Skip to main content

Communications & Media Relations Specialist

Job Overview

The Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) is a research center associated within the McCourt School of Public Policy that studies the links between education, career qualifications, and workforce demands. CEW provides research and analysis to postsecondary and workforce administrators, policymakers, and leaders across the nation. Additionally, using data-based research, CEW’s founder and director works closely with the GU President’s Office to help articulate university positions and support the President and senior university leaders.

CEW publishes between 8-10 publications every year which require extensive planning, coordination and collaboration. CEW is organized into three units: research, communications, and editorial. The communications team is responsible for strategic communications and the release of our publications. In addition, the communications team handles an average of 500 media requests per year.

CEW seeks a Communications and Media Relations Specialist to apply their writing and editing expertise to enhance CEW’s communications efforts. The Communications and Media Relations Specialist will have substantial involvement in the production and dissemination of CEW reports (8-10 per year). The Specialist must be able to independently write and edit content, such as: blogs, newsletters, media toolkits, media alerts, press coverage reports, fact sheets, online content, and other documents.

This position functions as a critical member of the communications team and is frequently tapped to support and/or fill in for the Director of Strategic Communications and Production and the Social Media Marketing Specialist. The Communications and Media Relations Specialist will be responsible for assisting with media relations efforts and expanding upon existing strategy. The Specialist will also check accuracy with subject matter experts and finalize written documents in accordance with organization’s established writing style, formats, fonts, etc.

The position is required to work flexible hours, and respond in a timely and professional manner to inquiries from internal and external constituents, including the news media. The position requires a positive and flexible attitude, strong oral and written communications skills, careful judgment, flexibility, efficiency, and the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines for a wide variety of assignments.

Work Interactions and Work Mode Designation

The Communications and Media Relations Specialist will report to the Director of Strategic Communications and Production. They will coordinate activities such as writing and editing eblasts, newsletters, blog posts, press releases, PowerPoints, and other promotional material. The Communications and Media Specialist will join a team of three: a Director of Strategic Communications and Production, a Social Media Marketing Specialist, and a Graphic Design and Multimedia Specialist. The Communications and Media Relations Specialist works closely with the CEW’s production team and other key project stakeholders to provide overall writing and editing support for CEW’s print and online materials.

This position has been designated as Telework. Please note that work mode designations are regularly reviewed in order to meet the evolving needs of the University. Such review may necessitate a change to a position’s mode of work designation. Complete details about Georgetown University’s mode of work designations for staff and AAP positions can be found on the Department of Human Resources website.

Requirements and Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in English, communications, journalism, or related field with 1-3 years of work experience. Given the fast-paced environment, this candidate must possess a strong work ethic, exhibit excellent time-management skills, be highly detail-oriented, and a self-starter. Writing experience in a deadline-driven environment, strong organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize work are paramount. The ideal candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, including explaining statistics and data trends, and an interest in the intersection of workforce and education.

Responsibilities

Overall Communications Writing and Editing:

  • Work closely with the Director of Strategic Communications and Production on written content, such as press releases, op-eds, blog posts, eblasts, statements, fact sheets, and newsletter articles.
  • Draft communications materials including press releases, blog posts, op-eds, emails to external stakeholders, statements, and creates content for CEW’s website and social media channels.
  • In conjunction with the communications team, regularly track and analyze the results of external outreach activities through spreadsheets and written reports.
  • Provide the communications team with editing services on internal and public-facing documents, such as reports, speeches, presentations, social media posts, team reporting summaries, promotional material, etc.
  • Contribute to social and digital media marketing efforts through streamlining outreach efforts and collaborating with the communications team.

Media Relations and Strategic Communications:

  • Work closely with the Director of Strategic Communications and Production to evaluate and improve media relations strategy through tracking and collecting data, reviewing analytics, and monitoring trends.
  • Help triage incoming media inquiries for CEW by arranging interviews for spokespeople as needed, including coordinating logistics and press materials.
  • Pitch CEW’s reports and arranges interviews for spokespeople, including coordinating logistics and briefing materials.
  • Support media coverage tracking and supervises CEW interns and the CEW functions related to the media coverage monitoring that they perform. This includes curating and managing the Daily News Digest electronic media clip distribution to staff.
  • Help build and diligently maintain an extensive media list that includes U.S. education and workforce journalists, producers, and bloggers.
  • Draft reports on media coverage and outreach efforts.

Multimedia Content Production:

  • Collaborate and provide support with editing and writing digital content.
  • Provide creative input for website materials as needed.
  • Assist with writing, copyediting, and proofing content for web projects.
  • Draft and proof communications materials for the website and social media platforms.
  • Draft and edit scripts.

General Communications and Miscellaneous Responsibilities:

  • Provide overall communications support as needed on administrative tasks.
  • Organize and maintain an editorial and communications activities calendar, and collaborates on drafting posts for social media.
  • Provide support for special communications projects as required.
  • Other duties as assigned.