interview, a skills assessment exercise, and reference checks.